05/03/10
Purley cult group
There's an absolutely scurrilous rumour doing the rounds that the Purley group (see our Cult: Where to Find) has finally been given the old heave-ho by North East Surrey Intergroup. Apparently they have become such a right royal pain in the you-know-what that all patience has expired. But never mind! They can always transfer their efforts to promoting that other side-line: the circuit speaker business. They now run a website advertising such notables as Bob D (whoever he is?) amongst others. And the blurb:
"Theme: Surrender
Acessing [sic] the power, spiritual principals [sic] in relationships, our primary purpose as the [sic] the way to freedom, how to survive the battle between ego and spirit, making amends and the mending of our separation"
Do we detect the faintest beginnings of psycho-babble here, or is it just our natural paranoia surfacing again!! Anyway for a tenner you can get two days worth of Bob holding forth on the above themes - well not really two days - more like a day and a bit - but never mind - if you can't get enough of Bob you can always click on the link to an audio file site and listen to Bob absolutely gratis. But if even Bob can't get your juices flowing then fear not for help is at hand! There's a whole procession of these worthies queueing up here, each one apparently quite desperate to impart their wisdom to us heathens. So following up on Bob's insight we'll be treated to Karl M (details to be announced), Mari G (tba) and finally, the crème de la crème, that well known import from the States, the venerable Myers R. Now if that lot can't get you sobered up then nothing will.
Cheerio
The Fellas
PS One thing that is particularly amusing about the site is the countdown meter - as of today it's only 106 days (or three months and fourteen days) before Bob regales us with his erudition. Can we hold out that long!! We think so - but only just!!
24/07/09
News from Mid Surrey Intergroup
The following has been circulated around meetings covered by that Intergroup by their Health Liaison Officer (name omitted):
"TO ALL GSR'S FROM ......
HEALTH LIAISON OFFICER MID-SURREY INTERGROUP
PLEASE READ OUT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE AT YOUR NEXT GROUP MEETING
I am saddened and alarmed to advise that I have received a phone call today from SABIS [Surrey Alcohol Brief Intervention Service] advising me that one of their clients who has been referred out to AA has come back to them and said that they attended a local meeting and found a sponsor who then told them they could not continue to sponsor them if they were seeing an out-reach worker.
I explained that this is absolutely incorrect and flies directly in the face of our Traditions and the contents of the Big Book which clearly states that we do not give medical advice and that we work alongside professionals wherever possible.
This is extremely dangerous - particularly so when we have meetings aimed at newcomers or beginners where handing out such advice or instruction could prove fatal.
In the bigger picture it could prove disastrous if this type of misinformation circulates around the professional sector where we have quietly been working long and hard to establish healthy and respected contacts.
I would urge you all at your next Conscience Meeting to discuss and clarify once and for all this situation that could be potentially damaging not only to the newcomer but to AA as a whole.
I am very happy to attend any meeting in our Intergroup to assist in any way.
........
Health Liaison Officer"
HEALTH LIAISON OFFICER MID-SURREY INTERGROUP
PLEASE READ OUT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE AT YOUR NEXT GROUP MEETING
I am saddened and alarmed to advise that I have received a phone call today from SABIS [Surrey Alcohol Brief Intervention Service] advising me that one of their clients who has been referred out to AA has come back to them and said that they attended a local meeting and found a sponsor who then told them they could not continue to sponsor them if they were seeing an out-reach worker.
I explained that this is absolutely incorrect and flies directly in the face of our Traditions and the contents of the Big Book which clearly states that we do not give medical advice and that we work alongside professionals wherever possible.
This is extremely dangerous - particularly so when we have meetings aimed at newcomers or beginners where handing out such advice or instruction could prove fatal.
In the bigger picture it could prove disastrous if this type of misinformation circulates around the professional sector where we have quietly been working long and hard to establish healthy and respected contacts.
I would urge you all at your next Conscience Meeting to discuss and clarify once and for all this situation that could be potentially damaging not only to the newcomer but to AA as a whole.
I am very happy to attend any meeting in our Intergroup to assist in any way.
........
Health Liaison Officer"
Increasingly cult members and groups are not only telling newcomers to AA who are on medication that they are "unsponsorable" - or that they cannot recover if they are on medication - but also "suggesting" to them that they cannot be "taken through the programme" where they're undergoing some form of counselling by an outside agency. It's interesting to note that whereas aacultwatch in its contact with "outside agencies" makes a point of emphasising what the AA guidelines are on such questions (as indicated above by the Health Liaison, who seems to know what they're talking about) the cult groups, by comparison, regularly misrepresent AA and bring the Fellowship and its programme into disrepute, and most importantly cause completely unnecessary distress (in some instances leading to suicide) to those who come to us for help, and who are most vulnerable - the "newcomer".
