Authority, Morality and Reality

Austin Cline has posted on the reaction of the Catholic Church hierarchy to the passing of the gay marriage bill in New York. There is a big divide between the "Authority" of the Catholic Church and what the laity believe on this issue, not unlike the divide over birth control and abortion. Catholics essentially are eliminating the "middle man" between themselves and their conscience. Why not just go all the way and eliminate the "middle man" of Catholicism (or any other religious "Authority"), period, and live in reality?