Commentaries on the Twelve Traditions of SCA
Introduction
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous derives from the first Twelve Step program, Alcoholics Anonymous. During its first decade, Alcoholics Anonymous accumulated substantial experience which indicated that certain group attitudes and principles were particularly valuable in ensuring the survival and welfare of the AA Fellowship. In 1946, in the Fellowship’s international journal, the AA Grapevine, these principles were committed to writing, and became the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. They were adopted by the AA Fellowship as a whole at the first AA International Convention in 1950.
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous has adopted and adapted the Twelve Traditions for use within the SCA Fellowship. Like AA, we have found that just as the Twelve Steps permit our individual recovery, so too do the Twelve Traditions make possible our collective recovery. By following the Twelve Traditions, our members, groups and service bodies will continue to maintain our common welfare and allow SCA to thrive in its primary purpose – of carrying the message of recovery to the sexual compulsive who still suffers. The following commentaries are intended to illustrate the Twelve Traditions as we apply them in SCA, reflecting the experience and specific circumstances of Sexual Compulsives Anonymous.
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Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon SCA unity.
For our group purpose there is but one authority — a loving God as may be expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
The only requirement for SCA membership is a desire to stop having compulsive sex.
Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting other groups or SCA as a whole.
Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the sexual compulsive who still suffers.
An SCA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the SCA name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Every SCA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
SCA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
SCA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the SCA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television and films.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
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