A very honest post by you and you did point out a truth that sometimes gets lost on this forum, that historic Protestantism and Catholicism agree on way more than we disagree on. I think we all need to remember that as we combat what Pope Benedict calls the “dictatorship of relativism” and the radical Islamist who “devoid faith from reason”.
This Catholic thanks you for the charitable post, which was charitable even on the Marian dogmas you struggle with.
In my heart, I would love to see Christian unity. I recognize much authenticity in the Catholic Church. I am not a dishonest Protestant. I believe the Church does have a claim (though shared with the Eastern and Coptic Churches) to true apostolic succession. I believe the Church contains much truth, and that the Church preserves much essential tradition. I think that Peter is "the rock" that Jesus says he will build his Church upon (though many Protestants twist this statement to ridiculous lengths in attempting to deny it). I love the Mass, the liturgy, the confessional and orthodox aspect of it all.
I respect this Pope immensely (his book Jesus of Nazareth is, in my opinion, one of the great theological books ever written) and I have great affection for the Church.
However, I have to follow my conscience, as I said, and where I feel the Holy Spirit leads me. In this sense, I have found a home in the Lutheran Church because within it I have found the closest middle-ground between the things in Protestantism that I hold true, and the things in Catholicism and its tradition that I hold true. But if my church ever goes the way of some of the more liberal denominations, then I will leap into the Catholic Church head first.
My own personal feelings are that if the Catholic Church could ever bring itself to the point where it did not jettison all Marain doctrine, but realigned itself to a position where all Marian doctrine is optional - or at least back away from the damnation and hellfire aspect of it for those who cannot accept it...well, if ever some accommodation like that could be reached, they might reclaim 50% of Protestants. I'm serious about that too. There are other issues, to be sure, when it comes to the Church, but the Marian doctrines are the biggest divide between us. Anyway, please don't take my debating and sometimes argumentative stance as hostility. Sometimes what I'm writing is my own way of "thinking out loud", if you will. But I have tremendous affection for Catholicism and its orthodoxy too.