Bingowings said:

There is a lot in the Bible which is frankly evil and to a large number of people it is seen as the direct and perfectly transcribed word of God in two handy to thump volumes.

Like the majority of religious texts, unless you are well versed in the long history of it's creation and translation it can be used as justification to persecute just about anyone.

I don't think that this is a problem with the Bible itself, but rather the intentions a reader brings with him when reading the Bible. If you go in looking for justification for your actions, you are likely to find it, even if it means ignoring the rest of the text.