(V): You are so right on all these observations. God save us all from those who apparently call upon Him most fervently. And let's not forget that the ignorant St. Augustine, reverred by Protestants & Catholics alike, first laid out the doctrine that compulsion to make one a Christian, including by means of torture, was a good thing because thereby a soul was saved from Eternal Damnation. Amazing stuff, really.

I am beginning to wonder if, above & beyond all these forms of deception and control which seem to make of history a bloody shipwreck no matter the good intentions of the many, there might really be some demonic or otherworldly power pulling the strings....and perhaps feeding off the negative energy created through suffering.

I certainly don't know...but at least it's a theory which attempts to account for what is.