On (28 Jan 97) Tim Dill wrote to all...
 TD> (DIATRIBE WARNING!)
 TD> In the past few days I have come to the conclusion that AA is
 TD> cult-like.
 TD> One of the things cults do is destroy one's ability to think for
 TD> yourself. When is the last time someone in a meeting stood up and
 TD> said, "I believe that the ego deflation part of this program can be
 TD> deadly!"
Sunday morning.
 TD> Well I am saying it. I'll be giving the reasons shortly.
 TD> There is the the point of "Conference Approved" literature.
 TD> Well when was the last time anyone thought about on the
 TD> "Conference" that approves the literature? Is it some central
 TD> authority that defines for the "Member" what he/she can read
 TD> during one's indoctrination sessions err.. meetings?
You know, you shouldn't share pillow talk on a public echo.
 TD> Now that line is conjecture, I personally know of no local groups that
 TD> have given any money to World Services in a long time... and yet
 TD> what about the groups that did?
Yes you do...the Carroll Gardens group donates to Intergroup and GSO every
month.
 TD> The society says to them "That they have lost true humility and
 TD> therefore perspective..." that in and of itself says to the member
 TD> that you
 TD> don't deserve redemption until you think the way we do..
Huh????
 TD> That concept coupled with the "outright mental defectives in full
 TD> flight from reality..." line from "The Doctor's Opinion" in the other
 TD> "Conference Approved" literature denotes that the member is defective
 TD> and the only relief is ego deflation and right thinking based on said
 TD> "Conference Approved" literature.
Interesting point.
 TD> But that's not the point here. I personally know of quite a few
 TD> fellow sufferers that the "spiritual angle" will not work with.
 TD> The reason is very simple, they have no ego to deflate.
Ego deflation is not necessary for the spiritual angle to work, however.
Unfortunately this doesn't seem to happen in meetings.
 TD> Now the program says very little if not nothing at all on how to
 TD> handle these fragmented personalities. That and the daunting task
 TD> of doing it exactly as written will probably put them over the edge
 TD> and into oblivion.
Good point.
 TD> Faced with that choice they either become the chronic slippers
 TD> or the ones that never put more than 2 years together then
 TD> disappear.
 Hunh.  They also become the suicides.
 TD> On that front AA has failed them because AA fails to adapt to
 TD> it's changing membership.
 Yes.
 TD> It fails because it has been proven that "Conference Approved"
 TD> literature is horribly outdated in view of the current
 TD> 75% or more members that have used drugs in addition to
 TD> the main focus of drinking.
It's horribly outdated in more ways than that, darling.
 TD> It fails because there are more minorities and women then ever before
 TD> and yet the steps as written are tailor made for the upper crust
 TD> "off the wagon wall street types" who had a wealthy upbringing
 TD> and knew no abuse.
 Yes.
 TD> It fails to meet the needs of people who have a dependency on
 TD> other people, only to encourage MORE dependency on said
 TD> Sponsor and a nameless god (Whom is invariably MALE and christian)
Yes.
--- PPoint 2.00
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