That's a good thing to hear.
I have already stated that I don't believe in the Christian god. In my life, that is non-negotiable. But keep it in mind.
I love Christianity, as a religion. It teaches goodness and forgiveness and love of the fellow man. Then 10 commandments are great, and something that everybody ought to live life by. In that respect, I think that Christianity is great for the community and world as a whole, and that it does a lot of good in the world, even thought I don't believe in it.
Catholicism, on the other hand, I take great exception to. Catholicism takes stories from the bible and interprets them in the way that benefits the Church. They also make up new facts and stories to support their Church. People who are strong catholics believe very strongly in the Church and in what the Church teaches, but they often seem to miss the point: they don't have a strong belief in the God. They believe in the structure and following the rules and everything, but they don't actually have faith in the God. For that reason, I think that Catholosicm is bad and dangerous, though perhaps not by intent.
Yes and this is why the different factions are futile, because people are not really doing what they are supposed to. Everything will come naturally over time, by means of the Spirit if you are a true Christian. Preachers are only meant to encourage, and give advice to believers, nothing else. Catholicism is not intentionally bad, but it does not do what God wants them to do. Everybody is so caught up in the original laws of the Old Testament, but we are not able to live by these laws and God knows it. Christ was born, and died for our sins, freeing us from these laws. If you believe in Christ with all of your heart you will naturally (instinctively) start to live your life the way God always intended. We are all subject to sin, and lusts of the flesh. Belief in Christ and faith alone is all that can save us. From that point on God will do everything else for us, all we have to do is remain loyal.
My testimony: I am a recovering methamphetamine addict. I was an intravenous user at that (meaning I stuck a needle into my arm). I was violent, negative, and pissed off at the world. I would run around, gacked out of my mind, and rob industrial areas, people I didn’t know, and on rare occasions towards the end I even started robbing people who were once friends. I pushed away what little family I still had, and I even turned my back on my own daughter. All I could see in this world was negativity, so I figured why not fight for my piece of the pie. I could never keep any friends, because it was just a matter of time before I would find something wrong with them and tell them about it. I could not stop cheating on the only girl in this world that has really been there for me, and was the mother of my child. I have done just about every drug on the market today. Despite all the God given talents and abilities I possessed, I still turned my back on him. By the grace of God, I beat two counts of
Assault With a Deadly Weapon 2nd and only got charged with Weapons Carrying and Handling. Just recently I served a small amount of time on a warrant issued for a
TMVWOP 2nd (Taking a Motor Vehicle Without Owners Permission). I have various Malicious Mischief, Theft, Assault, MIP’s charges on my record as well. While in jail I decided to pick up, and honestly start reading the bible for the first time. After a week of this I full heartedly accepted Christ as my savior and immediately I got this feeling throughout my body that was better than any hit of dope I had ever done. From that point on I have been completely dedicated to the Lord, and just about every area of my life has changed in about two months. All I did was take a chance with something I could not see, and now nothing anything can say will ever lead me to believe God is not real. Was it easy at first, no, but because of my diligence and perseverance I am now starting to see God for that which he really is.
In the end it all comes down to this, we are either going to see God for that which he really is or we will not. It is not my job to force you to believe. I am only here to encourage, and point you in the right direction. You have to do the rest.