The Pope isn't blamed for the AIDS epidemic, him and his church is blamed for harbouring it and probably contributing to its growth. You can argue that it wouldn't be so bad if people followed no sex before marriage, but that is surely catholics picking and choosing what parts of their religion they wish to follow, not atheists picking and choosing what to blame religion for? Point is, many people in Africa and South America do not wear condoms precisely BECAUSE the Pope continues to say they are sinful. This is a huge digression from the point though, feel free to post a question like "Is the AIDS epidemic the fault of the Catholic church?" (yes, I'm being facetious :P)
I find no harm in believing in something which gives you comfort. Unfortunately something being comforting does not make it true. I believe in what I know is true, and I find it bizarre the amount of people who are prepared to cocoon themselves in a lie because it makes them feel better. All I do as an atheist is present such religious apologists with the facts, and if they continue to reject the truth and would prefer to divulge in the comforts of a lie, then that's up to them. I'm not going to picket your funeral, protest that you shouldn't have the same rights as me, not be your friend, throw you out of my house or hit you with a baseball bat. I hardly think atheists are the pushiest of them all.
If you have trouble dealing with the idea of evolution, then read up on it. There's plenty of books on the issue and it's such a good explanation for things. As you consider yourself agnostic, I would also recommend you read The God Delusion by RIchard Dawkins and/or God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens - marvelous books, the former of which made me decide to label myself atheist rather than agnostic (I too had the same quandaries with our beginnings as you).
I think we've digressed more than enough from the question, so I'll stop answering this thread