What Does the Word “Spirituality” Mean To You? Has AA Ruined This Simple Word For You?
Posted on January 5, 2013
From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality
Spirituality is the concept of an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality;[1] an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.”[2] Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual’s inner life.
Somehow this description does NOT sound like AA to me…does it to you?
Long before I attended my first AA meeting at age 18, I was praying and reading spiritual books. Books about God and Buddha. Many of us in the 1970′s were pouring over writings by Herman Hesse who penned Steppenwolf and Siddhartha and the poet Kahlil Gibran author of The Profit. As the smoke curled up from the joints in the ash tray in my old apartment in New York City, I knew as we contemplated the meaning of life and what reality really was …..LOL …that God was not something you just ‘made up’ . We painted pictures of angels on my bedroom wall with watercolors and listened to Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens, John Lennon and Led Zepplin depending on our mood.
I was raised Catholic and loved going to mass as a kid and singing hymns. I loved wearing my white gloves and early morning mass attendance during Lent. Prayers like The Apostle’s Creed in Latin, The Lords’ Prayer I had memorized all by the age of 7 and I got an A in Catechism.
So, where did I go wrong in buying into this made up honkey, mumbo jumbo, fake religion of Alcoholics Anonymous, posing as a new thought, self help, reality of progressive arm chair pychology of the1970′s. The counterculture of the 1960′s spilled into the 70′s that then gave birth to the New Age religions that grew into many new cults.
Telling us teens things like, “take what you like and leave the rest” , Identify …don’t compare” was what I see now as extreme manipulation. The longer I am gone from AA …the madder I get sometimes.
WTF!
So with the challenge of courts and lawsuits that have already found AA a religion, I am stunned and horrifed. What religion tells the women , “what’s your part in it “when a man sexually harasses or rapes her?
AA clearly states it is not a religion. In the preamble it says,
“A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution;”…..really?
So when it’s convenient for them, its not a religion, but when it serves them… it is? Which is it. The 4th and 9th Circuit Court of appeals has already deemed AA a religion. If it is… it is a really sick f#####king religion that Aetna, Blue Cross and Kaiser need to know about before they pay for someone’s help with the rehabilitation from alcohol or drug overuse.
This is the next stage of activism we can all do eventually.
If the person who is non religious was sent by their Dr’s or an EAP ( employee assistance program ) or Professional Therapist …I think it will be a slam dunk of a lawsuit.
Think about it.
But I guess there are two points to this post.
1) That clearly AA and Bill WIlson just made up a stupid fake religion calling it a fellowship back then in the 1930′s. Today, its called a program. People are mislead and think there are trained leaders and professionals there. There is no such thing.
In fact there is a high percentage of dangerous criminals there targeting vulnerable unsuspecting members. I have read in numerous news articles, judges actually telling a criminal /and or citizen to get a “sponsor , as if the “sponsor ” is trained like a priest or therapist. This is also not true.
In fact many sponsors give much bad and hurtful advice and after years can be know to power trip and think they should run the sponsees life in all areas, even if they are failures in their own careers and have no marriage or successful relationships.
My final point here is this…
2) That Health Insurance Companies have been boon swindled into thinking AA is a ….what… what do they think AA is? A religion? If not, do they think its a new age think tank for alcoholics of the variety from the dark ages? Shall we begin to let blood again.
Or should we all call our health insurance companies and tell them what is really going on in AA and that they should no longer pay for rehabs who are 12 step based and drive their clients to meetings or… we will sue them, that the parents of murdered children will sue them….
Mixing our medicine, a religion, a cult and a made up archaic program from the 30′s sounds like a recipe for disaster.
If we can get to our media, our entertainment, our Insurance Companies and our community to see this truth, we will be on our way to get science back into medicine where it belongs and to throw the cults out the window and pray that AA will be successfully sued like The Catholic Church for sexual pedophilia.
Have You Been Sexually Harassed, Assaulted, Molested or Raped by an AA Member?
Posted on December 11, 2012
The time to come forward is now.
There are two News Reporters, one at a Major network and another who has contacted a Journalist working behind the scenes on the problems really going on in AA and how women are being treated.
Many have contacted me directly on my other blogs.
Either way if you have been hurt and are willing to speak they want to talk to you. Please contact me at info@mysaferecovery.com.
You might also want to know that AA is being sued and it is a very strong case. There is finally an ATTORNEY in Los Angeles who will do it and she understands the LAW and how AA tried to wiggle around and under it with its ridiculous traditions.
Please if you know someone who has been harmed and they are ready to talk, please give them my information.
