12 TRADITIONS
Number One (common welfare) reminds me that out common bond is more important than our various differences outside AA. Two (group conscience) tells me that leaders are only servants in AA, not governors with the power to take us into public controversies. Three (membership requirement) reminds me that alcoholics who want our help need not agree with us on any issues. Four (group autonomy) declares that each group can run its own affairs -- as long as it does not drag the rest of us into a public battle.
Number Five (primary purpose) emphasizes to me the fact that my chief AA business is carrying the message to alcoholics, not trying to make the rest of the Fellowship see how right I am in my various convictions (prejudices?). Six (neither endorsing nor opposing) specifically warns me of the dangers of any AA involvement in the world's quarrels. The words "neither endorsing nor opposing," you have probably noticed, are from the Grapevine -- originated AA Preamble, of course, not from the Tradition itself. But have you ever noticed how well the Preamble summarizes many of the Traditions -- and how closely it parallels the wording of the fifth paragraph in the Big Book's original foreword. Obviously, the sense of the Traditions was being expressed in AA actions back in 1938-39, years before they were formally drawn up and adopted.
Tradition Seven (self-support) suggests that the acceptance of any outside contributions could subtly link my AA group to non-AA causes. The caution in Number Eight against turning AA membership into a profession helps keep us out of competition, and therefore out of controversy, with the medical, legal, religious, and other professions.
Number Nine's advice about avoiding a monolithic AA organization also makes it simpler for us to observe Ten -- we would have to be much more organized than we are in order to move the entire Fellowship into any partisan posture. The anonymity suggested by Eleven and Twelve helps safeguard us against being carried into publicized debates by some nationally known AA figure. Best of the Grapevine: page 224, paragraph 4, lines 3-10 &
page 225, paragraphs 1-3
One of my fingers, all by itself, has only scant strength and skill; but when it is used with all the others, it feels pretty powerful and seems to know what it is doing.
I've also noticed that if I cut a finger and bandage it, then try not to use it for a few days, the whole hand suddenly gets clumsy and inefficient. If one finger is out of whack, they are all.
Just so, it seems to me, with AA's Traditions. They work best as a complete system, with each one supporting all the others. Besides, I understand them better as a hooked-together whole. In fact, I cannot always tell where one leaves off and the next begins.
Best of the Grapevine: page 259, paragraphs 2 & 3 & page 260, paragraph 1