Your critique is not a quibble. I earnestly believe that many Americans are devout religious people. There is a segment of our population, however, that bases its values on popular culture. These are the people who are in serious trouble. They treat corrupt officials and wastral entertainers as role models. They prize sex, booze and drugs above self discipline and moderation. Pornography, lotteries, ice cream, fried chicken, and illicit sex, all in excess, are considered constitutional rights by these numbskulls. This is the mob we need to learn to influence.
Not sure that you can 'influence' that crowd by political argument, or even government action (should conservatives get a firm enough grasp on the levers of power).
Sadly it's going to take a complete breakdown of society & the ensuing violence before the social structure can be rebuilt. We are living in Weimar Germany and it's just a matter of who gets control.