Thanks.
Please help stop the silence that has been going on in 12 step for ever….no women needs to be murdered, raped, molested and sexually harassed by AA men ever again. Stop The Silence…
Listen to Blog Talk Radio SAFE RECOVERY on Tuesdays @5pm PST
Join the conversation of exposing crime in Alcoholics ANonymous or any 12 step group. Learn other ways to get help. AA is not the only way any more.
Empowerment in what we need. SMART RECOVERY, SOS, KENNETH Anderson- Hams Harm Reduction, Donna Cornett http://www.drinklinkmoderation, Marc Kern uses Moderation Management, Amy Lee Coy, Hank Hayes – On Track and Beyond.
I am Not Broken-Are You? Lies 12 Step Culture Tells Youth 07/24 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio
I am Not Broken-Are You? Lies 12 Step Culture Tells Youth 07/24 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio.
TODAY on blog talk radio.
One of Safe Recovery’s favorite Shows!
www.blogtalkradio.com/saferecovery
REMEMBER…you are not BROKEN!!!
you are not powerless…
you are the driver of your bus…not some untrained sponsor!
RUN RUN FROM THE MADDNESS …
Tomorrow-Wednesday June 20th 5pm PST 8pm EST on blogtalkradio Safe Recovery-Barry Lessin Licensed Psychologist Practicing Harm Reduction
Posted on June 19, 2012
in Self Help
Wed, June 20, 2012 05:00PM-PST 8PM EST
Call in to speak with the host
(818) 475-9211
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/saferecovery
upcoming
Praticing for over 30 years in Pennsylvania, Barry Lessin joins me for a 1 hour show dicussing better ways to deal with addiction and alcohol over use with youth and how we can better help parents and their teens.
How he came to Harm Reduction in a very personal, compassionate manner. No black & white for Barry or for Monica.
Barry spents 50 % of his time now changing policy that hinders, not helps.
Hank Hayes on blogtalkradio today with Massive and Why AA Doesn’t Work for Some
Posted on May 29, 2012
Have you been in and out of AA/NA? Have sponosrs told you to just do “another 4th step” Do you feel like AA is a cult? Have you been told to do more “service” ? Are tired of hearing readings from a book from 1939 being your design for living? Have AA memebers told you what medications you can or can not take? This and more are some reasons why people are running from 12 step meetings and it’s culture.
But what about the person who gets a DUI and is court ordered illegally to AA meetings. Know your rights. Ask for a non religious alternative , such as LifRing, Smart Recovery, Hams Harm REduction, Drink Link Moderation , On Track and Beyond, Amy Lee Coys WAY, Rational Recovery and SOS , Secualr Oranizations for Sobriety .
Join Monica aka massive for a 1 hour show on why AA doesnt work for some. What happens in AA today. How is this harmful to some and where else can a person get support and help.
I may read blogger gunthar 2000 version of Chapter 5 one more time for fun!!!
Call in if you have a question or comment
Hank Hayes will join in for 45 minutes
818-475-9211 or chat live go to www.blogtalkradio.com/saferecovery
Stanton Peele author of HOW TO ADDICTION PROOF YOUR CHILD 04/03 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio- Tuesday April 3, 2012-4pm PST -7pm EST 1 hour Show
Stanton Peele author of HOW TO ADDICTION PROOF YOUR CHILD 04/03 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio.
Call in or listen live or chat live
818-475-9211
I am not Broken. Are you? Lies 12 step culture tells Youth 03/27 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio
I am not Broken are you Lies 12 step culture tells Youth 03/27 by stop13stepinaa | Blog Talk Radio.
Tuesday March 27, 2012 @ 4 PM PST 7PM EST
1 Hour Show with Massive
call in to comment /questions 818-475-9211 or chat live
Financial Predator rips off Vulnerable Senior Citizens -members of Alcoholics Anonymous
What kind of creep would take innocent , unsuspecting seniors who want to stay sober for a ponzi scheme? Read the full story here…
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/04/23/police-man-scammed-alcoholics-anonymous-members/
AA Sponsor Accused of Sex Assault
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30431327/detail.html BOULDER, Colo. – A sponsor for an Alcoholics Anonymous group in Boulder is accused of sexually assaulting a member he had offered to help.
Longmont police arrested Laureano Sifuentes, 64, Wednesday night on suspicion of unlawful sexual contact. Sifuentes posted bond Thursday morning.
Boulder detectives have been investigating Sifuentes since November 2011 when a woman reported that Sifuentes had touched her inappropriately during a meeting that he had scheduled at a Boulder hotel. read more…
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