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During its first decade, A.A. as a fellowship
accumulated substantial experience which indicated that
certain group attitudes and principles were particularly
valuable in assuring survival of the informal structure
of the Fellowship. In 1946, in the Fellowship's
international journal, the A.A. Grapevine, these
principles were reduced to writing by the founders and
early members as the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics
Anonymous. They were accepted and endorsed by the
membership as a whole at the International Convention of
A.A., at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1950.
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
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.
While the Twelve Traditions are not specifically binding
on any group or groups, an overwhelming majority of
members have adopted them as the basis for A.A.'s
expanding "internal" and public relationships.
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