/lit/ - Literature

Where am I going wrong here? Catholicism seems to me that if there were a legitimate religion of Christianity that would be it. But I can't reconcile the wordly nature of Catholics with the teachings of Christ. In most ways the Catholics come across like the pharisees. They dress up in fancy clothes, have trinkets and idols of the virgin Mary. And even having a depiction of Christ on the cross made in gold or some other material seems crass to me.

Christ is the Son of God, and both man and God who died for our sins. Christ is the Logos; rationality, truth, the word, love, etc.

The metaphysical reality we know is Christian. Yet it seems to me that one to be a good Christian must be sincere and have faith. In this case, what need for all the religious aspects? I'm the world's biggest brainlet so I'm not denouncing Catholics, I'm just unable to breach the gap between what I think Christianity is, and what Catholicism seems to be.