Uncomplicating things...step by step.

Over on Humanspirit\'s blog, Causeandeffect commented that every step and every aspect of the program should be scrutinized. I agree and thought the obvious place to start would be with the first step.

Step One: We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol and our lives had become unmanageable.

Powerlessness. That one word is what I find the most disturbing and detrimental about the whole program of AA. I have no power. I have no control. I have no say. I am at the mercy of everyone and everything. I am nothing. I must be taken care of. I must be told what to do. I am not capable. I am not smart. I am not worthy. I can\'t do it!!! I am powerless.
What does it mean to admit powerlessness? Is it really as soul crushing and self defeating as I see it? Or is it simply a way to open the door to a new way of thinking? And what does that new way of thinking entail?

Below is a list of questions pertaining to step one. I answered and asked these once a week, every week, for a year, in an AA group.
*Dear God, please set aside everything that I think I know, so that I may have an open mind.*

My way of living gets me scared, alone, drunk and suicidal.
Do I have the desperation of a drowning man tonight?
(Physical problem)
When I start drinking do I have little control over the amount I take? When drinking, do I crave another drink, then another...?
(mental problem)
Have I ever tried to quit entirely and found that I started again, no matter how many promises I made, willpower I tried to summon...DUI\'s, jails,rehabs, meetings, family conflict etc...
(unmanageability)
Am I having trouble with: family? friends? jobs? mood swings? depression? anger? loneliness? fear/anxiety? uselessness?
Based on everything I\'ve considered here, can I now say that I am powerless over alcohol and my life is unmanageable?
Am I an alcoholc?

So, there\'s the step one that I experienced. And boy oh boy did I feel powerless. Scrutinize away!

Comments

You're funny. Keep coming back.

Oh Clara & Beckett,
neither of you addressed your health issue's, the stalking, the inability to accept that any one rejects AA & thus ultimately you also. It is against the law to pester & bother someone who has made it perfectly clear they reject you & your group. You are only on a forum, what do the two of you do when people leave the meetings you attend, do you stalk them & try to convince them to keep coming back? This forum is an easy AA bully venue, you are legal & allowed to be here, how far you two take this in your day to day life's is another matter. I don't believe either of you has the nerve to confront ex member's in person, the consequence's may be serious & bully's are ultimately cowards. Regarding your unhealthy behavior, neither of you respond. Regarding the fact that you both think you need to belong to a group, lack independence & your own identity & persona, neither of you respond. Regarding both of your mental health & your unhealthy & weird behaviors & actions, neither of you respond.
I used a lot of words to respond to Clara, so what? Anger, hatred, bitterness all part of & normal emotions of the human condition. AA recommends that one does not have these emotions. This is oppressive & unhealthy. When one has been negligently damaged & harmed by any entity a group, a member of a group, it is sane & rational to feel anger, hatred & bitterness. Justifiable & normal emotions. Physiology, fight or flight, a human's survival instinct, flee the rooms & flee AA, it is crazy, harmful & damaging. The psycho babble that is AA & goes on @ meetings is unqualified & dangerous, this is a well known fact, a fact. So we & the other 97% fled. From a distance, away from the irrational, the madness, the brain washed, the insane we have chosen the other survival instinct, fight. Thus we are on this forum to fight the madness of AA, it is a beginning, a start, AA like all oppressive regime's & group's through out history, will stagnate, stagnate & eventually collapse. It's going to happen.
Clara, has your IQ ever been tested? Many people in jail have rejected AA & fought against & won not being sentenced to attend. Not just the guy from the lawsuit. What did he gain? Really? He gained not having to attend, he set another legal precedent for other alcohol & drug addicts, he probably changed the way the DOC of CA. handles rehab sentencing. He made a point & won, he protected constitutional rights for every one in this nation, he protected democracy & religious freedom. That's what he won & every one won because he did this.
The objective is suing for money is 1. to of course seek damages for harm, injuries & suffering. 2. to make an organization, business, individual, etc. etc. pay financially for their negligence, endangering, abuse, etc. etc. 3. to shut down the organization, business, etc. etc. & cease that they harm or endanger any one. AA has been proven, to be ineffective. In addition to that AA has proven to be dangerous & harmful to many individuals, to society & to former member's, physically, mentally & emotionally. AA refuses to be responsible or accountable for all the harm & dangers that occur due to it's existence, thus one solution is to sue, hit them where it hurts, their money & assets. You can be damn sure AA will change & change a lot if it is going to detrimentally effect their wealth, assets & reputation.
Trying to communicate with an irrational lunatic requires quite a few words. One can only hope that one of those words may cut through the mental illness, the unhealthy behaviors of stalking & trolling, the denial that AA has been rejected by many & isn't effective. Both of you chose to be here, chose to be told over & over that you are both mentally ill & need help & both of you continuously will not acknowledge or admit that something is wrong & amiss & needs to be addressed & possibly cured or healed or improved. You both use the AA tactics of deflection & dishonesty & denial, how is that working for you? Neither of you, especially Beckett seems serene, happy or joyful, you both are definitely unhealthy. The dependent personality disorder can be helped with therapy & medication. The inability to be one's own person can be helped by medical professionals, not us. One can't reason with a lunatic.

