Religions were invented by people who wanted to control other people. In many ways, there is a symbiotic relationship with people who use a religion as it was intended, and the religion itself. The religion is often used to manipulate people into violence, which will increase/decrease the amount of followers, and their power/influence.
The biggest problems ,regarding religions and people, come from the importance that people place on their religions. Often times, a person’s beliefs trump that of any laws, or restrictions placed on them by the society in which they live. In such capacity, religions undermine most/all of the world’s intentions of governing people. All forms of government are vulnerable to being undermined by religion.
Religion isn’t just about a person’s lifetime. It is usually tied to what a person believes happens after they die. This gives religion much more authority over a person’s deepest concerns. And brings up why it is SO important to most theists, that nobody shed doubt on their religion. Because if a person realizes that their beliefs are wrong/unfounded, then they can also realize that they have been essentially wasting their lives. Combine that with the realization that all of a sudden death is far more worrisome without their beliefs and then it’s like people hot a breaking point. Many people will hurt, or kill others to prevent their fantasy from falling apart.
Most organized religions have built into the belief a defense mechanism. That mechanism usually being that a follower is strictly prohibited from questioning their religion, and great punishment is in order for followers or even non-followers, who would even slightly question a religion’s legitimacy.
So. Fear, and punishment, are the main influences for religious followers turning to violence. Power, wealth, and prosperity, are why people use religion to manipulate the religious.
A leader using religion to advance certain agendas can be either a true believer, or a conman. But if they are successful, the religion will still likely benefit from gaining power, and more followers.
On much smaller scales, religious people can be swayed by others, or their own interpretations of their beliefs, to be violent.
Humans are, sadly, naturally prone to some levels of violence. So, I won’t argue that religion can be blamed for that. But religion has historically proven to exacerbate most conflicts, and/or be the reason for the conflict in the first place. It also is often the reason that conflicts cannot be settled after they start.
I would liken religion to putting a loaded gun in a monkey cage. A powerful tool, typically in the hands of a being far too ignorant to use it without hurting others. Is it the gun’s fault, that monkeys turn up dead? Not really. But without the gun, in the first place, we can guarantee that no monkeys would ever be shot…
In conclusion, I would opine that absolutely religion can be blamed/is to blame for a large amount of violence.
Fin.