Alien or Alienated?

I read Judi Mayne's article, "Show Faith Not Fear" , today over at FaithInTheWorkplace.com. She begins, "The book of Daniel is the story of four young men who find the power to stay true to themselves and to their God while living in an alien culture that opposes their faith." This is a fine summary of Daniel's time in Babylon, but I disagree with the parallel she makes between Daniel and contemporary Christians in America. "As believers," she writes, "we live in an 'alien' culture. Discrimination and ridicule from those who find our faith threatening should come as no surprise." She's right that we shouldn't be surprised, but it isn't because we live in an alien culture. We aren't surrounded by "aliens"; rather, we have alienated those around us. The majority of persecution suffered by Christians in America comes from stinking at being Christians in America. As David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons write in unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity...and Why It Matters , "The primary reason outsiders feel hostile toward Christians, and especially conservative Christians, is not because of any specific theological perspective. What they react negatively to is our 'swagger,' how we go about things and the sense of self-importance we project. Outsiders say that Christians possess bark - and bite" (26). If you've ever faced persecution on the job, was it because of alien, or alienated, co-workers? Read the article here...