patti

becket's picture

Blah fuckin blah, do you think you could be more succinct?

What health issues? What stalking? I don't care if someone leaves AA. I do care if someone jeers at another who stays in AA, and more than that I fail to understand why someone who went to AA but does not any longer - just like everyone here (JR Harris excluded) - and comes away from it healthy and relatively happy is automatically the object of such pointed contempt.

You post a photocopy of your medical degree and I may answer some of your questions. I don't run from whatever it is you think you're ferreting out. I run from your arrogant assumption of entitlement to know.

Here are some more slogans for your arsenal, patti: always wear black; always wipe from front to back.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Ironic's picture

Jeering at an AA at one of their meetings is MUCH different than coming onto the OPF and jeering at a troll.

Why do you never make the distinction?

Clara's picture

Poor behavior is poor behavior

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

is poor drinking, it's not "alcoholism"
6 beer binge, lmao

Brett

Clara's picture

to each's own, Brett. I am grateful that AA allows each person to make the determination for his or herself about that.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

Persephone In Exile's picture

Clara, SOME in AA allow people to make that determination for themselves. Of course, if you don't make that determination you might just be told you are "in denial".

Can you please tell us whether you are actually a member of AA or not? A few months ago you informed us that you no longer attend meetings (which surely means you have left AA), but you are still talking as if you were a member, and spend all your time trying to tell people with real experience of this organization why they are wrong.

All - Clara's husband has banned her from reading my comments, so I guess in order to get an answer from her, one of you will have to quote me and sully her precious eyes with such heresy as I have produced. Fact is that a few months ago she was saying she no longer attended AA, then was saying that she only attending to 'support' her husband (IMO, when he ordered it. Hello, Mr Clara - I have no doubt you're reading this, even though you deem my comments unfit for the wife's eyes!), and is now protesting that she attends regularly and aren't we all being stupid for taking her original statements as the truth?

Meanwhile, I hope the rest of us can get on with the serious and important stuff.

causeandeffect's picture

Clara

Can you please tell us whether you are actually a member of AA or not? A few months ago you informed us that you no longer attend meetings (which surely means you have left AA), but you are still talking as if you were a member, and spend all your time trying to tell people with real experience of this organization why they are wrong.

Troll free AA critical forum
http://www.expaa.org/

"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

Clara's picture

Yes, I still go to meetings, just not with the regularity I did at the beach. I have always said this. I have posted that I went on Monday night swith my husband, and that I recently found a ladies meeting that I liked. When Spike was so ill, I literally couldn't leave the house. We had this discussion, too, when JR was researching the values of every intergroup and clubhouse, without understanding that we didn't go to meetings in Texas because we didn't like them. Our meeting meets in NM, remember?

I am not telling anyone that he or she is wrong, just my experiences.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

JR Harris's picture

Complete break down of AA hierarchy in New Mexico, covering districts 1-19, including explanation of Area Trusted Servants which are "provided with money to cover travel and other expenses necessary for the business of the position. "

http://www.newmexicoaa.org/images/pdf/AIP.Updated.2012.pdf

Main New Mexico AA Area 46 site: http://www.newmexicoaa.org/

Northern New New Mexico AA Site in Albuquerque: http://www.albuquerqueaa.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Albuquerque Central Office
1921 Alvarado Drive
Albuquerque, NM 87110

Covering Districts 3, 11, 12, 13 & 18 in Area 46.

