Has Religion been a Force for Evil in Human History

A major stumbling block for many earnest seekers is the compelling evidence throughout history that terrible things have been done in the name of religion. This applies to virtually all faiths at some point, including those that argue for compassion and nonviolence among their principal tenets. Given such examples of raw abusive power, violence, and hypocrisy, how can anyone subscribe to the tenets of the faith promoted by such perpetrators of evil? 

There are two answers to this dilemma. First of all, keep in mind that…