[Notwithstanding]

So, some guys - with the same authroity that you and I have - got together and said: "Hey folks, this stuff is not just good stuff, it is God's Own Word." And today we are bound to accept this decision by a bunch of Christians with no special authroity forever?

That makes no sense. You must have some other reason to think these ordinary men were able to make such a profound and definitive declaration that certain letters were God's Word, and other letters were not.

[taxcontrol]

"....And today we are bound to accept this decision by a bunch of Christians with no special authority forever..."

If you choose to be "bound" then that is your choice and you will answer for it on judgment day. I choose to accept the Old and New Testaments as scripture. But it is my choice.... not an authority question. I will also choose to rate other books and other texts from other learned people - just as many Catholics choose to accepts the writing of the popes and other learned people.

But I challenge all such texts against the Old and New Testament. Some texts I rule out - some of the Nag Hammadi texts fall into that category and some I rule in like the Book of Thomas (which is a bunch of Jesus said statements and many of those sayings are found in the other Gospels).

"....You must have some other reason to think these ordinary men were able to make such a profound and definitive declaration that certain letters were God's Word, and other letters were not."

Why?
Jesus taught to ALL people and it fact, it was the "learned" of the day, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, that Jesus says did not understand.