Crimes and violence are the part of the society as long as religion, unfortunately
Some religions, yes... but others no.
When a person says he is a Christian and that is his religion, if he doesn't follow it, is it really his religion? Or is he a liar?
Check out the New Testament, the whole basis for Christianity. There is no call for violence other than self defense a little. Just the opposite. There are only calls for religious, Christian peace in the NT. The problem is people.
And if you want to say that Islam is the religion of peace, check all the places the Quran says to do violence: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=888757.msg10381547#msg10381547.
But what is the real chiristianity? It has been changing through years. Moreover, the Bible can be understood in many different ways
Real Christianity is a combination of two things:
1. to be sorry for making mistakes, doing wrong... based on the Ten Commandments and the law of love for God and for other people;
2. Accepting the forgiveness that Jesus offers, that He gained for all people through His suffering and death on the cross.
As you said, the Bible can be understood in many different ways. But this doesn't have anything to do with what the Bible says. The Bible interprets itself. It's people who don't want to look at the whole thing, and understand it all, that come up with really wrong understandings of the Bible. People who study the Bible, and who listen to sound teachings from people who studied it more, are people who don't go off with crazy misunderstandings of it.
However, to be fair, the Revelation says in chapter 19 that nobody will understand the Bible completely. If you go and read chapter 19, you won't find anything that says it the way I just did. That's because people don't take the time to study the Bible to see how chapter 19 says what I said it says.
So, yes. People can and do many things that they shouldn't do, including placing wrong interpretations on the Bible.