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

thinks a 6 pak & piss poor driving ability makes an alcoholic, you where conned & taken advantage of by your attorney, when he tired of you he passed you along to your now husband,they do that in clancy groups, your a pawn, you determined nothing.

clara's views represent A.A & the recovery they offer.

Brett

becket's picture

What is "poor drinking", Brett? Please describe this for the class. Thank you.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

becket's picture

How can you even entertain the notion that there is a distinction? Aside from the anonymity that the internet affords, the offense is exactly the same.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Clara's picture

Why does it require a lot of words to speak with someone you think is a lunatic? I would think you wouldn't respond at all. The only stalker on the forum is something isn't really even one, but just wants you to think that he is. He's been dealt with effectively. I certainly haven't asked anyone to give AA another go. If you don't want it, I don't want it for you. I know any number of people that believe AA has been a great help to them, helped to save their lives and their families for them. It doesn't matter to me if you don't believe that.

AA is fully aware of the skewed emotions that an alcoholic can have. It doesn't dispute that alcoholics have full range of emotion. The point is to not let them become overwhelming or controlling. I am not sure why you would say this.

As for telling me that I am mentally ill, what effect is that suppose to have on me? The same uninformed, uneducated, unprofessional person is making a diagnosis of the same kind you say you find in AA. Why are you right yet AAs are wrong?

You are very humorous, Patti.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

JR Harris's picture

From the very start Clara, you came on this blog to disrupt and derail the conversation. You were ill equipped with read the "Big Book" and "Living Sober" tactics because most people on this blog know them must better than you. You have changed you "story" multiple times. You claim to be here on some altruistic mission. Why are you here?

Exposing the false dichotomy of the AA evangelists who lie, one lie and one evangelist at a time.

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

becket's picture

Why are you here? As victim of the damage inflicted by AA - a victim who is third generation, twice removed, with the primary source of injury long gone?

Exposing JR Harris' lair of misery, one tear at a time.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

becket's picture

If I had to weigh it out in the court of intelligence, I would have to say that Pennywise demonstrates considerably much more acumen, reasoning power and savvy than patti. In fact, patti seems to be hell-bent on suing AA in spite of every caveat Pennywise can put in front of her.

I can only guess this is her retirement plan. Good luck with that, girl.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

live_free_or_die's picture

pennywise fellatio?

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

becket's picture

Why do you ask? Can't get fucked tonight? Looking to get yourself off?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

live_free_or_die's picture

had better taste. Get it?

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

Beckett,
how hard are you going to cry when AA gets sued by a member who has been sexually abused, who asked for help & reform & was ignored & disregarded. how hard are you going to cry when AA gets sued because of a suicide or another tragedy directly caused by the organization or a member? Will you go completely mental, will you possible shoot up a mall or do something really, really out of control, your anger & hostility boiling over, you going off & really doing something horrible, that will be too late, to change or fix. How long before these verbal hostility towards others with different opinion's than yours digresses into darker & crazier behaviors & actions? Beckett, you seriously need to go see a medical professional, seriously. You are out there & your anger & hostility toward us for not liking AA is abnormal. It is not okay with me if someone like's AA & acts as an abuser, bully & exploiter, such as Wilson & many, many members. It does not have a chance of being a healthy environment, due to Wilson being a shady cat, an immoral man, unethical, etc. Therefore I removed myself from the AA & it's members weird little world & environment. I do not go to AA site's, or meetings & try to change the true believers, the fanatics, the zealots. Lots & lots of AA member's wake up, deprogram & roll. I am here to help the voiceless & down trodden addict, so that those fragile & vulnerable addicts know, know that someone care's, people care that they do not get abused in any 12 step program or rehab or institution. People care that they deprogram & stay clean & get healthy again. Unfortunately, AA & other 12 step group's are unhealthy environments & people need help, need to know others know how they feel, that's what this forum is here to do. So that they can do "research" if they are researching treatment or help. So they know that AA is disliked & critiqued by many, this is a consumer's report forum. So they know there is a big old world outside of those church basements, outside of that weird world, outside of the program an evil, selfish & mentally ill con man created to benefit himself more than any body else. We are not taking their choice away from them, if they want to head to AA that's their choice, we are just letting them know that AA can be a horrible experience, a major mind fck, an unhealthy & destructive environment. Beckett, you need to take a look @ self, instead of us, so does Clara. One does not need to have a medical degree to recognize that you need help, professional help, nothing we can do for you here. Clara you know we don't agree with your views that AA is cool, why do you point out that I don't agree with & put you down for promoting AA, you know that I am anti AA, of course I'm going to put you down. I left AA to get away & get people like you & Beckett out of my life, why if you interact with me on an anti AA forum do you expect any other results. Any body who buys Wilson's crazy faith healing & believes that such a piece of garbage & his insane psycho babble helps any one is crazy, would you like a Moonie to tell you over & over, this works for me, so you should do it too? Or would you think that a Moonie, who worships & adores a man is crazy & isolated & not in touch with reality. Any one who stop's drinking or taking drug's, ends an addiction due to attending AA was going to stop any way, they stopped using, on their own. It's a personal action, God doesn't make one get drunk or high & God or a higher power does not step in & take over & stop an addiction either. It is a personal choice & accomplishment. Beckett, please get some help, really, no conflict intended, get some help, please.

