I know lots who have left the church over theological differences which had nothing to do with marriage and dating.
Those people saw the difference between what the Catholic church claims and what Scripture teaches and threw their lot in with God and Scripture.
Not to mention, since Catholic divorce, aka annulment is so readily available, there's no incentive to leave for that reason.
All a practicing Catholic has to do is get the church to annul the marriage and they are free to remarry without (allegedly) the strain of sin. So claiming that Catholics leave for reasons of morality falls flat.
The abuse scandal is a convenient excuse for those who haven't darkened a parish door in decades to suddenly wax self-righteous about their neglect of the Third Commandment.
Better to leave for that reason than stay and defend by excusing said sex abuse and cover-ups.
And since Catholics are all concerned about breaking the Ten Commandments, what about the not bowing down to graven images? They sure don't have any problem disobeying THAT commandment.
Are they?
There are about 2.1mm divorces each year in the US. About 25% of Americans are Catholic. There are 30,000 annulments granted by the Catholic Church per year, of which the vast majority are granted to Catholics who did not marry in the Church.
So that's an annulment runrate of about 6% of US divorces - and when it comes to Catholics who married another Catholic in a Catholic ceremony getting annulments, it's more like 0.6%.
All a practicing Catholic has to do is get the church to annul the marriage
As the numbers show, that's far more difficult than you are representing.
what about the not bowing down to graven images?
When do we do that, now?
I’ve had Catholics claim that the command against images and statues was because it was that it meant to serve other gods but our God says not to use them in serving Him.
Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
So it is clear that God commanded to NOT use statues or images in the worship of Him.
“And since Catholics are all concerned about breaking the Ten Commandments, what about the not bowing down to graven images? They sure don’t have any problem disobeying THAT commandment.”
No Catholic disobeys that Commandment.
Growing up Protestant, I’ve seen plenty of pictures of Jesus in homes. Also plenty of Nativity sets.
Standing in front of, bowing, or kneeling in front of objects is not a form of worship. And praying in front of a statue, does not mean you are praying TO the statue.
That is rather silly.