This peculiarity of some American Christians is something I noticed as well. Although that's mostly with folks on the internet. None of the Americans I know personally is so hung up about it - and at least some of them are Christians. Certainly people behave differently on the internet, but I think the number of 'radical' Christians even in the US is actually less than boards such as this suggest. Still, the difference is noticable.
I think the way the bible is treated plays an important part in the distinction. I recently read an article by a German theologican claiming that the idea of the verbal inspiration of the bible (i.e. every word is directly Gods and must be followed) was developed in the US in the late 1800s and mostly remained a North American phenomenon. European theology at least seems to view the divine inspiration of the bible differently, with a stronger focus on acts of Jesus Christ himself. A German katholic bishoph (?) recently said that "some people should worry less about the words of the bible, and more about its spirit", or something to that effect.
I also think the difference has a lot to do with the history of Europe vs the NA colonies. In the US (and Canada I suppose) religious groups could for a long time pretty much live on their own, with no need to bother about other religious views. Thus they took their own views more and more for granted.
In Europe on the other hand, people had to learn to deal with differing beliefs far more, and at least after the Thirty Years War learn to get along with different denomination. Things like proselytizing were out of the question when your religious denomination was determined by your local lord. And to this that Christian proselytizing is practically non-existant in Europe (afaik).
Some good points
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