Don't confuse Christian with American 2

I've been having some difficulty with the symbolism surrounding this " tea party" movement. I've seen some of the banners, posters, etc. associated with it, and frankly, it concerns me greatly.  I hope I am not the only one.  For those who have not seen it, it is the picture of a serpent  and the tagline reads " Don't tread on me."  For one, I have trouble with any symbol that is associated with the devil in Genesis. But ,more so, do we not realize what we are doing with that statement. We have just alienated half of the unbelieving world with that statement. Anyone who is even close to seeking Christ will get scared off to the gospel through that statement. It is basically saying: " If you son believe how I believe, you are not welcome in my fellowship."  If Jesus is looking to come back soon, he might be too scared to take the first step.