I have just had a great chat with my sponsor about a few things that were worrying me, had an incident with a member who was quite forceful I thought about AA, portraying it as a cult rather than the fellowship that it is and one which I have truly come to appreciate. Instead of letting the incident frighten me I am glad to say I initiated contact with my sponsor discussed it with her and feel as if I don't have to dramatise such events, but just merely detach if needs be, rather than isolate through fear of the unknown. I admire my sponsor who is very stable and has really helped me start the steps, without pressuring me. I am not posting this in order to take anyone's inventory, everyone has a right to their own opinions but just to give thanks that I feel a little sobriety has entered my life and is restoring me a small bit to sanity and for that I am grateful.
-- Edited by newcomer on Sunday 27th of September 2009 05:06:54 PM
20+ plus years ago I told my boyfriend (soon to be husband and now ex) that he had involved himself in a cult ---- if only I had known then what it took me several months to find out -- 20+years to practice and a night to forget......and several years to come back to.
Hmm. Fud for thought...what's the difference between a religion, cult & fellowship? Hmm. I think, if looked at historically, a cult is a cult until it exterminates the other cults, then it's a religion. God found me through this Fellowship of AA, not on my knees in a church.
When I finally crawled in, after 10 years of Relapsing, the first 6 months of Meetings, yes the name was Alcoholics Anonymous, but from a "feeling level" it felt just like I.C.U. (Intensive Care Unit). I was there Only by the Grace of God, and my footwork to get there, in my surrender to this Program, that saved my life.
So when I hear stuff like that, I simply throw it in the Round File by the Door as I am leaving.
So happy you have a great sponsor! And so good to hear you doing so well.
Call us Anything..... but please, please..........don't call us late to dinner. (That's an old italian saying," don't care what you call me, just please don't call me late to dinner", you know those Italians, really really loved their food!!!) Always make me laugh!, and Yep, I am Italian....
Toodles, Toni
-- Edited by Just Toni on Sunday 27th of September 2009 06:57:26 PM
Goodwork with your sponsor, Lorna. I went through all those cult thoughts too. It's natural to be suspicious of anything we're feeling a great compulsion to become more involved with & wondering how much commitment it's going to take to stay sober. It is true that we do this together & we have to stay pretty close to each other for it to work. I need this support & it helps me get on with other things I need or want to do in my life that drinking kept me from before.
You could have called my old drinking habits quite cultish the way I was drawn to run out & buy alcohol or go drinking here, there &/or everywhere. I was truly obsessed with the stuff so it has taken a high commitment for me to stay away from these old habits & behaviours & that means burying in deep with meetings, friendships in fellowship, service, sponsorship & overall general commitment to A.A.
I know that if I strayed my drinking thoughts would return & I would drink again. I know I would so I suppose in the beginning I felt that this kind of compelling need to be involved with A.A. felt cultish but only as far as my need went so it spoke for itself. It wasn't A.A. that was any kind of cult, just that I knew there wasn't any realistic alternative for me. It's a fact of my experience so I dropped all the paranoia about A.A. being a cult.
Even if it was, it helps me & only helps me to stay sober. There is nothing further wierd than that. Have my heart & soul A.A. I'm glad & grateful to be sober today. Thanks for posting, Lorna. I hope you won't let any sneaky thoughts stand in the way of you & your treasurable sobriety :) Godbless, Danielle x
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
Lorna, cults are usually isolated and consist of all the same people. I get that "culty" (made up a word lol) feeling when I only attend the same meetings and never venture out. While it is super healthy to be a regular at specific meetings and I know I needed it soooooo bad this first year, only when you attend AA meetings in different places do you really see it for what it is...the message of sobriety and the common purpose to help alcoholics to stay sober.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Thanks Guys for your feedback, it has helped clarify issues for me. I also discussed this at my meeting today which helped a lot. I am sticking to the winners at meetings so as I am just coming out of a fog, it does help to have good guides like this board, my sponsor and my meetings, I am attending a new meeting tomorrow in a new town that I have to travel to from here on in, am looking forward to it,
