I was watching "The Lion In Winter" earlier today, and Eleanor (Kate Hepburn) gives a speech at one point that made me think about the religious debate going on in this thread.

I wish I could quote it fully, but it's quite long and it's the first time I heard it! Hopefully the paraphrasing captures the spirit.

Basically she said...governments, lovers, families, religions, crusades, wars...they can all lead people to violence, give them permission to kill, justify murder and even sanctify slaughter, but in the end it comes down to us...people...each and everyone of us...ultimately we ourselves are accountable for acts commited in some country's name or some god's name. Those are entities without faces or limbs. People are real and it's people who carry hate and destruction in their hearts.

A pope or a king may throw the sword into your hand and give you the order to draw blood, but it's still your hand that strikes the blow. You can blame or reference the will of others leading you down that path, but ultimately the choice came from your own soul no matter what permission or intimidation was given to you.

God loves, man kills.