well then, how about facing off against a dyed in the wool atheist?
Hmm.. facing off. Alright, let's go.
(From a dyed in the wool fan of Jung and Campbell.)
the entire concept of religion is so fatally flawed that, though it may not be evil within itself, it cannot help but cause evil to be performed in its name. that which must cause evil may, therefore, be described as evil.
First, I think that you must be more accurate than to simply say "religion". The implication of what you're saying is that before religion there were no wrongdoings, no murders, rapes, wars. This is wrong. It is simply an excuse for humans to behave as humans.
the very nature of religion is based on absolutes, the earthly commandments of a deity or deities. there is no half way when dealing with the word of a god - it is good, it is infallible, it is eternal, it is the ultimate source.
On one hand I don't disagree, on the other, I'm thinking that exceptions abound. I would need time to find them, I am not a student of theology but of mythology and it's been QUITE a long time since I've used those muscles.
for the believer, there are no other truths and to even suggest so would be considered evil.
Even for those who practice religions in which there are no ultimate "fruits"? I am immediately brought to think of earth/nature worshipping religions and, most notably, Buddhism. Again, I'll have to do some searching on that.
religion is exclusive as well. only those of the faith can possess that truth, therefore all else must be tainted by evil.
And with this you have cornered yourself into speaking specifically of monotheistic religions, the Abrahamic religions, without being honest enough to say so. While not popular, there are others for which such is not the case, and I would be so bold as to suggest there have been such others in the past.
the gods of others must be false if there is to be but one true god or one true set of gods. finally, religion is expansive. human nature demands that a truth, once accepted and codified, must be spread as a part of its proof. once a creed is thrust forward as truth, universal acceptance is expected. those who refuse that truth must be evil.
Codified, yes, as the true purpose of religion was really to answer the unanswerable. I firmly believe that were it not for the advent of religion, which I believe came about at the same time as music and art, we would still be tearing at chunks of carrion after the large predators had their fill and picking the fruit the monkeys in the trees had allowed to fall.
in the mythology of good versus evil, all tactics are fair in the mind of man. an elitist group, content in their understanding of the "truth", must prevail or their faith is seen as false. the good must win out over evil, the truth must prevail over lies. evil deeds may be excused in the cause of furthering the spread of that truth, death is seen as preferable to a life without that truth and to cause the deaths of nonbelievers may be seen as mercy. this is the history and nature of religion. even the most docile adherent may be moved to violence and hatred, absolved by the love of and faith in his truth.
Allow me to refer to my works of Campbells and get back to you on this last bit, would you?
However, before I do so, let me ask you this--Is your assertion that, were it NOT for the existence of religion, there would be no "evil" in man or the world?