“For me, I can’t become a Catholic, nor even consider it, as long as that ‘Mary, the Mother of God’ nonsense exists.”
May I make a suggestion? The crux of Catholicism is the Eucharist. If you were to study early translations of the Gospels, the historical record of the early Church, and other historical writings, and form an educated opinion of the Holy Eucharist, you might find that concerns about Mary’s status are put in perspective.
If Catholics are right about the Eucharist, then we’re right about everything. Find out what we really believe about the Eucharist and the rationale for those beliefs, before you decide.
Now I may be wrong, but aren’t the Sacraments part of the path to salvation? Isn’t that why excommunication is a punishment? Not just to separate the offender from the Church, but from heaven? Because he can’t partake of the Sacraments?
No man has that power, not even the Pope.