The article lists the three things that the author thinks make people evil: > There are also people who do evil. I usually lump the causes into one of three gr

The article lists the three things that the author thinks make people evil: > There are also people who do evil. I usually lump the causes into one of three groups: 1) Mental instability. 2) Being misinformed. 3) Crimes of passion. I think the biggie is peer pressure to adopt group norms, though. People try and fit in. They don't question too critically the opinions of those around them, and instead repeat and reenforce it so it slips towards a social evil. Which is what religion is, really - a group norm you don't question critically. Further along: > Even the founding fathers knew religion was trouble. After all, they left partially due to religious differences. But they knew religion was too touchy a subject to be involved in government Trivia, but as a techie I can't help but derail discussion by pointing out minutiae: the Pilgrim Fathers left England because it was too tolerant, and they wanted to set up a pure and intolerant new world. Which changes things quite a bit.