The Apostle Paul was taught a Myth !! not the "Truth".

by Phizzy 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  ed60

  Epicureans were the spiritual secularists of their day. My favourite teachings are:

  "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

  And...

  "It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly. Whenever any one of these is lacking, when, for instance, the man is not able to live wisely, though he lives honorably and justly, it is impossible for him to live a pleasant life."

  I like the first because it destroys the apologists and the second because it is a stark contrast to the hedonists that Paul made them out to be. Such a shame Christianity persecuted them so unabashedly. Nearly killed us off, but not quite. I count myself as an Epicurean.

  What happened when Christianity finally got control? The Dark Ages. I rest my case.

  Another character from the end of antiquity is Hypathia of Alexandria. Look what the Christians did to her, probably inspired by the writings of Paul. Poor woman. She's more of a hero than anything you'll find in the Bible.
• 

  kaik

  Some issues I have with Paul:

  1. He never met Jesus in person
  2. He was a Roman citizen by birth
  3. He appealed to Nero, the emperor, bloodthirsty tyrant that killed many people
• 

  Phizzy

  kaik, exactly, that is why he starts his Christology from a bad place, myth and legend. Of course it is true to say that in all probability none of the writers of the four Gospels ever met Jesus either !

  We know nothing for sure about the charismatic Teacher who became in legend and myth "Jesus of Nazareth". His true story was obfuscated and lost straight after his death, by his followers. Their mainly fictional accounts were then passed on orally, and no doubt changed, until the writing of the Gospels.

  Paul learned the myth, and then built his own version of the Messiah. We can study his thoughts though, in the genuinely Pauline writings.
• 

  kaik

  Paul have never met Jesus. He was a Roman citizen, citizen of imperial country that was occupying Judea. He was a descendand of Benjamin tribe. He did not get well with Jewish community nor with the followers of Jesus. When things did not work his way he took an advantage of his Roman citizenship and appealed to Nero for a help against the Jews. The Roman tyrant was certainly more sure bet than having God playing to his hand. Either way, I wonder if John in his Rev 2:2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars" have meant Paul. He never was apostle as were the people around Jesus. He called himself. Paul is the founder of Christianity. Jesus did not call himself and his followers Christians. They were all Jews. He also encountered others like Romans and Samaritans, but his primary audience was Jewish.