Some reflections on the Primary Purpose movement

“The similarities between the more cult-like versions of AA and the more extreme versions of evangelical Christianity in the US today are clear. They have the same attitudes toward the sacred book, literalists, proof-texting, and refusing to look outside the book. They both aim for a rigid perfectionism which is destructive psychologically but can be maintained for a long period. And their means of recruitment are similar, including seminars, the use of mass media, etc.

See this somewhat old but useful treatment of extreme evangelicalism. The "softer" versions described here, briefly, are more similar to "traditional" AA, namely the willingness to accept less than perfection, the believe that we will continue to have problems in life, the willingness to use outside therapy as an aid.

http://infidels.org/library/modern/robert_price/beyond_born_again/”

And:

“Today's post (April 5) on Primary Purpose brings to mind some thoughts on how the more cult-like versions of AA manage to shoehorn in pretty much everything into "directive", or "strong" or "Book Book" sponsorship.

It comes in a variety of ways. One is the statement which one hears from them over here in NYC that "I have only one problem today and that is alcoholism." So everything is alcoholism. If you are bipolar, or depressed, or have marital problems, etc. etc., that's all "alcoholism" really and you should just follow your sponsor's advice and read the Big Book and that should take care of it. If it doesn't, then you must be doing something wrong, not praying enough, not doing enough service, not taking correct 10th steps. In extreme forms this gets to advising the sponsee to give up physician-prescribed medications for bipolar disease, or in a weaker version, not pointing out that some outside therapy might just help with those childhood sexual abuse issues and the emotional problems which arise from them.

A more insidious tack, since it is less easily recognized, is using steps 4 thru 7 to get at the "exact nature of our wrongs" and remove our "character defects". Here the sponsor tries to "go deeper", to become an expert on a type of folk-psychology, which uses the suggestions about anger, resentment, the seven deadly sins (in the 12 and 12) to get at the "exact nature" of the sponsees problems. So anger issues arising out of childhood sexual abuse is brought up in the 5th step? Well, we need our sponsor's advice on how to handle that? What's your part? Holding on to it? Well, let go of that anger then, pray about it, etc. The sponsor becomes an "expert" as opposed to just someone listening to a step. (Even though the BB says we can do a 5th step with perfect strangers if they more or less know what we are doing, or with physicians, or with religious ministers. No experts there on the 5th step. But that was the early days, the cult-like members may respond, we've gotten better now.) People suffer needlessly because they are not directed to real experts who might help them. This relates to the primary purpose in two ways. One, the cult sponsor can argue that his dealing with all these psychological issues on the sponsee are part of the primary purpose, they are part of alcoholism and they are part of steps 4 thru 6. So everything is now the primary purpose! Secondly, they argue, it would be a violation of AA principles to point out that outside help may be necessary for some of these issues (including perhaps other programs for an over-eater, etc.) because they cannot advocate for outside entities, that that is a violation of the primary purpose, which is to talk about the recovery from alcoholism alone. (Which alcoholism has grown to include everything wrong with a person and which can be cured by prayer, 10th steps, service and carrying the message, i.e. "getting outside yourself" or deflating the ego.)

Now I am all for spirituality as a help in this, and moral inventories are good, and pride, ego, anger, resentments are problems. Prayer is important to me, and I try to use all that, and service to stay on the AA beam. (As long as service does not rise to taking up my whole life, but is balanced by outside activities and involvement in non-AA institutions or groups.) But I also think there are problems other than alcoholism faced by AA members and we do them a disservice by claiming to be able to cure them of everything. Expansion of the notions of "defects of character" and "exact nature of our wrongs" is a way of really making parts of AA a cult by closing people off from any outside influence.

Again, it is like those evangelical Christians, they hold only the Bible is useful for all problems, and do not seek professional help with necessary.”

Further:

“I think my observations on the NYC AA scene might be useful to you. As they say "Coming soon to a screen near you" if not already there on the other side of the pond. I am convinced, and I think you guys alluded to this, that only the intervention of an outside power (and not HP) will change AA and by that I mean the government via a few lawsuits where individuals or the fellowship are sued for some sort of misuse and mistreatment.

I was told yesterday, I am not sure if this is true, that court-mandated attendance at AA (which was pretty common in the US) for DUI's and other problems has been declared unconstitutional by a higher court in New York State because it violates individuals' freedom of religion, that is, that it mandated attendance at a religious event, regardless of AA's distinction between religion and spirtuality. As far as that court was concerned mentioning God was enough to make it fall under actions prohibited by the First Amendment.”

Part of our response:

Hi …...

Some good points. As you say the term "alcoholism" can be expanded almost indefinitely to include virtually anything you want. With that expansion comes a concomitant extension in the area of expertise possessed by those who pronounce themselves (usually) experts on recovery. The intrusive nature of sponsorship exemplified by cult members means they move beyond merely 'sharing their experience, strength and hope' towards 'treating' other peoples' 'alcoholism' however they might define it. Therefore they can play the role of counsellor, psychiatrist, spiritual adviser, health care professional, marriage guidance counsellor, mentor and general know-it-all to their heart's content! And all without the bother of having to study the subject in depth, or even operate within professional boundaries! Or to put it the AA way: they can't quite 'quit playing God'.....”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks to this contributor