patti

btnben's picture

patti - did you know that AA and the Moonies have the same "Daddy" - Frank Buchman?

God damn it, get me a whiskey

Bill W, Deathbed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?source=patrick.net&v=Sdn3O6aaMNc

becket's picture

patti,

you are certifiable.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Clara's picture

Patti, why not put down the organization if that is your choice? You don't have to put people down in your pursuit of helping the downtrodden alcoholic. No one here is a downtrodden drunk or addict. You just want to abuse people for their opinion. Why not get real about it? It is also interesting to see such a "newcomer" jump on people the first day she came on to the forum. It doesn't matter that you may have participated on ST because I wasn't there. You immediately jump on someone simply because of a stance. That's pretty childish.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

becket's picture

Cry? No, no tears for AA if someone can prove abuse.

The responsibility for suicide lies with the person committing the act. It is a non-transferrable sin.

When I drank I had plenty of rage. But that was 32 years ago. It's not my place to see that justice or someone's notion of it is carried out unless I am directly involved and unless I am asked to help. So, no, dear, no shoot-em-ups at the cafeteria or the church.

Do not presume to diagnose me. You are thoroughly and demonstrably unqualified.

I don't dislike the "us" you refer to. I dislike you.

I don't care what's "okay" with you. Your opinion disinterests me.

What have I learned from your post? That Bill Wilson was the world's first, last and only "shady cat" in history, and that no one outside of AA is vulnerable. And what should you learn, patti? That every word ending with the letter "s" does not require an apostrophe before the "s". http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

Thanks for playing!

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

ben,
I did not know that!!! Boy that sure figures, one & the same!!! Oh Jesus, lol.

