You are certainly entitled to your opinion, as are those of us who have taken issue with this Pope. This Pope has created a firestorm within the Catholic Church by reason of the things he has said and done. I’m not a Catholic, so I don’t have any reason to see him as anyone but just another human being. Seems though, that a number of Catholics here on FR have also taken exception to the way he comports himself. Follow hilm or don’t follow him, that’s your choice. FWIW, I’ve had it with the religion into which I was born and have given up on it completely. I have a personal believe in God as a “Christian” and I don’t need or want other mortals who merely profess to be better than I am, telling me I’m not good enough all the while they are reaching into my wallet. I also don’t need or want all the “rituals.”
Yes, I am entitled to my opinion, and you are also. However, neither of us are entitled to manipulate words to result in an outcome that suits our purpose, aka lots of Freepers that seem to manipulate the Pope’s words (much like they do during the primaries when they support candidate a/b/c).
I’m perfectly fine with your practicing Christianity without “Religion”, I believe just like you that the differences between many are simple as small t traditions (in your vernacular “rituals”). I believe your challenge is with your experience directly impacted by humans, whom you have assigned as ‘know-it-alls’ - Yep, I’ve experienced those too, however I accepted that all have failed in some way and the only way to change them is through us imparting the Holy Spirit, through contact. You’ve chosen to become a “hermit”, that’s fine. But don’t assuage all of us who prefer other evangelistic means.