Britain is the birthplace of Darwinism. Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists or agnostics.[2]
A Eurobarometer poll in 2010 reported that 37% of UK citizens "believed there is a God", 33% believe there is "some sort of spirit or life force" and 25% answered "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".[3] See also: British atheism
The Telegraph reported in 2013 in a news story titled Britain has a drinking problem, and it needs help:
“ | The cost to the NHS of alcohol is £3.5 billion a year. Though we spend this fortune on the consequences of excessive drinking, we spend a relative pittance on the causes – £91 million on treatment, compared with £2 billion for treatment of problem drug-users. Yet there are estimated to be 1.6 million problem drinkers in England, over five times more than there are dangerous drug-users. I do not underestimate the dangers of drugs, but anyone who has sat in a courtroom knows that alcohol is the bigger problem, spilling into domestic violence, family breakdown and street disorder.[4] | ” |
On July 29, 2014, The Independent reported:
“ | The UK is full of heavy drinkers with bad eating habits who are ignorant, intolerant and too nationalistic – so it’s just as well that we are also very polite.
It might sound like a stereotypical list of national traits, but these are the views of more than 5,000 young adults from five different countries who were asked to give their opinion on modern Britain by the British Council.[6] |
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The UK website Alcohol Concern reports:
“ | More than 9 million people in England drink more than the recommended daily limits
In England, in 2012 there were 6,490 alcohol-related deaths, a 19% increase compared to 2001 Alcohol is 10% of the UK burden of disease and death, making alcohol one of the three biggest lifestyle risk factors for disease and death in the UK, after smoking and obesity. An estimated 7.5 million people are unaware of the damage their drinking could be causing In the UK in 2012-13, there were 1,008,850 hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption where an alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary reason for hospital admission or a secondary diagnosis[7] |
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