Does that mean that you witnessed the scribes in action? If so, that makes you eligible for direct testimony!
It's just that SOME of us have had access to actual "fragments" and copies of ancient works. The Bible is one of the MOST independently verified collations in ancient literature. Some fragments and entire chapters have been documented and examined personally by friends, other scholars who we KNOW are paper and ancient INK experts. The evidence is indisputable and verified from secular sources of the times. and those sources such as the works of Josephus et al. are all verified and cross referenced by scholars worldwide. THIS story smacks of "good ole boy" feel good CREATIVE writing based on perhaps true incidents, but embellished for public consmption.
Posting on the web does not make it so. Published or certified scribal manuscripts (legal copies of yesteryear) for over 1700 years, the Bible stands FAR above the work of this Ellis guy. so perhaps does my recent copy of Silver Surfer bought at the local comic book exchange for $300.
Beleive what you want. Huck makes a good point. Don't believe it because it rings true with your values and makes you feel validated. Beleive things because they ARE KNOWN to be true. This story is just a story.
Footnotes and sources vindicate real historical records. Huck and appy are right to question this story. Josephus in his "history of the jews" and "wars of the jews" makes continual references to other events and resources, including library collections to back up his historical accounts of events before and during his literary generation.
We would be wise to do the same thing.