Re: Cult Tactics was Glossary of terms

[Guest guest]

The few terms that you used are in fact definite cult strategies. All of

those terns refer to the person using them as akin to the inductee. A

friend if you will. The first time you walk into a meeting or a class, you

hear them all state that they are just like you in every way. They are

there to help you. They are telling you " what's up " . Once they get that

part down, whenever you go against them, they use the caring of the

individual against them. Most times, they will try the egotistical line

against someone to try and make the person think that ther are somehow

betraying people close to the inductee, because they don't buy the tactics.

It is very powerful in the context that the person trying AA is there

because they do care about there loved ones.

As human beings, we also feel a need to be accepted. I have heared

countless times a stepper refer to their first meeting as the first time

they really feel accepted. Then they go about how long it took them to take

their guard down. Or get worn down in this case. The reason the person's

defenses go up, is because no one should accept you indefinetly the first

time they meet you. How do the steppers know what the person is about?

They don't. They can't. But they put the facacde that they do on, to

manipulate the individual to buy into their beliefs, so that they can feel

secure about what they have done. This idea is the driving force behind AA.

The excuses that one man made are now taught to others so they can escape

the harm that they have done. The only way to justify what they have done

is to get others to join and believe.

hta is funny and not surprising about the disease model, is that it gives

ample opportunity to go back out and drink again. It is a viable excuse,

once you have convinced yourself tghat these theories are correct(which must

happen ONLY after fear and powerlessness is suggested to the individual).

" I drank again because _______ " . You can fill in the blank with whatever

garbage you want. I wasn't working the steps, I have surrendered, I am and

forever will be an alcoholic. They sound good because of the influence that

AA has ahd on public opinion abuot alcoholism and addiction. If they had

not become so powerful people would merely laugh in their faces and quote

the obvious that the person who drank was responsbile for the drinking.

That the perosn must have wante to drink, so therefor they did.

The really sickening part of XA is that once they have gotten o an

individual, regardless of wether or not they had a problem, the person who

does not believe the group has a good chance of " using " again. Once they

do, it will not be like they did before. It will take on the patterns

suggested, not because they believe in the program, but becuase they are

afraid that the program might be right. The only way to really escape the

bonds of " alcoholism " , IS to revert back to the person you once were. The

person that knwe that they did control themselevs. The person that believed

entirely that they weren't an " alcoholic " , not so they CAN drink again, but

so they will understand that they don't have to.

In conclusion, a glossary of terms would be excellent, so that the true

meanings and uses of those said terms could be shown to an individual who

wants to escape XA. Maybe it could be turned into a flier. Hung outside of

meetings. I read a post on here that asked if we could put action behind

our words (it was said in a positive manner). I know that I and many other

people are afraid of becoming, or starting a group as vile as XA. But we

don't have to. You can have an organization that is not a cult. An

orgaization who does have a main principle, but does not try to incorporate

the members whole life. It can be done. This is just a suggestion but, If

not us, who? If not here, where? If not now, when?

>

>Reply-To: 12-step-free

>To: 12-step-free >

>Subject: Glossary of terms?

>Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 07:15:48 +1000

>

>This idea came to me reading Tomboys " Email " post.....particularly when

>she wrote:

>

> " I don't consider that to be " caring friends " , I consider that to be

>manipulative and controlling behaviour. "

>

>Perhaps we could compile a list of words, terms and sundry " XA speak " and

>maybe translate it it into it's true meaning, such as Tomboy has in her

>Email. (good stuff, BTW!)

>

>There's certain words that really annoy me that are used in XA.

> " care...caring " would have to be the most abused of all. Empathy,

>identifying, etc

>

>Perhaps such a list might be usefull for anyone new to the de-programming

>business.

>

>Barnsey

>

>

>

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