Similar problems can also be witnessed in Europe's curious relationship with Islamic fundamentalism. In the author's view, "Europe reacts feebly against fundamentalism and Islamic terrorism because it feels guilty about exporting Christian civilisation." But he goes even further, stating: "Europe loves Islam for the same reason Islam hates Europe:  because of Europe's secularism, relativism, multiculturalism, and its discrediting of religious feeling." It's a clever juxtaposition, and an accurate one.    

Pera therefore agrees with commentators who have expressed concern (and sadness) over the impending arrival of a "Godless Europe". So do I. In a free and democratic society, an individual has the right to opt out of religion. But when that individual right takes a life of its own, and jump-starts a politicised movement to persecute people of faith or make them feel ashamed of their religious beliefs, it hurts society as a whole. The rights of religious individuals are just as important as the non-religious, and both must be protected at all costs.

Fortunately, it's not impossible to change course and right this ship. Postmodernism can be defeated, although it will take a supreme effort on the part of most Europeans. In Pera's assessment, "As the history of liberalism and modernity shows, the Christian choice to give oneself to God, or to act velut si Deus daretur, as if God existed, has yielded the best results." Indeed, freedom of choice is the greatest gift that a democratic country could ever hold or want to possess. The tie between Christianity and a free society — an important component of history, politics and culture — is something Europeans should want to cherish and defend, and not reject and refuse.

The book's last line is perhaps its most important: "To conclude, we should, we must call ourselves Christians." Believers and non-believers alike, take heed of this worthy advice. If not, Europe's moral malaise will only get worse — and may become irreversible in short order.