Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority \u2013 a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Each group has but one primary purpose \u2013 to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
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.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
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.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
Copyright \u00a9 A.A. World Services, Inc.; Reprinted with permission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n