Originally Posted by heartcore

Yup, it would make me cranky too, although there's not really any meaningful response...your friend has balls o' steel to accept this chip on front of you though, as you are first hand witness to his/her dishonesty!

I was trying to figure out why one would lie about this (seeking the unknowable why of other's behavior...). The only thing I can figure to their benefit is that maybe their primary drug of choice was not alcohol, and they are using (note the word "using") AA as a system of marking abstinence from that drug. Or, they have their own "unique" beliefs about honoring their sobriety from the date of their initial attempt at it (the start of their "sober journey"), and don't count relapses in continuous sobriety as "starting over.". This isn't what the chip means for everyone else in the room though, so this is dishonorable within AA culture.

I know that I would stubbornly refuse to congratulate them or eat their cake...because honor is so important to me. Then I'd be the one who didn't get cake...

Congratulations to you on your real sobriety. The only power we have is in the choice of surrounding ourselves with people we trust & have faith in...