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This organization advertises itself as a 12-step recovery program to the public, but in reality, it is a 'deliverance ministry' based on Peter Wagners NAR agenda.
Dear AtLast:
You are so lucky you're out.
One thing that you will be told in legitimate 12 Step groups,
whether Alanon, Coda, AA, etc is, to go to as many different
meetings as you can.
That way, you can compare meetings, and then
identify a set of meetings that are congenial for you.
You should also be told, up front and immediately, that
if you get a sponsor and things dont work out,
you are free
to change sponsors.
Diversity is respected in genuine 12 Step meetings. It is a giant
red flag if you are pushed to attend only one meeting and
are discouraged from going to other meetings.
Isolating you from outside influences is the first sign of
cult recruitment.
Twelve step groups should NEVER do this to you.
The only thing you should see at a meeting is 12 Step literature.
No outside stuff, such as Secret, landmark, Eckhart Tolle,
no Byron Katie, etc.
And no member should ever push a guru or church at you. If they
like the stuff, fine, but should not advertsie
.
It is
nefarious for someone to exploit the 12 Step format.
What is supposed to happen (at least in AA is
to put an emphasis on rigorous honesty.
No hidden agendas, period.
Here are the 12 Traditions.
[
www.google.com]
The Traditiosn form the working
structure, give the ground rules. Many people
in crisis start with the 12 Steps and only later
start learning the Traditions. But to avoid
exploitation, one has to know what the ground
rules -- the actual ground rules are, so one
can tell whether a meeting is on track or going off the rails.
It is out of line for anyone to use a 12 Step group
to recruit for their pet project.
One phrase that originated in the 12 Step meetings
and has since become widespread is 'Take what you
like and leave the rest'.
However, this can only apply in situations
where there are no hidden agendas.
You have to know 'what the rest' is.
You can only know what to pick and what to put aside
if you know what the entire menu is.
In the 12 Step groups, all the teachings are out there
for scrutiny and used by everyone. There are
noconcealed teachings kept aside for an elite.
12 step meetings rely on an honor system. This makes them
vulnerable to exploitation/infiltration unless
members are taught from the start about the 12 Traditions
along with the 12 Steps.
Two, 12 Step must never be used to push a particular
religion, ideology, or political stance.
Three, 12 Step must be forever non professional.
leadership of a group (being its secretary0
is supposed to be time limited, so
that everyone can share service commitments
and avoid problems of dominence.
"Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do
not govern."
Money is kept to a minimum to avoid problems
of 'property, money and prestige'.
[
www.aa.org]
any opinion on outside contro
versial issues–particularly t
hose of politics, alcohol
reform, or sectarian religion. The Al
coholics Anonymous groups oppose no one.
Concerning such matters they
can express no views whatever. [/quote]
Must state that some 12 Step groups do get co-opted.