What response?

The fourth century, in response to the legalization and subsequent popularization of Christianity throughout the Roman empire, saw masses of Christians fleeing to the desert to avoid the dilution and re-definition of the Christian faith.
They longer I live in America as an Orthodox Christian, the more I can sympathize with this response.  It is so incredibly easy to be a Christian in evangelical America.  A person can define their Christianity in just about any manner they wish, as long as it holds even a slight resemblance to Christianity.  All words can be re-defined and the current emphasis on ecumenism and being politically correct makes any kind of critique improper. We don't want to be judgmental now, do we?
The early Christians ran away from a watered down faith, to save themselves.  How can we not do the same?