To look at things in an exceptionally simple way, human beings have an innate need for some kind of "bad guy" that creates all the world's problems, be it a devil, demons, dragons, gnomes or various secret societies... like the Vatican
Religious Fundamentalist (fanatics) seem to be able to find the devil everywhere they look EXCEPT in their own actions, thinking or existence. But then the fanatics from group A (let's call them the Baptists) will claim such evils exist "inherently" in group B (we'll call them Catholics) even though they both claim to follow the same basic premise of "spiritual" thinking... but as we all know Christianity can be made into most any sort of expression depending upon personal bias and the need to side-step the act of "knowing yourself" and "getting honest with god"
... Christians don't assume responsibility, it's all the devil's fault!
BUT (and holding to the Abrahamic theme) we can see the same contentions and finger-pointing made by the fanatics of Islam towards Judaism or Christianity et al. And contrary to the assumptions of some, Buddhism has it's multitude of fringe thinkers as well, including the rather arrogant expression it displays on the public front, of "having their shit together" and projecting a smugness about it
One of the things I've studied since high school has been religious history and how the duplicity of "the church" has been constant, especially when it comes to rhetoric and accusation. If you review the claims, charges, etc. put out by the early Protestants towards Rome you will see nearly the same words used as are today thrown towards Gays & Lesbians as well as Islam and Democrats. Between the like of Ireaneus (sp) and Caesar you will find a plethora of "stock phrases & charges" that have been superimposed on every perceived "evil" out there when the core truth is, it's just different and don't play the game by the rules the arrogant bullies want to imposed on everyone but themselves.
It all comes down to what I said in the first line here... human beings simple seek out something to blame and likewise, something to be afraid of. Just turn on your TV set and listen to all the commercial; notice how nearly every one of them exploit FEAR on some level, be it fear of aging, disease, long term suffering from an accident, identity theft... the list is extensive but the foundation is always the same... we thrive by fear.
In most instances FEAR is best defined as
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real in that 90% of what we are "seeing" or "accepting" isn't genuine fact but assumption or aspersion.
Were the NAZI's really evil?
Sure, they did some horrible things.. .some of them... most of them were forward thinking people however that were strongly patriotic, seeking to reclaim national pride. Granted, there was a racial problem... but when exactly did the racial issues and persecutions finally get outlawed here in the states? When did Human Rights come onto the forefront of the U.S./European agenda? When was American forced into accountability for what it did to the native inhabitants of this conquered land and how they've been treated for most of the past 400 or so years?
We're all hypocrites and again, we all are susceptible when it comes to finding treachery where it isn't.