So, I may have a different viewpoint than from those who were born into the church. But, I tend to look at a lot of the objections in this essay as traditions rather than things straight from the Bible. And, in the long run, I believe that these traditions enhance the overall spiritual experience.
In my short time in the church, however, I have not been exposed to a lot of the disagreements that this writer claims. Sure, many of the traditions are not in the Bible, but that doesn't mean that we don't follow it.
Welcome home!
Tradition is important in the Church. That is one of the things that made sense to me. Our Lord preached and taught much more than was documented and he left us the Apostolic priesthood to teach us. God Bless the Bishops as they try, in this incredible morass of cultural bleakness, to carry the Way, the Truth and the Light forward for us and our children. God Bless the Vicar of Christ, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI!
Well, good luck to you...But understand, you can get spiritual experiences in most any religion...The bible says 'Prove all things'...