Throughout history, people have used Christianity as an excuse to persecute others. Were these people actually following what the Bible said, or were they misinterpreting it?
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Much error has taken place in the name of Christianity. However, who knows if the people doing these things were actually Christians? In any case, yes, the Bible has been taken out of context, misinterpreted, and often not followed at all.
Slavery is talked about in the Bible, but nowhere does it mention that slaves should be treated as anything but equal human beings. "Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven" (Colossians 4:1). "...Knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him" (Ephesians 6:9). And just because slavery is talked about in the Bible doesn't mean it was "biblical" to bring people from Africa to America against their wishes and under inhumane circumstances. Remember, God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. If God were for something, why would He deliver people from it?
There are laws in the Old Testament for Israel forbidding witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). However, nowhere does it say that Christians are to burn people who engage in witchcraft.
The organized Christian church confiscated land and killed Muslims during the Crusades. But nowhere does the Bible say that Christians are to take Jerusalem by force or murder people in the process. In fact, Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). True members of the church are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and are looking to the heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly one (Hebrews 11:10). And Christians are to fight only with the sword of the Spirit -- which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
There is a future for national Israel, but God will accomplish that through the Jews, not through Christians. In fact, He's already begun the process (1948 - Israel; 1967 - Jerusalem). Plus, it would be wrong for Christians to confiscate the earthly Jerusalem anyway, since it has been promised by God to be the city for the Jews.
The Inquisition, also, certainly was not biblically mandated. In fact, many real Christians were called heretics because they believed in the supremacy of Scripture over the traditions of man and/or refused to vow allegiance to Rome or become Roman Catholic. As a result, these Christians were burned at the stake, tortured, etc. during the Inquisition. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that one denomination is supreme over another, and certainly there's no mandate for Christians to kill other Christians.
Closely linked to the Inquisition was the expulsion of Jews from Spain. This happened about the same time that America was discovered by Columbus (1492). The same royalty that commissioned Columbus, along with the church in Spain, kicked Jews out of the country unless they surrendered to becoming Catholics (by reciting a creed and being sprinkled with water). But nowhere does God give Christians the charge to do such a thing. In fact, the Bible says that Gentile Christians are to live closely to non-believing Jews and love them -- so that they will become jealous over Gentiles receiving the benefits of knowing their Messiah (Romans 11:11).
Having said all this, it should be pointed out that many people have used "religion" as an excuse to do horrible things to other people, not just "Christians."
Also -- and this is even more important to realize -- the test for Christianity is not Christians, but Christ. The whole point of true, biblical Christianity is that all of us are screwed up, whether we're Christians or not. That's why we need Jesus. So ultimately it comes down to who Jesus Christ is, not what His screwed-up followers have done (if they really were His followers).
The real question is one Jesus asked His disciple Peter, "But who do you say that I am?" (Luke 9:20)
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