Just because one is raised and educated by the public school system, does not mean they can never be deprogrammed of the indoctrination they received at the hands of the state school system from K-12.
Many a Pharisee was given the truth from Christ, some saw the light and became born again, many did not.
I may have been raised by going to catechism classes every Wednesday for 6 years as I stated in my comment to GeronL, but what I did not write is that I also attended a Lutheran church every Sunday with my Mother. It was my step father who was Catholic, and he tried to get me and my sister to become Catholic. (we were the two youngest of 8 children)
I had my eyes opened to the truth years later after actually reading the Bible from cover to cover and being exposed to God fearing biblical scholars who had no agenda but teaching God's Word instead of religious doctrine from an organization.
I am a Christian, not a Lutheran nor a Catholic. I do not identify myself by any other name than that of the man who died on the cross for my sins. Anyone who dares to identify themselves by another, gives the glory to Satan, not to God.
In my many years here, I have entered many religious debates, but because of the many followers I had that are Catholic, I have steered clear of debates on Catholicism. Well since I disbanded by ping list, I no longer feel the need to keep out of the foray.
I do not look to the Catholic Church as a cult as many evangelicals do, however I do think the teachings of the church is very detrimental to one growth as a Christian. That being said, I also see the teachings of many evangelical Churches as detrimental to one's Christian growth.
I guess you could almost say my Christian awakening is almost parallel to my political awakening in the last 20 to 25 years. The more I study and learn, the more I see the flaws in various religious orders today. Just as the more I learn about American politics, the more I see the flaws in most political entities. I know what is closest to the right way, and I know which ones are the farthest from the truth.
On the scale of 1 to 100, with Islam being a 1, and Christ being 100, I would put Catholicism at about 40. Whereas my understanding of Christ would be about 95. You can call me arrogant, or full of myself, but I speak of my understanding of what Christ teaches, not about my walk with Him.
I am sure there are Catholics who's walk with Christ are probably in to upper 90% as apposed to my 75% or at least around there, but understanding the truth, and living it are two different things. After all, we know that knowledge puffs up, while love edifies. I guess you could say that the more I learn, the less I seem to love at times. Sometimes I wish I were as ignorant as a child again, then I could again love those who hate me.
I guess that is our ultimate sin though, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil opened our eyes to right and wrong. Now we find it more difficult to overlook the lies of those around us, and thus love them as Christ loved when he willingly died for our sins.