| 1. |
Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. |
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| 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. |
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| 3. |
The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. |
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| 4. |
Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. |
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| 5. |
Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. |
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| 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. |
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| 7. |
Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. |
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| 8. |
Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers. |
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| 9. |
A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. |
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| 10. |
Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy. |
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| 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. |
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| 12. |
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. |
