text: You are confusing obedience to God with obedience to the Church.  What is often referred to as "outdated and at times, cruel Church teaching' is really God's teaching.  Examples: Marriage is between one man and one woman, in Jesus' own words.  Priestly orders are reserved for males, just as Jesus only sent his male apostles out into the world, not females.  
  You can argue that these are the Church teachings and not what Jesus taught.  That is exactly what the Protestants said, which is why you are advised to join them instead of trying to turn the Catholic Church into a Protestant one.