Oholah and Oholibah and why Protestantism is more reprehensible than Catholicism

Good words OP and I agree with a lot of what you say. Many critics of the christian faith will point to the hypocrisy of many of its members as undeniable proof that it is a false man-made religion. What they overlook is the fact that Jesus himself foretold of this falling away from God, and what Jesus brought to the world - salvation through faith/grace - was totally unlike any belief system of the time, which were based salvation through works. Of course, the OT is important to consider too, because the Old Covenant through the Law of Moses had to fail in order for the New Covenant through Jesus Christ to come to fruition. But even in Moses' time God made it clear that His people would not be saved by their own efforts. Moses in his own strength failed and it was for this reason he spent 40 years in exile.

The reformation was important because the Catholic Church had definitely become morally corrupt. I wonder if this was a result of polluting the message of Christ with pagan babble, or if the two were essentially synchronic.

the concept that other religions that say other gods exist, are called pagan today, is because of the rcc's teaching on how no other religion was legit but theirs. it's not actually supported by the texts to say there's only one god. it's more accurately stated, there is only one supreme god. there are many other gods.

in fact, "ye are gods." .