Why is alcoholics anonymous a religious thing?

Answer 1

Courts have held that it is religious and that, therefore, people cannot be mandated to attend AA.

It actually is not religious, although based on christian principals that a man can not help himself except by helping others, it is more a spiritual journey and has no affiliation with religion.

AA promotes worship and reverence for a Diety believed to be the creator and governor of the universe. It has dogma {the big book} A charismatic prophet{bill wilson} a liturgy,[meetings,sponsorship,conventions} commandments, [the 12 steps, certainly a loose definition of 'commandment'] sacred objects or totems {chips}A heaven{sobriety}A hell{relapse and death}A purgatory{dry drunk} And AA is involved with learning God's will and obeying it. How is this not a religion? It has all the major points of religion,so I say, it's a religion