this, from a comment on Eric’s blog by giveawayboy, is a good articulation:

Eric’s Tasty Morsels of Thought – Random acts of kindness!

Christianity has more hope of loving America and expressing patriotic sentiments than Christ-americanism has of being truly patriotic or even Christian. The one is Heaven’s response to mankind and those is particularly interested in local communities. The other, rooted in that vaporous land which exists as the deflation of true devotion and patriotism is arrogance posturing as substance.