Response to comments in post below (this issue is essential to defending the faith, and God's elect are going to expose you to the end, sorry)

Oh, little Westscott and Hort followers, aren't we sensitive on this subject?

Look at this post on White's blog:

http://www.aomin.org/index.php?itemid=1294&catid=6

I was writing as mdries. Now look at this sentence in the midst of the email he quotes:

"By the way, your recent statement that only specialists should have opinions regarding manuscript issues was very Roman Catholic of you, hence my opening above [I had called him devil-priest]."

Notice White didn't take exception to me saying that in the real time of the exchange. That's because he knew he stated it. Whether it was on the Puritan Board or his own site I don't recall, but he did state it. Since time has passed now he thinks he can get away with denying saying such a thing. He's a dishonest boy.

Ah, you've all been exposed! You hold to the devil's manuscripts. And since this shows your lack of discernment and since you are as vain and prideful as the devil you won't ever back down! You'll defend the devil's corrupt manuscripts to the grave. You desperately demonize anybody who exposes your precious Roman Catholic manuscripts (kind of like Counter-Reformation Jesuits used to demonize the Reformers -- "Calvin confessed to a priest he was a bugger! yes, and that he had a demon in him! The priest wrote a book about it!")

I said it before, if any of you devil's water-boys had tried to push your corrupt manuscripts on a Calvin back in the day he'd have pinned a note on your collar (figuring you were somewhat challenged mentally) and buy you safe passage home...to the Vatican. Where your corrupt manuscripts come from.

Sorry, boys and girls, this is just too serious and foundational a matter. The devil has been corrupting the Word of God from the Garden. His greatest triumph was springing Satanicus/Vaticanus on a sleeping Christendom in the 19th century -- no shots fired. The only problem is: you can't fool God's elect. We know the voice of the Shepherd. And we know God's Word is preserved supernaturally. Yes, we're innocents like that. We actually believe what the Bible says. And when you push 'bibles' that delete the Word of God and change it and corrupt it a thousand different ways (ongoing corruption, by the way) we kind of take exception to it. Yes, I know it's difficult to take when you are being out-flanked on your right. But that's going to happen when you're carrying water for the devil, no matter what you self-identify as...

Update: It may seem petty and typical internet noise (I said
this after you said this, and you are wrong, and...),
but this really is a serious, foundational subject, to say the least.
It's not just that modern versions based on the
corrupt manuscripts are changed to the extent that
they are now, but the corruption is *ongoing.* It's
continuous. Each new edition that comes out is more
and more brazen in getting away from the real thing.

So, it seems like a typically petty internet fight, yet it's about really
the most foundational thing of all (again, to say the least) so it's worth
getting in the fight over... And the seminary boys who have been taught to *correct* the Word of God, and the liberals who now exhalt in being able to change the Word of God just aren't going to get a free pass from God's elect. The Holy Spirit in us won't allow us to give you a free pass.