I feel like we're "raging against the machine,". And when I say "rage" I don't mean that we're hostile or hateful. I simply mean that we are standing in opposition to a huge paradigm that mixes their politics with our religion and says, "'Murrrica is a CHRISTIAN country!" which I don't believe for one bit. Or "'Murrrica is the greatest nation on EARTH!" Who says? "Murrricuns"? We stand in opposition to the fraction of the church (because certainly not all Christians embrace this mindset) that seems to believe that Jesus hung on the cross and bled red, white, and blue and have no use for a more global world view. God is a global thinker, I believe. I don't want to be lumped in with those who are unable to distinguish between their religious and political beliefs. But, as I've asked earlier in this thread, how do those of us who reject that brand christianity walk in unity with those who do? I'm not prepared to say that this person or that person is not a Christian... but when I don't embrace what I believe to be errant, how do I still embrace the person? Especially when that person seems perfectly comfortable rejecting me as well as anyone else who doesn't jibe with the way they walk out their beliefs?

In the context of education, we do help raise some kids whose parents are remiss in raising their own. It's not an easy industry to be in, and I often feel as if I have a target on my back--not from intruders, per se, but by a fraction of society who thinks I am to blame for all the social ills of this country.