12 Traditions or 12 Rules?

Come on folks, who do you take us for? We say there are no rules in our fellowships but let’s get honest shall we?

What we call our 12 Traditions are indeed rules. Guidelines? Perhaps but governed how? Every group of people need rules, boundaries and structure. We like to believe that we are totally different from other organizations in that we do not govern. Call it what you will but we do in fact govern, and that’s alright. In fact it’s a needed element in any group of people who have standards, guidelines and Trusted Servants. We are all accountable to someone and if that someone is God alone then we have missed the boat. God never meant us to fall under His direction only. He gave us each other as helpers, guides, teachers and friends. Making ourselves accountable to another person is what many of us call sponsorship. We give our sponsors permission to call us on our defects when we act them out. If a body of people does not have accountability and rules to follow by that body does not succeed.

It is a proven fact that 12 Step fellowships have succeeded and having structure, boundaries, government and unity is several of the reasons they have. We talk allot about unity and how unity of the fellowship depends on how well we follow the 12 Traditions. What we are really saying is it depends on how well we adhere to the rules. Every group of people needs something to measure themselves by in order to grow, mature and succeed. Rule is the root word of ruler meaning a measuring stick.

So the next time you hear some one say we have no rules; remember sometimes it’s simply a matter of semantics.

Today I will have a set of guidelines. I will put some boundaries and rules for living in my path to help me mature. I will be grateful for the rules my community has set aside for my safety and livelihood.