Re: Erhard was into manipulating people by manipulating words

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In addition, these people not only recruit from 12-step and other support groups[/quote

If you are aware of anyone in a 12 step group recruiting for an entity such as Landmark or some other guru, I would advise talking to the secretary who conducts the meeting. If the person seems unwilling or resistant, take your concerns further and contact the central office for the AA district in which the meeting takes place.

Be steady, thoughtful, be calm. (There is a reason why, even in the USA, the slogan
Keep Calm & Carry On has become deservedly popular)

Thoughtful members of 12 Step groups do worry about anything that could drag "outside issues" into a meeting and cause discord.

But the Prime Directive for the 12 Step tradition is that a meeting must remain
a confidential space and a safe space exempt from scamming, panhandling and proselytizing for entities other than !2 Step. For example, it would be recognized as wrong for someone to abuse AA meetings by using them to recruit for a rehabilitation program covertly affiliated with Scientology.

Anyone who uses a 12 Step group to recruit subjects into something else is violating
the 12 Traditions.

Tragically, not nearly enough people are aware of the 12 traditions, though they are read at the beginning of every AA meeting.

[www.google.com]

Anyone who abuses 12 Step meetings to recruit for Landmark, for Byron Katie, for any guru or anything other than 12 Step programs violates these traditions.

In the early decades of AA, there were many head strong people, some quite driven and domineering.

The 12 Traditions were developed specifically to prevent AA from turning into an obnoxious, personality driven cult.

In AA you are free to choose your sponsor and can fire your sponsor. You can try out different meetings and stick with the one you like best.

You are welcome even if you have no funds.

The guiding principle is that of anonymity, summed up as Who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here." This was put in place, because addicts and alcoholics do have reason to fear stigmatization and blackmail.

One is never, but never to proslytize to anyone. Deceit is recognized as part of the disease of addiction, and people who work the 12 steps do so to relearn how
to life a life free from deceit.

To abuse a 12 Step environment to recruit people into guru lead groups and trainings meant to generate profit and which conceal their methods is itself an act of deceit.

One of the statements that governs 12 Step groups is "Principles Before Personalities." This contrasts with the slavish veneration of Werner Erhard and also contrasts with the authoritarian behavior of forum leaders as described on CEI.

In 12 Step groups run according to the traditions (as all of them should), leadership positions are on limited terms with regularly scheduled elections in which all members of a meeting participate and have an equal vote. This is to prevent one person from dominating and taking over a meeting as his or her personal turf.

It is the 12 Step tradition to avoid accumulation of excess money, property and prestige. Finances are open book.

[www.aadesmoines.org] -short form

1.) Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
2.) For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3.) The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
4.) Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
5.) Each group has but one primary purpose to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6.) An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7.) Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8.) Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9.) A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10.) Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11.) Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
12.) Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.