You folks are talking about Baptists and/or other evangelical flavors of American Christianity. Not that Europe doesn't have its share of religious crackpots -- they DID give us Aquinas after all -- but it's the Midwestern/Southern brand of ascetic Baptism that folks unfortunately use to tar the collective face of American Christianity with. They're a VERY vocal minority overall, although in the more rural areas of the Midwest, they're quite predominant.
They're Fundamental Evangelists (meaning they believe that it is their sacred duty to convert as per the most literal interpretation of the Bible) and they're likewise Premillenial Dispensationalists (meaning they believe that the Lord is comin' back Real Soon Now(tm) and they need to get as many souls as possible to make the heavenly high score board or something). Given how specific this behavior is, it's pretty much basic logic that many, many Christians are NOT going to be that way. Even scientists have their dogmatic kooks -- they're called "engineers". (OWNED!) Baptists just make a very convenient stereotype, since they leave a very negative impression on saner folks, and they often have very little to define themselves outside of their faith.
I have a LOT of stories about my many, many run-ins with the Evangelical set. I was actually once publically corrected about the pronunciation of the word "evolution" -- apparently, it is pronounced "EVIL-ution". (I'm not kidding.) And the Pentecostals: let's not go there.
My ONLY problem with modern Christianity is the laissez-faire attitude the many casual practitioners have when it comes to doctrine, and the complete reliance on the logical fallacy of Pascal's Gambit, especially when it comes to social issues. Take the gay marriage example: most people that voted against it didn't feel that strongly about it, but they figured that since their church leader had an epistle-of-St.-Paul-sized burr up his/her ass about two dudes at the altar, better to be on God's side. (Plus, when you don't personally know any gay folk, sending them up shit creek socially seems like a pretty trivial decision that pays out well in God Points). I find something incredibly disturbing about the sort ofvaguely genial apathy with which many modern Christians practice their religion, and when they use that "better safe with God than sorry" maxim to prevent necessary social reform or to enact sweeping federal/state civil policy changes, it's really bloody worrisome. Christians that think and struggle daily with their faith as it conflicts with larger social issues? Respect 'em. Those that use dogma as a tool of convenience and think entirely in terms of their standing with God? Don't respect 'em.
