Religion may very well be evil but God is not. Jesus said to "love your enemies", "do good to those who hate you", "if some one strikes you on the side of your face, turn the other side to them". He would not let david build the temple because he had "shed much blood in the earth".
Religious violence comes from people who are not focused on God, or try to change the world with out inviting God along for the ride.
Religious violence comes from people who are not focused on God, or try to change the world with out inviting God along for the ride.