i have to sit through catholic teachings everyday at school and get fed the same {stuff} everyday… and trust me, i’ve approached catholism open minded, but there is so much stuff in scripture that shows christ wasn’t a religious person at all.
First, I see where you’re coming from, because I used to think the same things.
Regarding sitting through Catholic teachings everyday (or going to Mass every Sunday), there was a time in my life when I didn’t go to church every Sunday. I am reminded of a great story, which I think is true. I don’t have the specific details, but you’ll get the idea. A man sent a letter to the editor of a newspaper, complaining that he doesn’t see why he needs to go to church every week. He said “I’m over 40 years old, and have been going to church every Sunday since I was a kid. In all, that’s over 2000 sermons I’ve heard, and I cannot recall even one. If I don’t remember anything the preacher said, why should I even bother to go?” A week later, someone else sent a reply, saying, “Since you’re over 40 years old, I assume you’ve been married over 20 years. Your wife has prepared meals for you every day since you’ve been married. Even at one meal a day, that comes to over 7000 meals. How many of those specific meals can you recall? But if you had not eaten them, what condition would you be in physically?” The point, of course, was that he benefitted spiritually from attending church, though he couldn’t recall the sermons, just as he benefitted physically from meals he couldn’t recall.
As far as Jesus not being into organized religion, well, as a Jew he faithfully attended synagogue even into adulthood, when he read the famous passage from Isaiah. As a child, he followed the Jewish laws along with his parents. And, he clearly established an earthly authority to shepherd his flock. That was Peter, the first Pope. No the word “Pope” is not in the Bible, but neither is “trinity”. There are many words and phrases created/used to explain things which Jesus taught specifically, or the church (which Jesus established) taught after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Jesus established an authority on earth to bind and loose, to forgive and retain, etc. Jesus said, “He who rejects you, rejects Me, and Him who sent Me.”
Regarding why you can’t simply interpret the Bible yourself, well, I’ve been there, too. I was born and raised Southern Baptist. I remember being taught that the Holy Spirit will help each of us understand the Word of God. But even at my young age, it didn’t make sense. If there is only one Word of God, and only one Holy Spirit to lead us to one interpretation/truth, why were there so many interpretations? The answer came to me very late in life, which I finally understood that Jesus provided for a single authority to shepherd His flock (as explained previously).
Regarding equating the many “rules” of the Catholic Church with the many rules of the Pharisees, I wondered the same thing. However, to understand something best, you have to start with a basic premise about some part of it. The foundation of course, is that Jesus established an authority on earth, and promised to protect it from the gates of Hell. If you believe that basic premise, then of course you must accept what that authority, established by Jesus, says. If you reject it, you reject Him.
Now you can seek a better **understanding **of what the Church teaches. Many, if not all, of us have doubts, misunderstandings, etc., and there is nothing wrong with asking why the Church says something. We will not be perfected until we get to Heaven.
That brings me to my last point. It is certainly true that we go to Church, hear the Word, then go out into the world and fail to live up to it. That includes everyone, even the Popes. No one will be perfect until we get to Heaven, but God wants us to try our best, and ask forgiveness via the confessional when we fail.
I’ll pray for you. Please do the same for me.
Yes there are plenty on YouTube, but we need to make it so big that it gets on the news. Lol. My opinion.