Since when does or will LeoMcNeil open his eyes to see more than one aspect? Do you really want to contend that the South does not have the most conservative Christians, and that the churches that hold to infant baptism do not overall tend to be the most liberal/"progressive." And the most dead overall?
If we went back 150 years the believers of this nation would be horrified by the southern churches. The bent towards legalism in the form of prohibition, the outrageous music that is declared fit for worship and the inane sermons coupled with showmanship would disgust believers of the past. Just because people come to church on Sunday for the show doesn’t mean they’re believers. The divorce rates of the south, which tend high, suggest that there’s limited practical application taking place.
Mind you, I will not defend the northern mainline protestant denominations. Believers from the past would be equally horrified by the rejection of basic Biblical doctrine such as the Trinity, virgin birth and resurrection of Christ. They would be disgusted by the women preachers and the acceptance of abortion, homosexual conduct to the point of marriage and the utter meaninglessness of weekly sermons. Ultimately I suspect believers of the past would be saddened to see the state of the church in a once strong Christian nation.