Over to you
The Fellas
29/06/09
Some news from the North East Surrey Intergroup - Further Cult activity flagged up
(A contribution from a member as is - apart from surname editing)
"Trusted servants from the Purley Cult Experiment (There is a solution. Monday, Wednesday) have been trying to advertise their latest orgy of fundamentalist big book bashing and general AA hatred masquerading as a "spiritual retreat", on printed fliers which have found their way to meetings in the area. It was noted that although these conventions have nothing to do with NESIG, have not been funded by NESIG, nor indeed sanctioned in any way by NESIG there was no mention of this on the fliers.
One of the venues, The Friars, Aylesford, had been called and it was under the impression that it was hosting a convention sanctioned by Alcoholics Anonymous.
It was pointed out that the holding of and advertising of these conventions was a breach of Traditions 1 and 2 and Guideline 15 which among other things states:
"The decision to hold a convention ought to be made by the group conscience of the appropriate Intergroup or Region (The sponsoring body)"
It's a common theme on this website that Cult groups feign ignorance of the traditions that might otherwise impede their expansionist goals and Purley is no different in that respect - a juggernaut of self -will.
Since the "leaders" of the group are of the same bent, it is clear what kind of message is being passed down to newcomers through their pyramid sponsorship - the traditions aren't important. They were not included in the first edition of the Big Book is probably the thinking. Anyway the unfortunate sponsee is given a rigid interpretation of the book (take a look at their books -they are all annotated in the same way- spooky!) and a "my way or the highway" approach to the steps. Real AA meetings in the area are sometimes privileged to get an audience with the "shivering denizens" of Purley sponsorship. They turn up in two's or three's at meetings in the area, repeating robotic refrains about being happy, joyous and free and spouting third-hand platitudes about the big book, generally trying the patience of those in attendance. They are disconcerting individuals indeed. Sound familiar?
Anyway back to the distillation of wisdom, serenity and humility that is the Purley convention. It seems that there will be an American speaker involved. Isn't there always? Cult groups generally worship American circuit speakers and Purley is no exception, Mickey B. was involved in the setting up of the group and is a key "spiritual" figure - has anyone ever heard this odious character? Not clear what his agenda is, aside from rampant self-promotion. The suffering alcoholic certainly has to be in very poor shape to want anything that that man has. He also has an army of clones, Chuck G, Bob D etc that are willing to be flown over to the UK to tell us what we are doing wrong ( Does the newcomer know that this is where the money they put into the pot at Purley meetings goes?) Chris and Myers R. are also favourites - again unhinged AA haters - We believe that is from them that the idea that the AA preamble is only one person's opinion comes from, because it first appeared in an article in the Grapevine. (It is only recently that the Purley Wednesday group succumbed to pressure and started reading the preamble at the beginning of meetings - prior to that it was the foreword to the first edition.) Not sure what their beef is with the preamble - possibly they prefer the term "honest desire to stop drinking" that appears in the foreword to the 1st ed. They can use the phrase to filter out the unwilling -you won't follow suggestions - you haven't got an honest desire. Myers R.'s obsession is with qualifying alcoholics and that AA membership has been diluted by heavy drinkers - namely people that seem to be able to stay sober without having a spiritual experience. We are not kidding - he seems to think he can define what does and does not constitute a spiritual experience and who has had one!
So these speakers provide the direction for the group and sanction for their activities. Long term sober people in local meetings are ignored by the group hierarchy when they point out their concerns - the Purley group dismisses local experience as being unimportant - we are all doing it wrong remember!
On a side issue it would be good to do a genealogy of Cult sponsorship - expose the dealings and agendas of Myers and their ilk, they, after all, provide these groups with the lifeblood of respectability ( In the eyes of the cult groups themselves) . Get rid of that and the groups will be revealed for what they really are - huddled, isolated, unpopular and on the fringes of AA.
Closer inspection of the Purley convention flier reveals that those wishing to attend can make their cheques of £150 directly payable to David L (one of the groups founders). The money goes directly into his personal bank account - not an account set up for the convention. Smell a rat anyone? The spiritual life. It's a lark, innit!"
