If interpreting Scripture is "just not that difficult" then why are there thousands of Protestant denominations, and the one you think has it right (i.e. the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) has only around 30,000 members worldwide, out of about 590 million Protestants worldwide (i.e. roughly .005% of Protestants are getting it right, in your view)?
-A8
Because life is long and God gives each man a specific road to walk.
The RCC's problem is in confusing sanctification with justification. Since you say you are an ex-Protestant, I find it difficult to understand how someone can find refuge in a theology which blatantly gets this wrong. Believers are justified once for all time by Christ's work on the cross on their behalf, but our sanctification is ongoing and takes a lifetime. Our sanctification is a result of our justification by Christ, not a requirement for it, as the RCC wrongly teaches.
So God's flock may take many and varied paths before they are brought home.
The problem with the RCC is that their path is so far afield from Scripture that it shows itself to be an obvious impostor.
What's more, as others have noted, the insistent demand for "authority" other than the Scriptures makes the RCC into another legalistic Pharisee whose hoops are not of God.
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." -- John 3:27-36"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
The RCC obscures this clear understanding of Christ and salvation, and instead clutters it with legalisms and idolatries.
Look at the error of the RCC in just these two verses from John 3 -- "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ...For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him."
1) Even John the Baptist denies that he is "another Christ" unlike the RCC magisterium which wrongly confers that title on all their priestcraft.
2) Those who are of God speak the words of God, not like Christ Himself who speaks the word in perfection, who actually is the word, but "by a measure," certain and growing in clarity, as He wills.
And so we are told to weigh that "measure" and when we do, we find mainline Protestant churches in a balance with the word of God that is simply not found in the RCC whose measure is greatly wanting.
Additionally, the RCC wrongly teaches that a man must be absolved of his sins by a priest and the sacraments before he gets into heaven. This lends a definite nervousness to life that's totally useless. God alone determines the day we're born and the day we die. He knows every step of our walk with Him, and one way or another, He will bring safely home every one of His sheep.
Well, if "getting it right" means being 100% correct about the interpretation of every line of Scripture along with any and every doctrine derived therefrom, then I daresay NOBODY is "getting it right"...including the Roman Catholic Church. After all, if that were the case there would never need to be any more councils, proclamations, or any need for the Pope to speak ex cathedra ever again.
Those "thousands of Protestant denominations" do largely agree on several of the most fundamental doctrines. Many of the disagreements are on secondary matters, some of which are matters the Roman Catholic Church has not definitively or dogmatically defined and which therefore are *GASP!* open to the interpretation of the laity.