You’re fighting a losing battle trying to defend a religion vs. Christianity itself - the Catholic Church has probably reached more souls than any other, but it is still a religion and that means faults abound. Don’t confuse Catholicism as “the one true Christianity”, but rather a highly effective purveyor. Earlier you mentioned you respected your priests and called them “Father”, yet Jesus told us not to do that with earthly men because we had but one Father and He resides in Heaven. ALL religions have/do something that is contradictory to the Bible because they elevate the “teachers” to positions above Men. God Bless for your untiring work.
You're making a nonsensical distinction between "religion" and "Christianity". Christianity *is* "a religion". Don't take my word for it, take the Scripture's:
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. -- James 1:27ALL religions have/do something that is contradictory to the Bible
Even the one that's taught in the Bible?
Jesus told us not to do that with earthly men because we had but one Father and He resides in Heaven.
Paul apparently didn't get the memo; see 1 Cor 4:15. IMO, Jesus was using hyperbole in Matthew to express how unworthy the Pharisees were of the title "Father".
I only have to ask one question?
How old is your Church?
The Catholic Church was founded by Christ on the Apostles, the first bishops.
If you choose not to believe and belong to a church founded much later, that is your perrogative.
Jesus IS the founder of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Can your denomination lay claim to those Marks of the Church?