Editor's comment: This is part of a pattern demonstrated by these groups - they are in the process of setting up an alternative to AA but using the AA name to further their agenda. A number of conventions have been organised masquerading as AA events (see website for more details) eg. London, Canterbury, Plymouth. They are not run under the auspices of any Intergroup, and no audited accounts are presented to show how the proceeds of ticket sales are disbursed. It is the case that any member of AA can set up any business they like - however it is not acceptable for them to advertise these ventures in AA meetings or to present them as if they were sanctioned by AA. These groups are not only in breach of Traditions 1 and 2, but also 4, 6, 11, 12. We are not putting this information here for their benefit because it is blindingly obvious to anyone who has bothered to research the matter that they do not care one bit about either AA or its Traditions. As the contributor mentions above they will distort the Traditions, guidelines, concepts etc in order to further their own purposes - which is rather the propagation of dogma, the gross misrepresentation of the AA recovery programme, sponsorship idolatry etc.
We would remind AA members that they do NOT have to tolerate this behaviour. There are already a set of guidelines in place which deal with bullying. AA membership does NOT give any individual the right to cajole, bully, threaten, manipulate, "suggest", or otherwise seek to control any other individual. Newcomers may not be aware of this, or may not possess the resources to rebuff such impositions - but other AA members do - and that is our responsibililty - to act otherwise makes an empty mockery of the AA pledge:
I am Responsible.
When Anyone, Anywhere
Reaches Out For Help,
I Want The Hand Of A.A.
To Always Be There.
When Anyone, Anywhere
Reaches Out For Help,
I Want The Hand Of A.A.
To Always Be There.
And For That,
I Am Responsible!
I Am Responsible!
23/02/09
A newcomer's view
“i'm new to this site and now 10 months into my recovery..i say recovery because i myself had a vision for you "sponser"who nabbed me at the Guildford newcomers Friday meeting back in may 2008(they are aware of the issue and are on top of it)..luckily i'd already built some some decent real aa mates and was saved by a chap who i'm proud to say is my sponser. Thank my HP that i got into aa proper. These guys are control freaks and very dangerous, if you don't follow their rules"suggestions" you are dumped...just what you need when you're fighting this hideous disease and fresh off the street..i've personally seen 5 newcomers including myself either dump this guy or be dumped..not bad for 10 months and i haven't been to that meeting for the last 4!!...fyi keep an eye on tolworth newcomers on thursday night..he turned up their as have others from the Guildford Monday meeting..they have the six suggestion cards and are on you like flies around poo if you're new in...their sobriety is rocky to say the least but they're great with advice!!!
As a relative newcomer myself and working 9 at the moment i'm aware that i'm not practicing tolerance but sod that this is life and death..i was lucky...i'm still a human with opinions.
Please keep carrying the real aa message..the world needs it
P”
Editor's comment: Take note Tolworth Newcomers (Thursday night)!!
28/12/08
Guildford Newcomers Friday update
We have received the following notification from that group following our earlier comments that they had experienced problems with cult activity:
' Friday Newcomers has not been seriously negatively affected by ' vision ' although it has experienced attempts to recruit and pressurise its newcomers. These attempts are being monitored and the impact has been minimised. Our meeting is a large and successful mainstream AA meeting with many newcomers.' Andrew D - GSR
01/10/08
News from Surrey
Mention of these groups are cropping up in our emails these days – and are also listed under a Primary Purpose Website (non AA)
Quote:
"Hello,
I have just read though the contents of your site with great interest. I am a recovering alcoholic in the ……. area. I have had a lot of experience with these fundamentalist groups. I used to attend the Sunday morning Deptford meeting of Road to recovery and left after feeling compelled to vote with my sponsor at group consciences and other forms of coercion and control that I was unable to reconcile with sane healthy behaviour. I have become concerned about the "There is a solution group" operating from Purley on wednesday and monday. It is a similar set up - pyramid sponsorship, discouragement of attending other meetings, mandatory attendance of Purley meetings as a condition of sponsorship, a murky steering committee that make all group decisions (No tradition 3 group decision making) involvement in various non intergroup affiliated conventions. The meeting on Monday night is a book study which involves a Pavlovian response to sentences of the big book turned into questions. There is a slavish adherence to a particular interpretation of the book and a harking back to some golden age of AA when there was a 75% recovery rate, before it was all ruined by treatment centres and touchy feely 70's group therapy techniques. There is also a hero worship of certain American speakers that "carry the true message".
I believe that groups like this pose a threat to the continued existence of AA. I would like to be of help to you.
I can be contacted at the above e mail address.
Love in fellowship"
