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The AA Promises


 

Hello, I'm new to this group, so I'm not entirely sure how this all works, but I just had a question that I've been doing all kinds of research on and have gotten nowhere on and I'm hoping someone here might have the answer. I apologize if this answer is actually already listed somewhere throughout all of the messages on this forum, but I'm not to sure how to use this all yet and/or how to do a search through all of the postings.
My question is, why is it that the 9th step promises are the dedicated promises read at many meetings? There are several other sets of promises for several other steps in the book Alcoholics Anonymous, so I'm just curious why the 9th step promises were chosen to represent "The AA Promises" in meetings.?
I have a couple of theories, such as perhaps it's because they are closely aligned with being the exact opposite of the bedevilments listed on page 52, or maybe it's because once we finish the 9th step, we move onto our daily action steps (10 is daily inventory, 11 is daily prayer and meditation and 12 is daily work with other alcoholics) but I can't seem to find an actual legit answer to this question anywhere. Thank you in advance for any information you are able to provide me!


 

It¡¯s very similar to how it works being read out at the beginning of many meetings. It was a way to introduce the AA program in the early days before there was a preamble or suggested guidelines for meetings. Of course there are many many promises in the big book, not least the 10th step promises. Many groups choose not to read them, it¡¯s entirely a GC decision. But there is no official answer to your question, like many things in AA - it just developed.?


 

Okay, that's probably why I was unable to find an answer. Thank you for getting back to me!


 

I wish I could contribute to the history of reading the 9th Step promises at meetings, but I can't. I found that when I got sober in Toledo, Ohio back in late 1990, they tended to be read more at open meetings.

I stole this PDF from a fellow who got it from an Atlanta Men's Workshop. It claims 147 promises from the first Roman-numbered pages through to 164 in the Big Book. It also says that to include Dr Bob's story takes the count over 150.

So when I'm asked to "read the Promises" in a meeting, I always preface it by saying "There's over 140 promises in the Big Book - these are just the ones after the ninth step..."

Steve F, Springfield, MO
12-12-1990