patti

Clara,
of course I'm going to put down people who support & propagate AA & the con & immoral & unethical Wilson. AA is it's members, come on. Telling you I disagree with your opinion, am aware you are a liar, think you & Beckett both need professional help is not childish. It is mature, it is the way that adult's communicate, they say what they feel & think, they tell the truth & they live in the truth. Bully's get away with bullying in their environment, when all the variables are in their favor & bullying is childish. You & Beckett chose that's the operative word here, chose, to be on this forum, we don't like AA or it's members, of course we are going to communicate to you & Beckett that we don't like you, your thoughts, feelings & input. All AA member's are liars, all of them, whether they are aware of this or not, some are brain washed, all of you parrot Wilson's outright lies & his unproven, not factually, anecdotal sayings & words. That makes you & Beckett, part of the problem & AA ers do this because you all lack your own identity & being your own person & a grown up, you agree to a childish environment & agree to live your life according to Wilson's "suggestions". Do you not find it distressing & disturbing that grown ups parrot another male's words & sayings, some that he plagiarized? That is straight up weird. Do you know any one who goes around parroting Ben Franklin's sayings all the time from Poor Richard's Almanac? Of course, as I've communicated to you before I'm going to jump on you, call a spade, a spade, you are a troll, a stalker, a AA er that can't abide that others don't agree with you & your group, you can't accept you & AA have lost & failed again, you lost again, get over it. But neither of you can because you can't accept rejection of AA & thus self. We are here to be consumer advocate's, to be the buyer beware for those already damaged by AA, deprogramming & for those who may be considering AA or rehab. We see clearly AA for what it really is, see Wilson for who he really was, you are ignorant & happy in AA. Isn't that happiness, that joy, that serenity, enough for you & Beckett? Aren't you both enjoying life enough to not be here? Neither of you is living up to the Stepford AA individual, you are resentful, bitter & Beckett is full of hostility, anger & hate, this not the AA utopia persona, this is not being rocketed into that dimension Wilson claimed existed. Actually both of your presence here is the epitome of AA & it's members, liars, deniers, close & narrow minded, brain washed, self righteous & hypocrites. You preach that AA evolves one into a happy, joyful & serene group member, yet you & Beckett do not live up to that persona. Regarding abuse, you claim I'm abusive due to my communications to you & Beckett, have you read Beckett's post's, have you communicated to Beckett that he/she is angry, hostile, hateful, bitter & abusive. You need to look @ self, you belong to & support, advertise & promote AA, a well known & documented abusive group, started by a well known, abusive con man, who abused females, the weak & vulnerable his entire life. If you were against abuse you would not belong to AA, solving a problem begins with self. Money talks & bullshit walks, you talk the talk but do not walk the walk, neither does Beckett.

patti

Clara's picture

Yes, dear, you are childish. You cannot post without referring to me. I am also not a liar. You are just not entitled to any more information about myself than I choose to give. That doesn't make me a liar. I am sorry your experiences were so negative. Mine were not.

You might think "we", but I certainly don't put you in the same category as the others. Ah, perhaps one, so "we" might just be correct.

But you are correct on one score. I am not a "stepford" AA. In fact, I am none of what you've attributed to me. Look at the emotion you have toward someone you don't even know.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

about drinking & addiction though, something you know nothing of.
6 bloody beers, bloody billshit.

clara's comments do represent A.A, she is a member

Brett

becket's picture

"she knows about drinking & addiction though, something you know nothing of.
6 bloody beers, bloody billshit."

How do you know, Brett? Because patti's tale reads with authenticity?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

JR Harris's picture

"You are just not entitled to any more information about myself than I choose to give."

Then you don't belong in the confession cult of Alcoholics Anonymous........

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

becket's picture

We are about midway through something disclosure has brought to our attention recently, and patti is a virtuoso: it's called filibustering.

Does anyone here believe for a moment that he will call her out on it? Don't be ridiculous.

By the way, patti, could you find some more contemporary and meaningful expressions to use in place of "money talks, bullshit walks"? Really, that's not always the case. Sometimes when money talks it attracts more bullshit. Maybe you don't realize this if you haven't participated in American business. Your posts read like some early 80s B movie: passe'. Please feel free to peruse the urban dictionary or any of the several slang dictionaries online. Communication is more than just the written or spoken word.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Ironic's picture

Patti may be a virtuoso at filibustering, but you are the OPF gold medalist of projecting.

causeandeffect's picture

Yes, Ironic, she is. Most of them seem to be.

Troll free AA critical forum
http://www.expaa.org/

"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson

becket's picture

Examples?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Ironic's picture

Your constant barrages of insults at other posters are filled with projections. Your presence here alone tells us that you are lonely. You haven't been to a meeting in 22 years, so you aren't exactly a good AA member. You defend the dogma you do not abide by. We know that you don't follow the rules. You don't even attend meetings anymore by your own admission.

You are here to make people feel bad about themselves and second guess their decisions. You have a need to defend the program and its scare tactics and you employ them yourself here on a regular basis. Anytime you judge a poster's perceived "character defect," it's like we are all watching you stare into a mirror.

I see you as our brooding and troubled troll. Clara would be our empty-headed troll. I say that bc she is the queen of defending literature and dogma and clearly doesn't know it nor AA history better than some of our resident posters. If she runs into that problem, she has hubby block them. I guess we get a sick pleasure in our interactions with you two in that we can count our blessings afterward.

