We are called to be good citizens, but we must never look to the government for salvation. We are called to build the kingdom of God, not establish a Christian America. This is something Jesus prayed about when he went to his Father to intercede for the church. In other words, our Lord has prayed that we would reach the world without becoming worldly. It is not easy to know where to draw the line between being in the world and being of the world.
Some separation is required.
There are places it is not wise for Christians to go. There are things it is not good for us to see or to hear. As a result, we often find ourselves out of step with American culture. The piece in The New York Times Magazine notes, with some amazement, that Christianity is now a counter-cultural movement. In the 1960's, the counter-culture questioned authority.