Good & Evil

Q: Is there more evil (and misery) than good (and happiness) in the world?
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A: At any given time, I'm given to think that it might well be the case that there is more evil than good in the world. That said, it's also my sincere belief that all things exist in a state of equilibrium, that they work against each other to achieve a natural balance. This seems to be a prevalent theme in many different religious traditions, and try as I might I can't seem to find fault with it.
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Q: How important is the problem of evil to religion generally? Is it a fundamental problem that all religious traditions have to deal with -- and if so, why? Consider this question in terms of Geertz's definition of religion.
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I believe the problem of evil in the world is an important part of religion in a general sense, whether one's beliefs fall into tribal, cosmological or transcendental categories.
Whereas tribal cultures may see the interaction between good and evil in the form of a predator's stalking and killing of its prey and classical cultures a set of myths pitting gods against monsters, the transcendentalist can attest in very vivid ways to the ongoing persecution of man by man.
Though the label and circumstances may chance, evil remains a frightening but necessary element in the circle of life. To paraphrase the Tao Te Ching, "What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job?"