Whatever, Hippy

Okay, I'm going to use the term Imperial Christianity very specifically here. The definition may need to be refined and I welcome suggestions for that, but make sure you don't think I'm saying something I'm not. So...
By Imperial Christianity I'll mean a Christian culture that has developed within a European state church model or the hegemonic Christianity of the US. It's not a Jesus-following type of Christianity but rather a system with some Biblical imagery and morals thrown in to support an industrial-capitalist system. This does not preclude the existence of Jesus-following Christians in this culture, but acknowledges that the overarching Christian culture of the West takes for granted certain social institutions and values that will take precedence over anything else. These are not neutral values or institutions, but because of their pervasiveness, they lay claim to individuals, appear normal or natural and easily possess individuals and the culture they create. So they become a part of the lens through which the Church exists or expresses its faith. The developing list of "they" is this:

Belief in autonomy and personal liberty
Self-interest as the primary motivator
The development of consumptive power

To use Biblical imagery, (and to do so properly I think) these are simply some powers and principalities that attempt to separate us from the love of God in Jesus. I'm not saying this to bash the Church in the US but to set up what I think is an important point: we've given ourselves pretty whole hog to these values. And that's part of what I wanted to call the suburban captivity. But now I need to give it a new name.

Another idea to pursue: Now that he has the opportunity, why isn't Ray Stevens proudly standing up next to anyone to defend the USA today?