I agree with most of your post, but not the following: “All of the ritual and dogma is just fluff designed to give individuals power.”
The Catholic Church was commanded by Jesus to Go Forth Baptize and teach all nations. So the Catholic Church mission is to teach about Jesus so that all may love God and their neighbor and help us join God in Heaven.
The Sacraments give us the graces to do God’s will. We celebrate Mass everyday as a reminder of His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. We pray to God and adore Him in our Sacraments. I remember my grandparents walking to Mass everyday. What a wonderful way to be with and receive Jesus.
Jesus said his Church would be “the light of the world.” He then noted that “a city set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matt. 5:14). This means his Church is a visible organization. It must have characteristics that clearly identify it and that distinguish it from other churches.
Jesus promised, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return.
Now, if you only knew what His Church IS! But you have been herded into believing that the catholic church of Rome is the true church of Jesus Christ, when Jesus Himself taught that His Church is not made with hands and is spiritual and alive by His Spirit.
The sacraments do NOT confer grace.
God's grace is lavished on us through faith in Christ, not through going through the motions of a ritual.
Ephesians 1:3-10 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
John 1:14-17 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Scripture that tells us any action of man earns grace ??
We celebrate Mass everyday as a reminder of His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation
No Romans re-sacrifice their christ daily to forgive their sin ..
The church says it is the "self same sacrifice." / the "unbloody sacrifice" not a "remembrance .
The book Rome gave the World says otherwise...
16 And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And seeing him they adored: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
Matthew 28:16-20