Friends, what kdag describes is a serious, outrageous violation of the honor code
that governs all 12 Step groups.
12 Step groups avoid all mention of outside issues (politics, religion) precisely
because so many disagree. To preserve group harmony, focus remains strictly on
what assists recovery according to the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions.
This honor code is summarized in what is known as the Twelve Traditions.
People are often referred to 12 Step programs by the courts and as part of inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. People come in or return in a vulnerable state. In early recovery ability to trust the discretion and honesty of one's sponsor and buddies in "the rooms" is of the utmost importance.
All grounds for such trust is destroyed by any CULT which presumes to invade 12 step meetings and use them for recruitment, or as sources of confidential information.
It is worth looking at the 12 traditions and comparing them to the way LGATs function. Such as:
Tradition Nine: often summarized as "Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern." People are elected to the various positions on a rotating basis, precisely to preserve fellowship and to prevent any development of a cult of personality and to ensure that everyone has a stake in the community.
12 Traditions - short form
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12 Traditions - the long form
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One motto often quoted to remind each other of confidentiality in 12 Step meetings is,"Who we see here, what we here here, when we leave here, let it stay here."
Confidentiality. Many of the persons who are in 12 Step groups are there because their lives depend on it. Many come to meetings to get help with exactly those issues still stigmatized by society.
2. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us
to place principles before personalities.
The 12 Traditions safeguard the unique culture provided by the 12 Steps.
If you find that someone is abusing 12 Step groups to target and recruit vulnerable
persons into anything that is not 12 Step, do the following three things where
possible:
1) If someone uses anything you or a 12 Step buddy said in a 12 Step meeting or when meeting with your sponsor or at a 12 Step affiliated workshop, speak up and tell them that is
violation of the 12 Traditions.
2) If you catch on that someone is using your 12 Step meeting to run any kind of scam or hustle (which can range from guilt tripping members to give them money, proslytizing a religion or a for profit high demand group or LGAT), speak up and out and quote the relevant sections from the 12 Traditions.
3) Bring this up at the next business meeting for the 12 Step group. If you consider this an emergency, contact the group secretary before the meeting and insist on convening what is termed an emergency "group conscience."
4) Report this to both your District Office and the Central Office. Unless such incidents are always reported and reported immediately, the 12 Step groups cannot get the information needed to update procedure and devise methods to educate members.