Based upon historical and contextual notions regarding the concept of evil, and what makes an act "evil", we can learn many things. For instance, tyranny is considered "evil" in almost every tradition imaginable. Tyranny, being defined as a rulers legislative enslavement of the ruled, negates the free expression of a populace, and produces poverty and economic despair.

Hitler was considered a most heinous tyrant. He declared war on all those who did not fit his ideological profile of what a human being should be (nonjewish germans). Most modern people would consider him to be corrupt and evil. Yet, these same people believe in and worship a god who, according to their own textual accounts, commits acts and atrocities every bit as heinous as Hitler ever did. In fact, in comparison to the Christian god, Hitler was a saint!

If the God of the Bible was real, he would be the living personification of evil.

There are movies and shows depicting gangs who provide protection for businesses and people who live in a specified area, for a price. And those who do not pay that price are oft times shown just what they need protection from, when the "protectors" begin a campaign of destruction and brutality. This seems to me to be no different then what the biblical god does. He offers protection from himself if you simply do what he wants you to do.

Yet, this religion continues to thrive.

I believe that the reason that Christianity has lasted for so long is that people actually believe that they have no other choice than to be a Christian. Just as people continue to follow and support laws that blatantly violate the Constitution, they just feel helpless to oppose what is considered "mainstream". It's the "go with the flow" attitude. And that would be why there are so many extremist. In social psychology, you see that any group of people who feel threatened by some must react tooth and claw to protect themselves. Religious people feel threatened by their own knowledge and lack of belief, so they lash out by trying to force others to believe as they feel that they are supposed to. Only by so doing are they able to justify and validate the belief that they are adhering to the same religion as everybody else, because they force everybody else to follow the same religion that they do.

It's a vicious cycle, and it makes no sense. Perhaps that is the most evil thing of all.