Why can't you just agree with me?: Things would really go much smoother, you know?

Regarding the Church, under your theory, if you disagree with one of the tenets of the belief, you shouldn't hold yourself out as a "believer". That's like saying if you don't believe in fiscal restraint, you can't be a Republican -- well, ummm, that used to be an apt analogy. Growing up as a "Catholic" I disagreed with the Church on a number of issues, but also found my particular church and its members to be well worth the periodic fits of rage the larger institution drove me into (hmm, this is on the level of whatever is between micro and macro). I still believed in enough of what the church was selling that I wanted to belong.

It turns out, in the end, that I couldn't keep reconciling ALL of the differences that I had, so I skedaddled. That's why the Jews make more sense. You can be Orthodox and adhere strictly to everything the Old Testament says. Then you can be Reformed, which is the post-modern judiasm. Then you have Kabbalah - which is available to pop stars and au courant actresses. See, something for everyone.