Ultimately, however, I love my country as much as or more than the next man, see nationalism as a vice but patriotism as a virtue. As I said to callandor, I consider it as much my duty, to the extent possible, to show the world Americas decent honorable face as to show Christianitys to non-Christians. Sadly, I don't have the same luxury of being able to disavow those guilty of or complicit in atrocities as traitors to their cause; America has achieved and contributed many wonderful things to the world, but it's committed some very shameful acts at home and abroad. Still, there is one principle common to both my faith and my country: Each has always been about striving to improve while acknowledging shortcomings. It's when we forget the latter that it's most difficult to do the former, and one of the key differences between patriotism and nationalism, in my mind, is that the patriot has the wisdom and courage to abolish national traditions injurious to his home and countrymen, while the nationalist insists with Stephen Decatur that "my country, right or wrong!"