" I really don't understand why our authorities ought be charged with malign or self-interested intent."
And I really don't understand why the Calvinist position on "sola scriptura" is maligned and mocked as "superstition".
When one wants respect for a position, one gives respect to other positions.
When one wants respect for a position, one gives respect to other positions.
Positions are not people. Positions are respected, or not respected, depending on their logicality. If "sola scriptura" were defended logically, -- that is, from scripture since that is proclaimed to be the only proper method, we could talk of respect. For more discussion on why it is closer to a superstition than to a legitimate theological opinion, see On Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, posted just recently, as it leads us offtopic here.
The simple fact is you charged our authorities with harboring a self-serving intent.
A simple apology will suffice, brother.