Why Am I So Critical of Sola Scriptura?

  Why do I get so critical of Sola Scriptura? It is because of the extreme to which many churches and individual "Christians" take it, often with a view to a particular translation of the Scriptures. It becomes so entrenched that the Bible itself becomes an idol. The thing which was meant for our good becomes an instrument of our downfall because of our inherent human malfunction.
The real problem comes when these churches and individuals put the Scriptures on such a pedestal to where it becomes "adoration," that is, worship ascribed only to God Himself, in the same way they accuse Catholics and Orthodox of the "adoration" of Mary, something which Catholic doctrine explicitly forbids. While both sides would deny any such thing, "Bible Christians" do not worship the Bible, and Roman Catholics do not "worship" Mary, nevertheless from all appearances of liturgy, worship music, and arrangement of their sanctuaries, they certainly both give the appearance of it. And so the Bible Christian accuses the RC Christian of Maryolatry, and the RC Christian accuses the Bible Christian of Bibliolatry.
Here's the thing as well, I accept the authority of the Scriptures, but in their proper contexts. I personally hold the Scriptures in a high enough regard to where I have made it a point to seek them out in their own languages and to understand what they are saying on their terms, and not anachronistically on mine. I honestly don't understand why, if someone holds the opinion of Sola Scriptura, they wouldn't do the same. If this book is that important to you, why wouldn't you engage with it in its own tongues and on its own temporal and cultural terms? Why wouldn't you pore over it again and again and again in those languages to understand what is actually being said? If this book is that important, and if it contains the message of deliverance and salvation, why would anyone do anything else?
And yet frequently those who claim Sola Scriptura adhere to one particular translation in their own language, and it's usually the one which supports their own particular systematic theology, or their church's. Yes, I'm looking at you, KJV. NASB and ESV, don't go anywhere. And what really happens is that it is their own systematic theology, supported by this preferred translation out of which they are really making an idol and lifting high, symbolized by their preferred edition of the Holy Scriptures. Much like the Pharisees made an idol out of their own interpretations of the Torah, symbolized by the Torah itself, and something which Paul wrote copiously about trying to untangle and expose.
The first authority for the disciple of Jesus Christ needs to be the Spirit of Jesus Christ with whom they have been made one. It is Jesus Christ Himself, grafted together with the disciple, who must first instruct and interpret everything for the disciple. But the problem which comes in is that many claim to be following His Spirit and yet clearly act according to their own malfunctioning fear, aggression, and bodily cravings. It takes time, practice, and a sincere humility to learn to "hear" and cooperate with His control. Yes, we have the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, but the Apostles in particular were assuming that their readers already knew what they were talking about, and they were as much relying on the Spirit of Christ interpreting what they wrote for their intended audience as they relied on Him for writing it. It was always meant to be about the Spirit of Christ, and not the letters on the page. This was true for the Torah as much as it was true for the New Testament. Those writings in particular were meant to provide guidelines for disciples to know when they were operating from the Spirit and when they were operating from their own flesh, and the importance of understanding the consequences of both. The Spirit of Christ Himself however was meant to be the first authority, the first canon, the first rule.
Of course Scripture has an authoritative place, but the first and most importance authority and source of action, word, and thought for the disciple is the Spirit of Jesus Christ Himself.