How could supposed christians in the south (USA) lynch without realizing it was against their religion?

I am not American but this question has always bugged me. And its not just lynching, its everything else around the world. War, Intolerance, rampant corruption and m killings by government officials (esp in Africa) who claim to be born again christians or good practicing muslims etc etc etc. I seriously think some people have misunderstood Jesus' message or are twisting the bible to meet their selfish and short sighted needs. It sometimes seems to me that religion serves more as a vehicle for wrong even if that was not what religion was intended for in the first place.