Twelve traditions

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The Twelve Traditions of twelve-step programs, define the guidelines for relationships between the twelve-step groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large. Questions of finance, public relations, donations, and purpose are addressed in the Traditions. They were originally written by Bill Wilson after the founding of the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous.[1]

Contents

[edit] Origins

After the publication of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939, by 1944 the number of AA groups had grown along with the number of letters being sent to the AA headquarters in New York asking how to handle disputes caused by issues like publicity, religion, and finances.[2] By 1946 AA cofounder Bill Wilson had derived basic ideas for the Twelve Traditions directly from such correspondence with groups, setting guidelines on how groups and members should interact with each other, the public, and AA as a whole.[1] The Traditions were first published in the April 1946 AA Grapevine under the title Twelve Points to Assure Our Future[3] and were formally adopted at AA's First International Convention in 1950.[1] Wilson's book on the subject, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, was published in 1953.[3]

[edit] The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous

  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—a 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 non-professional, 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.

[edit] The Traditions in other twelve-step programs

Other twelve-step programs make small changes to the original Twelve Traditions used in Alcoholics Anonymous and offer interpretations specific to their programs. The Twelve Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous (NA), the second largest twelve-step program, are as stated above with all instances of AA replaced with NA and the word alcoholic replaced with the word addict. NA published their published It Works: How and Why as its own study of the Twelve Traditions.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Alcoholics Anonymous (2002-02-10). Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Hazelden. ISBN 0916856011. OCLC 13572433. 
  2. ^ Hartigan, Francis (2001). Bill W.: A Biography of Alcoholics Anonymous Cofounder Bill Wilson, 161-162. ISBN 0312283911. OCLC 42772358. 
  3. ^ a b Alcoholics Anonymous (1984). Pass It On. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN 0916856011. OCLC 13572433. 
  4. ^ Narcotics Anonymous (1993). It Works: How and Why: The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Narcotics, 3rd edition, Van Nuys, CA: Narcotics Anonymous World Service Office, Inc.. ISBN 1557761817. OCLC 29169335. 
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