My recent aversion to alcohol

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Yes, I think religion just doesn't play much part in British society, at all. We just aren't interested in religion, or not how we used to be up until the 20th century. Probably because of the rise of science which can explain everything so people don't need to be superstitious anymore.

I was brought up as an atheist, I know very little about Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc. I just don't like alcohol, there is no religious aspect whatsoever. I think it is just physiological. My mum is the same. If someone gives her a bottle of wine for Christmas, it just sits in the cupboard for months until someone else drinks it (usually my husband).

Americans are definitely more religious than we are.

Yes the USA is an unusual country, being technologically advanced but also still quite religious. I was quite shocked when I saw it for myself, and realised I was going to have to keep fairly quiet about my atheism because unfortunately many Christian Americans think that non-Christians have no morals, though research doesn't really back it up.

Talking of research, here's a paper that looks at why people believe and why they don't. It's a bit of a heavy read because they start off by talking about "proximate" and "ultimate" causes, which nearly scared me off reading it, but I skipped that and the rest of it wasn't so hard. The words were too small to read on my computer until I downloaded the pdf version and zoomed it in.
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... They_Don't

Like any other drug - alcohol isn't for everyone & often has differing, subjective effects on a user of it.

If it doesn't agree with you, you aren't the only one & you don't have to consume it.

It is true that the UK is largely secular but there are still pockets of religious communities which is why you'll see churches if you ride a vehicle through any city.

46.2% of the population of the UK is thought to be Christian, though church attendance is only about 10% of that. I suppose if Christianity has an effect on resistance to alcoholism, it would be greater in the case of a churchgoer, though I don't know.

Meanwhile the USA is apparently still 64% Christian and I don't think church attendance is far below that number. I certainly notice a lot more churches in Arkansas than I noticed in the UK, and a lot more slogans outside them in Arkansas, presumably designed to try to keep it that way.

Yes but congregations are always small, churches are only full for things like Christmas, weddings etc.

Christianity is dwindling in the UK, you are right about that. I was just pointing out it still exists.

Oh yes I doubt it'll ever disappear

Aversion to alcohol is very understandable, even more so the obnoxious TV advertisements. Usually showing a group of young college hipsters swanning around a posh snow covered Swiss ski resort on New Years Eve, with a full rock band hired to play on the night.

The reality is so much more mundane. Glass broken on streets, fights, police called etc.

It’s incredible how embedded alcohol is in society in omnipresent advertising, many social discussions and at most types of culinary or entertainment venue.

It seems many sport activities I’ve participated in often culminated in end of game or season drinks or bbq with drinks with an expectation that a few beers brings people together and helps them relax. I’ve never understood why we need alcohol to do this and amazed at how many people drive afterwards.

Although I did drink too much in my twenties probably as some form of escapism or masking and now also avoid it completely in my forties finding it causes physical irritation, poor sleep quality and lower energy levels the next day.