Liberal democracy is rooted in Christian ethics. It does not make sense to a Muslim culture or the Chinese culture.
IIRC, "Christianity" used to be very much tied to monarchy in Europe, as well as feudalism. Then it was used to justify slavery. Then apartheid. And now it's sometimes used to justify stripping minorities of their rights.
There is no Christian ethics, only people justifying there political views by invoking Jesus.
Granted, Islam is not the same as Middle Eastern, but European and the Middle Eastern cultures have interwoven for millennia. The Middle East is not monolithic, either. They have had their own Christian communities ever since the religion was invented.
Neither is Europe free of Muslim thought. Spain is an obvious example, but there was also trade, which is how algebra came to Europe.
Greeks and Romans traveled throughout the area. To a Roman, a northern Barbarian was more exotic than the peoples South of the Mediterranean.
We are more similar to Middle Easterners than it might seem, though, granted, Islam today is a huge differentiator.
What I mainly disagree with is:
> ie: themselves.
Those were completely different incompatible cultures. "middle eastern" simply isn't a term, that makes sense for that time as a cultural distinction.
> Islam today is a huge differentiator.
On yet another note, some claim Islam to be somewhat of a Christian sect.
Yes, I gather Islam incorporated both Judaism and Christianity.
Liberalism is rooted in Christian sectarianism.