The price of publicly taking sides in a fight

My gratitude for the Tenth Tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous

“As by some deep instinct, we A.A.’s have known from the very beginning that we must never, no matter what the provocation, publicly take sides in any fight, even a very worthy one.”

-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 176

I had the blessing of being part of a religious service this week that dove into controversy. In this very divided country, those in charge of the service made the decision to bring up one hot-button issue after the next. As I sat in the service as part of a captive audience, I cringed as each new controversy was brought up against the backdrop of the faith in which I practice. I got angrier and angrier. I wanted to leave but could not. What was going on with me?

As I came home from the service and my blood continued to boil in resentment, I gathered myself enough to order dinner and have some relaxation time with my family. Finally, I hit my knees at bedtime, read my book, and went to sleep with no problem.

And then this morning I figured it out. I am an AA. And because I have been an AA for so long, Tradition Ten has become a part of my very being. Tradition Ten states:

Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.”

I love and am grateful for Tradition Ten. I got to be a part of an incredible AA spring conference last weekend where this tradition was practiced with amazing care. There was no controversy. In AA, we continue to be a shelter against the politics and controversy that has so pervaded our nation and world. It is truly a blessing to be in a place where my personal politics are not allowed. No one’s are. We are completely free to have our own private opinions, and are actually encouraged by our program to have a full life as citizens of the world. But I don’t have all of the answers for the problems in our world. These problems are complex, even when both sides seem to have the cure for the ills of our existence.

My discomfort at the religious service was simply having an expectation that a religious organization would practice Tradition Ten. And, as I so well know, expectations often lead to resentments. But how can I expect any entity outside of AA and Al-Anon to practice the Twelve Traditions? I realized this morning that I cannot.

Bill W. writes in the Twelve and Twelve in his Tradition Ten essay about the Washingtonian Society, an alcoholism recovery group that preceded AA by about 95 years. It was started by 6 alcoholics and was an abstinence-only program, similar to AA. This society grew to 100,000 members in the mid-19th century. However, the society got involved with the temperance movement and politics—and that was the end of the Washingtonians.

Today I reflect on just what God has shown me through this experience. Last Saturday night, I stood at the podium, reading the Twelve Traditions to a gathering of hundreds of people from all over my state. I have a newfound respect for just how much those traditions mean to my recovery. AA depends on the traditions for its very survival. And I depend on AA and God for mine.