The Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth.+

To realize the ultimate truth or Brahman no scriptures are needed. I am highlighting only the rational views of the sages of truth. 

No one can stay as the 'Self' without realizing the self. After realizing the 'Self nothing stays as reality other than the self.  It is foolish to say I AM THAT, I AM THIS without realizing  “what the 'Self' is” and “what the 'Self' is not”.   

A permanent view of ‘what is unreal’ and ‘what is unreal’ can come only after soul-centric reasoning; such knowledge cannot change. Were the seeker who is sufficiently sharp enough,  he could grasp the unreal nature of the world,  by soul-centric reasoning alone.  To know the whole truth, one must know the whole universe, otherwise, he gets only half-truth. 

People think that by studying Vedas one will be able to get Self-realization,  but it is not so. 

Vedic studies lead to nowhere. What is the use of studying scriptures when Upanishads itself declares:-

Katha Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20)

                                                                                                                             

Mundaka Upanishad:~ This Atman cannot be attained through the study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is the Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 page-70 - Mundaka Upanishad- Upanishads by Nikilanada)

When the Upanishad says:  the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate the personal gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it.

The Upanishads declare:~

 
Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8:~ “Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.” 

Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3:~“The weak and timid cannot realize the Self. Self-Realization is not possible through intellect or hearing the spiritual discourse. One who welcomes God in every activity, through a thorough controlled and disciplined life, to him also the Soul is revealed

Katha Upanishad 1:2:23:~The Soul cannot be realized through hearing a scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.

Katha Upanishad 1:3:6:~ “Through the knowledge of the Soul, God, one is pure and clean constantly.” Neither by reading the book nor by taking a bath at the holy place has one become pure. Inner purity is possible when one remains in constant touch with the Soul. Constant Soul Consciousness is real purity. 

Kena Upanishad 2:4:~ When it is known through every state of cognition, it is rightly known, for (by such knowledge) one attains life eternal. Through ones 'own self' one gains power and through wisdom, one gains immortality. 

Kena Upanishad 2:5: ~ If here one knows it, then there is the truth, and if here one knows it not, there is a great loss. Hence, seeing the Real in all beings, wise men become immortal on departing from this world.

Scriptures are being added from time to time. This process will go on. There is the final authority among them? One contradicts the other: duality reigns supreme.

The Upanishads are self-contradictory. Every pundit even gives conflicting interpretations of them. The final authority, therefore, is using one’s own reason. One should apply his reason to them.

The scriptures are for ignorant masses, who wholly accept the material world as it presents itself. Gnana is for those who have begun to realize that things are not what they seem.

The Scriptures are of value only when dealing with persons who are incapable of understanding truth. They have no value as an authority for those who use reason.

I quote only verified citations form the scriptures. I need no scriptures, but I quote them to help the seekers to realize the religion, scriptures and the belief of God, is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The Upanishads are the only scriptures in the world that declare:~

It is impossible to find and realize the truth via religion and scriptural study.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ VC~ 58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar but are no good for Liberation.

59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence, men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utters the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

The religion is based on the body (form) as the self since it is based on birth. Spirituality is based on the soul (formless). Thus,  there is a need to bifurcate the religion from spirituality.

Religion views and judges on the standpoint of the physical self/ego, whereas the in path of wisdom,   everything is viewed, judged, and concluded,  on the base of the Soul, the Self.  

Whatever is based on the physical entity (ego or you)  is not spirituality,  because the Soul, the  Self has no form, so it has no religion.  Therefore, the seeker of truth has to rectify the reasoning base, from form to formless, to understand and assimilate the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  :~Santthosh Kumaar