From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
1.
... representing A.A.
before the whole public.
12&12 p.187,
Tradition Twelve
We simply couldn't afford
to take the chance of letting self-appointed members present themselves as messiahs representing A.A. before the whole public.
2.
... representing instincts
gone astray, have been the ...
12&12 p.50,
Step Four
By now the newcomer has probably arrived at the following conclusions: that his character defects, representing instincts gone astray, have been the primary cause of his drinking and his failure
at life; that unless he is
now willing to work hard at the elimination of
the worst of these defects, both sobriety and
peace of mind will still elude him; that all the faulty
foundation of his life
will have to be torn out and built anew on bedrock.
Passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous
and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
are reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
The A.A. Preamble, copyright ©
The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., is reprinted with permission.
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