I think it is difficult to be a Christian in a nation where everyone has a different idea as to what a Christian is. Denomination X says that Denomination Y isn't a Christian, and Denomination Z says neither X or Y is, but A is, and so on. Or even Denomination X and offshoot of X deny one another. So considering how divided American Christianity is right now I think an important thing to firm up is what the quoted author means when he says "American Christianity." 

What I wonder is what is this "Christianity" that is referenced.  It seems Puritanical, not really Christian.  My friend AncientScribe describes acts of charity, fruits of the Spirit if you wish, but is that Christianity?  Where is faith in Christ crucified for us in all of this?  Was Jesus only concerned with these noble tasks?  Stateless Pilot errs in assuming that forcing legislation is a Christian goal.  Christianity is not a 'law to be made', that's The Law which already exists.  Christianity includes both The Law and The Gospel.  The social matters legislated ought to be acts of love towards others......forbid destruction of human life via abortion, etc.  The LGBT matter referenced, I assume, is the marriage concept, which is not an 'equal right' matter because there is not an equality of circumstances (marriage by definition is two opposite gender people, anything else is a recent redefinition that is nonsensical).  I do not seek to force Christianity on anyone.  I do seek to proclaim to all; if they reject, then such is their refusal of God's grace.  In that light, Christianity in America is freedom to proclaim everywhere.

I feel like no wonder so many people shriek in horror when approached by a so called Christian with a sign or placard.  I feel like we've missed the boat.  We've encapsulated ourselves in an old and new Testament mind thought without learning greek, and without understanding cultural norms.  It's like people badgering me about the Constitution and how it's meant to be heard.  Well, Biblically women rarely spoke, and never went about in public alone.  In  Galatia, the women with short hair were the prostitutes, hence, Paul's diatribe about what women should be wearing or doing.  In our country we've had a war over slavery, maintained segregation clear into the 60's, denied the women's vote for a very long time, and beat other people over the head with our Bibles like they were stupid creatures without brains.  And we expect other people to say some magic words so that we can judge them Christians, and allow them presence in our churches, when in fact, our Bibles tell us over and over in many scriptures that all men will know Christ.  We don't have to be so exclusive.  We don't have to blame groups of people for other people's wars.  We don't have to talk incessantly about satan, when he's only named 17 times in the Bible, and we know darn good and well we can learn to control our impulses.  24 years post mormonism, and only in the last 8, of being with wonderful Presbyterian friends who believe in social justice have I healed from PTSD of one, leaving my church of birth, and two, being kicked out of a Baptist church because of my politics.  I don't recall Christ being political, and I know he wasn't an American.  Please people, times are tough, so let's look through Christ's eyes and attempt to apply the 2nd commandment here without all the rules and regulations we've created in order to be qualified for Christianity.

@StatelessPilot - Exaggeration (1200+) does not aid you.  If there is some benefit, i.e. tax law, then simply alter the benefit to apply to all circumstances that you wish to include.  No magic needed.  Redefining a term/word that has long been in place is unnecessary; especially where it makes no sense.  And, your abortion distinction also is odd ----- what is 'birth', at what point; and isn't that manipulated by mother and/or birthing aid (sometimes a doctor)?  Under your analysis, a midwife can strangle a child just before the finality of birth with no ramifications.  What makes removal from the womb so special?  To equate birth with personhood is a false distinction for political reasons; people have long referred to that "fetus" as a 'baby' ---- again it is redefinition to fit one's agenda. You missed the point, though, that Christianity is not about forcing anything on anyone.

@Pollypinks@xanga - "I feel like we've missed the boat.  We've encapsulated ourselves in an old and new Testament mind thought without learning greek, and without understanding cultural norms."

So instead of Jesus saying:

Mark16:15   And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

He should have said,"Go ye into all the world, and learn greek and understand cultural norms."?

He should have said that, right?

Or maybe He should have said,"Go into all the world and make consumers".  Right?

You have the Bible.  Follow it.  If you don't follow it then your excuse is that someone didn't learn greek or understand cultural norms?  I don't think so.

I saw an open air preacher man on an IVY league college campus preaching to the air and watched rich kids walk by and snicker.

The man and woman comitting adultery have a reason why they aren't following the Bible.  The liar has a reason to not follow the Bible.  The person doing drugs has a reason to not follow the Bible.  They're afraid of being exposed for what they're doing and living right takes too much out of their time for doing evil which is what they love.

Luke 12:2   For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 

Luke 12:3   Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 

God will expose the real reason some day and you won't have greek or cultural norms as an excuse.  God will expose what you are doing if you don't have it erased today.

Going through the posts, I realize that once again, abortion has become the buzz word for my post.  I wasn't looking to make it so, but many are "hooked" on public figures who claim to be pro-life.  What about those who believe in the consistant life ethic, which believes in personhood from conception to death?  Those who are poverty ridden and need help after birth?  Those children who benefit from so many things our society has to offer, but frequently sees those benefits go down in a flame of righteous glory so that all the billion dollar corporations can continue to pay no taxes, which would easily take care of these problems.  The first 6 years of my 23 yr nursing career were spent working on a labor and delivery ward, mostly in the nursery.  I cared for two 12 year old girls who came in laboring.  Neither of them spoke a word to any of us, and now, all these years later, I find myself questioning the ethics of what I saw, forcing those girls to go to term when perhaps there was rape or incest involved.  One mother actually asked the doctor not to medicate her daughter, so she'd "learn her lesson."  I think abortion is very complicated, and obviously, the ideal is for every child to be born, loved, cherished, provided for, and wanted.  And I think adoption is the perfect answer for those in situations not ready to do just that.  But I have also witnesses women bleeding to death, and, at some point, needing the D & C procedure to stop that, hence, putting an end to the pregnancy.  I don't see any perfect answers for the many issues surrounding abortion.  I wish I did.  I hear what you all are saying, and I internalize it, and on face value, accept it.  I've just seen things in the past that gave me pause....