Once again I wish to start off by saying that my intention here is not to criticize Roman Catholics, but merely to help them develop a better understanding of their religion. I came from a Roman Catholic background and I must say that I was a terrible irreligious Catholic, so what happened? I made a commitment about 16 years ago that I was going to start going to church because I knew something was missing, before I could ever step foot into a mass, something happened to me that I could not explain at the time, but after years of study and research I fully understand it now.
 So what is the problem with Catholicism? I would say that I was fortunate to have been irreligious, because it allowed me to effectively read the bible without the hindrance of thinking that I already knew everything I needed to know. I was under the impression that I was a good person and that is how I was going to get into heaven, all I can say is that I am glad I decided to read the bible.
 Before I go any further, if you are reading this and you are Catholic, I would like you to answer this question; If someone with no religious background came to you and asked you about your religion and why they should choose Catholicism, what would you tell them? I am willing to bet that you have no clue why you even believe what you believe. It is not enough to have an opinion about religion, in fact, I am accused by many who say that what I believe is an opinion or a theory. An opinion is open to interpretation because it is not completely based on facts, a quick example of what I mean would be this: I might say that George Bush is a great president, but you might say he is not, what we have is a difference of opinion based on a set of facts that weigh as pro's and con's. We have a war going on that some people feel that we shouldn't be involved in, while others feel we should, so naturally your opinion of Mr. Bush will be based on how you feel about that subject and many others. Notice I highlighted the word feel. It would be another thing entirely if I said to you, "in my opinion Abraham Lincoln was not the 16th president of the U.S." You see, there is no opinion there, it is a 100% iron clad fact that Lincoln was the 16th  president. I can have the opinion that he was not, but it would be an opinion formed by lack of facts. Now what if you actually came across someone who said that Lincoln was not the 16th president? You might say to them "Go and check the history books," after all that will prove that he indeed was the 16th president. What if they said in return, " I don't care about any history books, I am correct because I feel that I am correct." you would probably tell them, "Well, ok, then just go ahead and be dumb if that is what you choose, you arrogant fool."
  Notice I highlighted the word feel twice in that last paragraph. The reason why I highlighted it is because most people think religion is a feeling, they always say, " you believe what you believe, but I feel that what I believe is correct, and that is what is right for me, Don't tell me what I should believe!" Sadly, I myself used to say this very thing. You see, I am not telling anyone what my thoughts, opinions or theories are about God, I am telling you what God's thoughts, opinions and theories are based on what is found in the Bible. Sadly, many people just assume that they are going to heaven, in fact the most common thing said when someone dies is, "they are in a better place." According to the Bible nothing could be further from the truth, Jesus says in (Matthew 7:13-14) "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Destruction and life are the two destinations described here, and I doubt that Jesus is speaking about birth control. According to us, just about everyone who we like goes to heaven, but according to Jesus, few people go to heaven, and many go to hell. Oh and just so you know, hell is spoken about 3x more than heaven is spoken about in scripture. Why? Because more people will end up there. Not convinced? Consider this, Jesus goes further in (Matthew 7:21-23) Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers.' So exactly what is Jesus talking about? He is saying just because you say you believe, or because you went to Church every Sunday, prayed, or were ultra religious, Don't think that you are going to heaven! Jesus wants to know you, He himself said it at the end of that verse, it is not just my "opinion." God accepting you into heaven just because you died, and you did a whole bunch of good things is like going to another state and waltzing into someone's house whom you have never met before and expecting them to welcome you in. Do you think those people are going to care that you are a wonderful person? They simply don't know you! And if You are not Born Again, neither does God. Jesus said in the verse above that the prerequisite for getting into heaven is by doing His Father's will.
 So how do you do his Father's will? It is not by doing what you feel is right, it is by doing what God says is right. Trusting a religion to be telling you the truth is insane, The Bible is clear. In (John 3:3) Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, who historically was a Pharisee, or an elite Jew, this man knew everything about his religion, he was a fanatic about it and well respected. Yet, Jesus criticized him!  Here is a guy who does everything by the law and he is criticized for it. Why? well lets look at the verses. Starting at (John 3:1) Now there was a man of the Pharisee's named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. for no one could perform the miraculous signs that you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, " I tell you the truth, no one could see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit. you should not be surprised at my saying, You must be born again.
  Here is a man who holds to the law and Jesus immediately tells him that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. Consider this, Jesus uses the words no one, which implies not one single person. After that he says, can see. See what? The kingdom of God. First he says that you can't see the kingdom, then he says that you can't enter the kingdom of God unless you are born again. Remember the verse I used above about the narrow and broad ways. The reason why it is so easy to fall in with the "popular" opinion, or the "I believe the way I want" crowd is simple. The bigger the road sign when you are driving, the easier it is to find your way around, but small road signs are often missed because they are hard to see. Unless you are born again you won't even know that you are heading the wrong way, you can't see the forest for the tree's because you are blinded by the world's ways and it's popular beliefs, which elsewhere in scripture Jesus will say that the world and everything in it is passing away, but the word of God will stand forever. Jesus also says "flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." Everyone is born into this world physically or fleshly, I have heard many people say I was born Catholic, Hmn? How is that? Did you choose that for yourself, or was it forced upon you by your parents, if they were blind, then so are you. Jesus said in Matthew 15:14 That "if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch." But Spirit gives birth to spirit, it is God who must lead you, and wake you up to the truth. So in conclusion to this point, you can't enter something that you can't even see, if you can't see the kingdom of God, you will by no means enter it, unless God wakes you up to his reality, by making you born again. To be born again you must truly desire in your heart to know God, Jesus says in (Matthew 7:7-8) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." The door or the gate, either way, there is only one entrance into God's kingdom, and you will not find it by accident.
  At the beginning of this article I stated that something happened to me that I could not explain, that something was me asking and crying out to God because I felt something was missing, at that point, God woke me up, because he knew that I genuinely sought him, not in some religious way, but in a relationship way. I know God because of his word, before I was born again, I had my opinions and theories, and if I had died I would have busted hell wide open. I now understand the bible because of the fact that I have a genuine relationship and love for my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ. If you read this article and you know me personally, you will one day either thank me for sharing God's word with you, or you will be sorry that you didn't listen. I gain nothing from telling you, I am simply someone who truly loves you and cares about your soul.