Clara's picture

Ironic, I didn't have my husband block anyone. One is a sleazy person whose continued behavior he found to be eerie and the other went into an area he felt was just unnecessary. I am glad to have a protective husband. I defend that AA gave me what I needed at the time to change my life.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

JR Harris's picture

You are trying to master the tools of the Confession Cult called Alcoholics Anonymous. If you look closely, you will find that you were the one that was delving into "behavior he found to be eerie and the other went into an area he felt was just unnecessary" that you claim these posters are doing to you. This is a double standard.

PS. You also lied when you said that your husband "blocked" certain posters using software.You are back peddling again and making more lies to cover up the multitude of earlier ones. Your web of deceit is collapsing. You are also highlighting why some members of AA can not, and should not be trusted.

Thank-you for providing a real time example of the deception of the confession cult called Alcoholics Anonymous.

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

becket's picture

Examples?

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

dandammit's picture

When it comes to AA? Money talks.
Making amends (oh it's not an apology), is all about money.

steve cochrane's picture

That is a lie. Communication is everything that we feel ,see or otherwise is translated into words ALWAYS into words. Always in our heads. But words nevertheless.

Pie,
I agree with communicating to the abuse advocate community what goes on in AA, who Wilson actually was & his & AA's psycho babble regarding abuse victims is a start & is one of the strongest & productive ways to go. Abuse advocate groups, such as Women Against Abuse, let them read the chapter "to wife's". It is common knowledge, common knowledge, that when an individual is hurt or abused in any capacity the healthiest reaction they can benefit from is validation, compassion & empathy. Not "what was your role in the abuse", your responsibility? Wilson was such an abuser & control freak, he had to control the way his follower's felt & thought, so he "suggested" they feel & think as he preached, it was all about control. The last thing a control freak, abuser & oppressor wants is for their victim's to feel justifiable angry, anger is the beginning of deprogramming, it is the beginning of the end of the control freak's rule. I continue to advise the abuse advocate's community regarding AA, Wilson & the "suggestions", writings & abuse. Additionally, I advise MADD, regarding AA's failure rate, AA is not making society safer by healing drunks & thus keeping them off the road. MADD & Women Against Abuse have some major juice, it's a start & the truth is always the beginning of ending abuse.

patti

Clara,
do you have any input on the abuse that goes on in AA? Do you have any opinions regarding oppressive governments & leaders, the Soviets, the Nazi's, Idi Amin, any other dictators? Kim Jong? How do you feel about adulterers? Do you think it is okay for a married person to have sex with another person other than their spouse? How do you feel about women who get sexually exploited when they are fragile, vulnerable, trying to quit an addiction? How do you feel about the female's that Wilson exploited sexually & abused, Lois, Helen, the victims @ AA meetings & in the rooms? What are your thoughts on self righteous & pious religious hypocrites? We all know they exist that is common knowledge. What are your thoughts & feelings regarding stealing & embezzling? Do you think it is okay for someone to do those things especially to a charitable organization & "fellowship"? Do you think that a person who steals & embezzles should be prosecuted & punished, usually jail & restitution are the punishments? Do you think someone should have gone to the Police or D.A. & reported Wilson for stealing & embezzling? Do you think it would have been prudent & practical & made society safer if Wilson had been convicted & placed in prison? I do. What are your thoughts, feelings & opinions regarding these issues? let's have an adult communication, are you up for it? Please advise.

patti

Clara's picture

Patti, my opinions on most of these have already been posted here.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

Ben,
wouldn't & never have anticipated that insult or any other insult. I don't have a crystal ball like Beckett! I also anticipate that people I interact with, will treat me with the courtesy, respect & kindness with which I treat them. I get a lot done by being nice to people. Actually the words I don't anticipate but often hear from others, is that I am kind, compassionate, nice & a good girl. That is how I live my life & how I treat others & consequently that is what others have to say & communicate to me. Go figure. Regarding you, have you anticipated the following words I have to wrote regarding you: cool, intelligent, very funny, witty, humorous, entertaining, interesting, smart, truthful, real, mature, grown up, survivor, own man!!! Those are my thoughts, feelings & words regarding you.

patti

meant have to "write"

patti

come on Clara tell me what you think & feel, have an adult conversation & interaction with me? come on, come on, baby, baby, please?

patti

Clara's picture

Adults don't beg, Patti.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

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