There is saying or idea or something, I don't remember how it's called, but the gist of it is down to that you are always going be more extreme when those closest to you go out of line. A religion can tolerate and live peacefully around other people that are part of a different religion but if a heretic group starts blooming in the midst, things are going to get ugly really fast.

It's sort of the same with politics. You expect more from countries you see as sharing most of our cultural values. That's one of the reasons Israel for example is criticized much more than worst human rights offenders.