With respect to being a Christian, Pera makes it clear that he's referring to the term Judaeo-Christian. His position on these two important world religions is both eloquent and inspiring: "The core idea is that from the viewpoint of both Judaism and Christianity man is created in God's image and likeness...The fact that Christianity, and Catholicism in particular, turned anti-Semitic many a time over the centuries cannot hide the fact that the two faiths are, or may be considered, twin brothers with respect to the conceptual foundations of liberalism."

I couldn't agree more. As a non-religious Jew and political conservative who is a strong defender of Christianity and religious freedom, my views are nearly identical to those of Pera. I see Christians as brethren, and I respect and admire their influence in building viable political systems, free enterprise and cultural institutions. (I'm also married to a Catholic.) In turn, I believe modern secularist attacks on Christianity are both uninformed and unprincipled — and should be readily dismissed.    

Alas, European countries have been moving away from the classical liberal traditions of Immanuel Kant, John Locke and Alexis de Tocqueville at lightning speed. Modern secularists have not only taken control of liberalism, they've also helped turn religion into a dirty word. As Pera explains, "our society has been transformed from a homogenous one shaped by Christian values (as it was for centuries) into one marked by intense religious conflict."

How so? Well, consider the fact that the European Constitution completely ignored the continent's Judaeo-Christian historical roots. Pope Benedict XVI wasn't allowed to speak at a European university which is both publicly funded and secular. Heaven forbid that Europeans should even think of uttering the phrase "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Easter" in mixed company, for fear of ruffling the feathers of the anti-Christian masses.