It really depends on just how clear the lens is that you choose to use when you examine religion and in particular the so called three western monotheisms, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

This post is just a cursory look at the last 500 years of Christianity – and I do mean cursory. There is little doubt that the time of the Protestant Reformation and the Counter Reformation, beginning with the revolt of Martin Luther against the outrages of the Roman Catholic Church brought about wars between rival religious leaders and minor and major political leaders leading to more blood shed in the name of Jesus than at any time since the assault on the Islamic world during the Crusades. This time the rage and outrage was by Christians against Christians, neighbor against neibhbor father against son and mother against daughter. Each side using the Bible to justify its own slaughter of the members of the other side. In some cases entire towns were subject to the sword in the name of the god of Christianity.

While some see religion as bringing some sense of solace and comfort to people, the fact is that it has brought death and destruction to millions in the past and continues to do so in the present.  We all know that 9/11 was a faith based act of mass murder. What we tend to either not know or refuse to recognize is the fact the the genocidal attack of white Europeans on the indigenous populations of the Americas was also a faith based act of mass slaughter. Today as down the long and blood drenched history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam terror, murder and mayhem are the norms of religious life for millions.