Muslims have not ever been told to examine their faith in a critical way, so the shock is going to be even greater for them, as it is for any child who lives in an over-protected environment, who suddenly has to go out and earn a living and has to stand up on his own feet.

The West has given us the liberal miracle of individual rights, individual responsibility, merit, and human satisfaction.

Discussions of Western civilization are too often confined to works of high art that reflect a relatively narrow element of public taste and experience.

Abolitionism did not find positive response in Africa as it did in Western societies and cultures.

I think forgiveness plays a very important part in Western society and it comes from the Judeo Christian heritage.

Surprisingly one of the forces for secularisation was Christianity itself. As soon as it accepted the idea of a contrary opinion, the moment that European opinion decided for toleration, it decided for eventual free marketing opinion.

In the West we are free to think what we want, to read what we want, to practice our religion, to live as we choose. Liberty is codified in human rights, a magnificent Western creation but also, I believe, a universal good.