It needs to be acknowledged, as you say, but also personalized. We need to recognize, I need to recognize, that in each of us dwells the seed of evil of this magnitude, that given the right, or wrong, fertilizer and conditions, we are capable of this.
There, but for the grace of God, go I. Romans 8:1
That goes through my mind VERY often.
Wrong context to evoke that phrase. God has given us the power of reason and the ability to make a concious choice not to do evil. While each of us has the capability to do evil, each of us is solely responsible for our deeds, no external agent is necessary though temptation may come from an evil sources. Our forgiveness comes from God's mercy and grace.
Through a combination of sinful weakness, fear, and base reward, people can be led to do some pretty atrocious things. The weakness is internal, the fear and base reward external. Only God sees how these combinations occur, or understands the full plan in which they are either permitted or prevented.