See also Links and downloads
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Monday, 6 August 2012
“Murky goings-on in Derbyshire” - another perspective (in brief)
We
have received further allegations with reference to the Derby City
meetings. These include forms of personal abuse, interference with
prescribed medication, and that the Derby City group promotes itself
to the detriment of other groups in the area. Our source requested
that the details not be published on the site. We would however be
interested to hear from any members who can provide any further
(publishable) evidence to support (or rebut) these allegations
(preferably in the form of personal testimony and/or documentary
evidence).
Over
to you
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
We've recently checked out the AA GB website – the ONLY official
website for AA in the country. For at least FOUR days now the
Starter Pack section of the site (which carries links to the relevant
pamphlets) has been inoperative. On clicking the links the message:
“The system cannot find the path specified.” is
displayed. What this means is that there is nothing there!
Apparently the webmasters are currently substituting pdf links for
html links for documents throughout the site but have failed to do so
for this section. The documents themselves are available (if you
look closely) under the Members' Area - then under Service - THEN
under Document Library - and THEN
under Newcomers
starter pack Pdfs – not exactly easily accessible! We estimate it
would take about 5 minutes to rectify the problem! So what's going
on?
PPS
The Share section of the same website contains the following spelling
error: “possitive” for “positive”. Remember this website is:
“created and maintained by The General Service Board of Alcoholics
Anonymous (Great Britain) Ltd. through The General Service Office of
Great Britain.”
Comment:
This is the public face of Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) on
the web! Use a spell check!
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Saturday, 4 August 2012
The Primary Purpose Big Book Study Cult continued … or As Joe Sees It!
Extract
from our forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/aacultwatch
under thread: “TLM in Alanon UK?”
“Thanks
…... I agree Joe’s [as in Joe and Charlie's Big Book Study] books
are really simple, that’s the problem I have with them. It’s all
there in black and white, how to take the steps and how to sponsor,
according to Joe. Done and dusted; a quick fix. I can understand
their appeal. However, much of the way we communicate is
subconscious. The subliminal insinuated messages in Joe’s writing
are disturbing to me. Anyone who hasn’t much knowledge of AA
history will probably be unaware of them. For many alcoholics
recovery is not so simple. Nor is AA history as simple and as black
and white as Joe McQ portrays. He makes little distinction between
early AA groups and Oxford Groups. Early AA groups were not Oxford
Groups. He takes the 1935-1939 pre formative AA timescale (Oxford
Group/alcoholic group) out of its context and then mixes it with the
post 1939 early AA timescale. His account of the early AA period
(post 1939) doesn’t appear to distinguish between what was the
overall developing AA policy at the time and what were the painful
mistakes of inexperienced groups who were either dictatorships or on
rule making benders.
To me,
Joe McQ portrays a half truth of early AA history which leaves a very
distorted picture of the origin of the twelve steps, of AA history
and of sponsorship. His books just give you the white, as Joe sees
it, leaving out most of the black and shades of grey to be found in
the Alcoholics Anonymous World Service books. What Joe doesn’t say
is just as telling as what he does. To explain why I have a problem
with Joe’s books will take a number of posts, so I hope you’ll
bear with me. I’ll reference the posts with literature published by
AA World Services and AA Grapevine, so if you then wish to do so,
you’ll be able to check out what I have to say for yourself. The
first post will be a few things about the Oxford Group that Joe
doesn’t tell you, the 2nd will be a few things from the early AA
period that Joe doesn’t tell you, the 3rd will be relating AA
traditions to the reason why I have a problem with his books. First
post coming up soon….. “
Cheers
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Friday, 3 August 2012
Links and downloads
Addiction and the brain: the role of neurotransmitters in the cause and treatment of drug dependence
and for
the more obsessive amongst us!
See also
Links and downloads
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Conference Questions (2012) forum discussion (contd)
Question
2:
“Would
the Fellowship ask itself the question: “Are there too many
meetings and not enough groups?”
Background
Pamphlet
‘The AA Group’
The
Home Group: Heartbeat of AA
Consider
the contribution to the carrying of the message, financial and
practical implications when deliberating each question.”
Extracts
“The
Formula That Works (AA Grapevine August 1947)
“We
say here in A.A. that we don't know what makes it work. Well, we
don't know just what makes it work; but I can think of one thing that
has an awful lot to do with making it work.
Did
you ever stop to think of the amount of love that is constantly being
manifested in A.A.? Not the human kind that man has for woman and
woman for man, but spiritual love.
Divine
Love is the greatest thing in the world--the healer of all
things--and in my opinion, that same Love is the back bone of A.A.
I
once read an analysis of love that seemed to me pretty accurate. The
word "love" was broken up into eight attributes. You will
notice that these eight attributes are not fancy words, but very
common, every-day ones. They are: Patience; kindness; generosity;
humility; courtesy; unselfishness; good temper; sincerity.
All
these attributes are being constantly manifested in A.A. Some call it
group therapy--I call it love. Can you think of anyone more badly in
need of love than the alcoholic? All avenues to love are eventually
closed to him and at last he finds himself on the Street of Regrets.
It is along about here, if he is lucky, that A.A. finds him standing
on its threshold.
The
first attribute of Love to be manifested in A.A. is that of courtesy.
Instead of "Scram, bum!" it now becomes, "Welcome,
brother!" Our newcomer is invited to sit down and we sit down
with him. We tell him our story and he tells us his, amazed, usually,
to find the pattern so similar. As this honest and sincere exchange
of stories takes place, something else also takes place--a new-found
hope--a new-found friend--someone who is interested in him.
He
is then introduced to others--all courteous, all sincere in their
desire to help him. He is advised to take down some telephone numbers
and to call any of these members if he feels jittery, and "talk
it over." He can't help but get the feeling that he is no longer
alone. He is walking hand in hand with hundreds of other alcoholics.
He
is urged to come back to as many meetings as he can. As he comes to
these meetings, he sees further evidences of Love. He sees people get
up on the platform and humbly tell stories of their drinking days
that are sometimes pretty sordid. For one reason only--with the hope
that in so stripping their souls and laying the horror of their
drinking days before you, they may help you.
As
the days go by, the new comer gradually sees more examples of
kindness, generosity, patience, humility. He sees people dashing up
to Knickerbocker Hospital, to the alcoholic wards of Kings County and
Bellevue.
He
sees and hears A.A. members talking to those who have unfortunately
gone "off the beam"; but he does not see those who have
"slipped" criticized, condemned. He sees them talked to
with patience, kindness, unselfishness--with Love. He sees families
given the same courteous, patient, unselfish attention the alcoholic
receives.
Little
by little this constant manifestation of Love begins to take effect
on our newcomer. He has been constantly surrounded by it, he has been
constantly receiving it, and now, as he begins to make the grade, he
begins to give it.
Slowly
but surely Divine Love has registered in all aspects with our
newcomer. Instead of fear, he now registers courage. Instead of
intolerance, he now displays patience. Instead of condemnation, he
now registers sympathetic understanding. Instead of sickness he has
health. Instead of weakness, there is strength.
One
can hardly recognize in this well-poised, clear-eyed, smartly groomed
confident man the once trembling, bleary-eyed, sick, weak, fearful
creature who a short time ago crept through the doorway of A.A. A
miracle stands before you!
Jack
C. Manhattan, New York”
Comment:
How to carry the AA message – by example! And what a contrast with
the cult's dogmatic, intolerant and abusive style!
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
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