The Scientific Catholic Church

I found this interesting comparison between Catholics & Protestants on Quora:

Although blessed with diversity, Christian belief generally has some primary, fundamental doctrines that create a backbone from which virtually all other denominations and branches must adhere. Regarding Catholic and Protestant points of departure, I would suggest the following:Catholics tend to believe:

1. The power and primacy of the pope
2. Emphasis on Mary the mother of Jesus
3. Employment and acknowledgment of specific saints
4. Confession of sins to an earthly emissary
5. Increased regard for ritual and human works/effort in attaining salvation

Certainly there are more, but if I had to contain it to five (which I will also do below) it would be those. As for Protestants, I would go back to Martin Luther's language in elucidating the differences: Protestants tend to believe:

1. Sola Scriptura: The Bible is the only authority for Christian belief.
2. Sola Gratia: Grace can only be given by God and is the only way to salvation, not works or personal merit.
3. Sola Fide: Salvation comes through an individual's faith or relationship with Jesus Christ, not through sacraments.
4. Solo Christo: Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and only through Christ comes salvation.
5. Soli Deo gloria: Glory and honor goes only to God; no human—however sainted, canonized, or humanly honored—deserves to be religiously praised.

My reading of this gives me an immediate reaction. If you are in any way agnostic, or even atheist, you would have to admit that the Catholic faith is a great deal more practical than the Protestant faith. IE if God actually doesn't exist, or if man isn't inherently able to understand the nature and will of God, then the Catholic church is the one to go to.

In short, if you were a scientist and were to build an institution aimed at determining the mind and will of God, you would build it much more like the Catholic Church than you would the Protestant Church. 

By the way, I never get tired of repeating the fact that I was taught both Biology and Computer Science by men wearing the collar.