Evil

Adam and Steve by CyrusNarcissus

There is a human tendency to demonize those who display behaviors, emotions or ideas which scare us. Some of this is self-preserving. Much of it is simply irrational fear. 

There is actual evil in the sense that some human beings have been conditioned to aggressive or predatory violence against other human beings and defenseless animals. Intentional, unprovoked aggression with or without violence is my definition of evil.

Religious enthusiasts find evil in the most rudimentary functions of Nature. They see evil in consensual sex. They see evil in speaking skeptically about their imaginary friends or imaginary ethereal dictators. They see evil in real loving homosexuals wanting the same rights and social benefits as heterosexuals. They are exhorted to aggressively oppress those whom their religion deems evil, based on vague moralistic premises, dictated by their imaginary ethereal bosses as interpreted by their intermediaries, whose motives are often tainted with money and political power. This oppression (aggressive subjugation through law and social pressure) is what is actually evil. Therefore, in this, religion itself is evil.