# To AA or not to AA

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-aa-or-not-to-aa/106410>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 30, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-aa-or-not-to-aa/106410 "2002-04-30T03:56:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![TN\_hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TN\_hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TN_hippie)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-aa-or-not-to-aa/106410/21 "2002-05-02T01:53:44Z")

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**Geobabe** is right on target.

There is no “flogging.”  
The concept is simple: if we could do it by ourselves we would have.  
“HP” can be God, Alllah, Buddha, Shiva, the AA group itself, Mother Earth, Love, Intellect, one’s ideal self, the sun, a tree…  
whatever.

I repeat: AA is **not** a religious organization.

If religion is part of your recovery, fine. But it is NOT a requirement.

For more information, please read the first 164 pages of \*Alcoholics Anonymous, \* affectionately known by friends of Bill W. as “The Big Book.”

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**Author:** ![kase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@kase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kase)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-aa-or-not-to-aa/106410/22 "2002-05-02T09:57:46Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> And if someone believes that there is absolutely nothing in the universe more powerful than they are, good luck to them! They’ll need it!

I’m not at all powerful, but thanks anyway **Qadgop the Mercotan**

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