I wonder how many Christians understand that there are no "original" versions of the bible. All the versions that exist are translated copies of other translated copies of other copies of orally transmitted stories in several languages. Like the Greek myths or Aesop's Fables or tales of Robin Hood. There is no one correct version to go back and check with. If a group of atheists got together and rewote the bible making very subtle changes to certain passages, how many people would be able to tell? And what "original" would you use to correct it?
I just read Foer's book on memory, Moonwalking with Einstein, and the author discusses how orally transmitted stories change slightly with each retelling. When people study the accounts and record them, they find that the story is not memorized but the gist of it is. People's memories are not like computers.The storyteller honestly thought he was repeating something exactly word for word, but when checked with audio recordings and written transcripts, it was always slightly different.
No big deal if it is just Cinderella and in one version she has two sisters and a stepmother and another time she has three sisters and a dad. But if we are talking about eternal damnation, I think any changes would matter, right? And why would an all powerful being let mistakes and changes slip into his holy words?
Are you listening, jtp56? Do changes in the bible from one version to the next matter?