This of course was summed up many centuries ago in the hexameter of Lucretius, where he says, “Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum” (“Such great evils this religion is able to persuade men to commit”). But he should also have added, “Tantum religio potuit suadere bonorum” (“Such great good this religion is able to persuade men to commit”). Nevertheless, the good has clearly had to be paid for by a great deal of evil.
