📅 Posted by Gimage.net
“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”
— Mosiah 2:17
Introduction
Last night at an Intergroup Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, a request was made for a discussion concerning Traditions 3 and 10—specifically how they apply to those on the fringe of U.S. society and the concerns of members who feel unsafe or excluded due to current political and social developments.
🕊️ Tradition Three (Long Form):
“Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought AA membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”
⚖️ Tradition Ten (Long Form):
“No AA group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside controversial issues—particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.”
🧭 Personal Reflection
Over my 36 years in recovery, my experiences with AA and society have shifted dramatically. Early on, my only concern was sobriety. I feared losing my job and my reputation, not because of gender or orientation, but because of the label “alcoholic.”
I joined meetings knowing the promise of Tradition 3: I belonged because I suffered from alcoholism and wanted to recover—period.
Later, I sought sponsorship and friendship within the LGBTQ+ community. We supported one another outside the meetings while respecting the spiritual neutrality of the rooms. We discussed The Stonewall Uprising, marriage equality, and more—but always outside the formal structure of AA. Specialty meetings existed—women’s groups, men’s groups, LGBTQ+ groups—and I never needed AA to take up my political cause. I just needed it to uphold its purpose.
🇺🇸 Faith, Agency, and the Constitution
Today, as a sober citizen in a free country, I exercise my agency to act where change matters most: on the streets and at the ballot box. I know the freedom of conscience is sacred. It is the soul of AA’s unity and the heart of a functioning democracy.
I am grateful for Tradition 10, which reminds us AA cannot be used as a platform for division, but must remain a sanctuary for healing. This principle shields us from politicization and preserves the spiritual experience we seek—one grounded in recovery, service, and fellowship.
📚 Voices of Wisdom
“The ideal of authenticity and of being true to oneself is actually at the heart of the modern moral outlook.”
— Charles Taylor, philosopher
“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”
— Socrates, as quoted in Plutarch
AA is a fellowship of world citizens—each with unique experiences, wounds, and dignity. We are called not to conform but to heal. Our traditions protect that space for all.
🙏 Closing Reflection
I hope this short discussion helps others facing concerns of safety and tolerance in AA meetings. We are all creations of a Loving God. I would not ask you to change any more than I ask it of myself. We are given Agency as our Covenant with God. I pray I use it where it serves the greatest service—in the streets and at the voting booth. Amen.
🔖 Tags (for Blogger or Gimage.net)
#Alcoholics Anonymous, #AAtraditions
AA Traditions
LGBTQ+ Recovery
Spiritual Sobriety
Tradition 3 AA
Tradition 10 AA
Freedom and Faith
Recovery and Inclusion
Charles Taylor Philosophy
Socratic Thought
Gimage Reflections
Faith-Based Recovery
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