Subject: tc-list Re: Baker withdraws Comfort book

From: Jim West <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 21:57:11 -0400

At 09:36 PM 9/20/99 +0000, you wrote:

>Dear Book Review Editor:
>
>Our recently published volume THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE EARLIEST NEW
>TESTAMENT MANUSCRIPTS [in italics in original letter], by Philip W.
>Comfort and David P. Barrett, has been permanently withdrawn from 
>publication due to serious content flaws.  In light of this, we ask that 
>all reviews of this book be halted.
>
>We regret any inconvenience this may cause you.  Thank you for your
>cooperation.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Jim Kinney

One of the saddest facts of modern academic life is that the grumbling and
carping of a few can see to it that a text of worth and extraordinary
significance is discontinued.  It is shameful that Baker pulled this book.
And it is shameful, purely shameful, that instead of correcting the minor
errors that do exist in the book, the editors there have decided to bow to
the pressure of some folk who simply dislike the author and have done their
best to discredit him and his work.  Finally, those who are gleeful about
this disgraceful action should be ashamed of themselves, really and
genuinely ashamed.  Their reprehensible with hunt is over.  Nevertheless
hopefully a publisher which has the courage to publish this fine volume in a
revised edition will be found.

Jim

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
email- [email-masked]
web page-  http://web.infoave.net/~jwest

---

From: Nichael Cramer <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 07:49:19 -0400

>revised edition will be found.

<sigh...>

At the risk of boring the majority of the list by simply restating what I
trust is obvious...

1] Setting aside the issue as to the actual source of "grumbling and
carping" throughout this discussion, the claim of the "carping of a few" is
simply not factual.  

Jim, without exception, every review by any knowledgable scholar of this
book that I've seen has pointed out significant and deep problems with the
book.  But beyond that the publisher --for heaven's sake the *publisher*,
Jim, who second only to the author could be said to have an interest in the
book succeeding-- the publisher has withdrawn the book citing "serious
content flaws".

2] If the problems that have been --repeatedly-- demonstrated with this
book are simply "minor errors", each reader can only be left to themselves
to decide what, in the name of all that's good, would constitute _serious_
errors.

3] Finally, as much as it pains me to say this, if anything can be
described as "reprehensible" here it is the behavior that has characterized
your conduct throughout this whole discussion.  Every question and point
you have raised has been patiently and politely addressed and has been
responded to with silly name-calling and attacks on the integrity and
intelligence of anyone who has disagreed with you.

In short, Jim --please-- give it up.  You're doing nothing but embarrassing
yourself.

Nichael

--
Nichael Cramer                      Gather the folks, tell the stories
[email-masked]                       break the bread.   -- John Shea
http://www.sover.net/~nichael/