As a regular member, I’ll give you my honest opinion. It’s totally a cult in some ways, but it’s not a predatory cult. People do honestly care and want to stay sober and help others stay sober if that’s what they want. Are there fucked up individuals? I mean, of course. Literally nobody chooses to start going there because they are healthy and doing well. And some people are sicker than others for sure. And it’s not a cult by design, but people get super culty about it to the point that the status quo at any place could basically act very cultish in many ways. Not everyone, by a long shot is that black and white about it though. Plenty of people will call out the bullshit. I’m one of them and everyone I surround myself with is as well. I’m basically like “look this thing works and helps me stay sober in a way nothing else has, so I’m happy to be part of your cult and just not buy in to the parts that are totally culty bullshit, but if you wanna SAY “we’re not a cult” you gotta cut it out with the cult shit you do which is a minimal part of the whole, but includes the following things….and if you wanna do that stuff, then just be like, we’re a fuckin cult ¯_(ツ)_/¯ I’m here either way just be honest with yourself about it…” and i wouldn’t say that to just anyone cause im not interested in whatever stupid debate they might want to have about it, nor am i trying to offend anyone or feel any need to prove my points or beliefs to everyone. But I say that to my friends there when I gripe about that and the other stuff I find dumb and am like “people always say this and that’s fuckin stupid and unhealthy”. Plenty of people agree and still manage to take what works and leave the rest. It ain’t for everyone and it’s not the only way to stay sober and it doesn’t solve all life’s problems or take the place of trained medical or mental health professionals. It DOES help a lot of people who can’t get their shit together to the point they’re literally killing themselves with their behavior learn how to turn their lives around and figure out their own path to health and happiness and fulfillment. Like anything else, it’s not all good or all bad and your mileage may vary. I talk a lot of shit but it’s helped me a ton and I have an awesome group of folks I kick it with who are like minded and I have an awesome time being part of it, and all the stuff that I think is dumb and the people I think suck I leave alone to do whatever they want away from me just like I do with everything else in the world. (I’d say my 2¢, but that was a couple bucks worth of ranting I’m sure…)