I'm reading your statement very carefully, Shambles. I for one do not necessarily agree that when people do something bad in the name of religion that religion is to blame. Sometimes it may well be, but people are definitely not above using religion as a justification for doing something bad when it has very little to do with their actions. And it's not just religion. Bush says that it is his desire to promote democracy by invading Iraq when very few people believe that. Is Democracy then to blame for Bush's actions?
I think not. The same thing can happen "in the name of religion," and even more commonly "in the name of love," with religion or love having nothing to do with it. In those instances, it certainly isn't just to "blame" religion or love for the actions.

Don't count me among the "we" of your statement. I'm certainly part of a "we" that agrees that atrocities have been done in the name of religion where the person committing the atrocities was convinced they were doing it because of their religious beliefs. When that happens, I go back to the beliefs for a reality check. If Christ said that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and someone claims that they killed their child out of love and at Christ's commandment, you got a sick puppy. You can't hold Christ's teachings, or even the Christian religion accountable for sick stuff like that. And it does happen.

Jerry