Why would you base a religion on the letters of a guy named Paul who probably never met Jesus?

Question

The real miracle is that there are people so stupid in the world.

Answer 1

I base my religion on what I have seen and heard in life. I am fact based. I have read the bible and it does not add up.

I do not believe the God who wrote Matthew Chapter 5, could have also written Deuteronomy Chapter 2.

Answer 2

March 28, 2007
Total Points:
132 (Level 1)
Points earned this week:
4


1. Christianity is not just based on Paul; it is primarily based on Christ Jesus, besides the letters of Paul there are many other ancient witnesses.

2. "A guy named Paul " - Paul was high educated in on of the most respected Jewish schools of the time, he was a brilliant rhetorician, and his letters display personal warmth, wisdom, genuineness and compassion.

3. "letters of a guy named Paul" - Historians accept personal letters as being primary evidence. In terms of ancient history, there's really not any better evidence that you can have. Overall its pretty solid evidence.

3. "probably never met Jesus" - Paul claimed to have met Jesus and this claim was verified by Luke. Luke has been recognized as a dependable historian. How can you establish your claim of low probability?

Answer 3

That's impressively wrong.

No religion is based on "letter of a guy named Paul." Christianity is based on a relationship with God who also became human, named Jesus Christ. Paul had this relationship, so I'm guessing this is what you're talking about.

We read about Jesus in the Bible, which has 66 books, 11 of which were written by Paul the apostle who did meet Jesus one time. That leaves 55 more to read and learn from.

Take a look. In 2000 years, it hasn't changed, it hasn't been proven wrong, and it hasn't been destroyed despite many attempts.

Answer 4

I guess you mean Saul. He changed his name. And no the gospels were written by men who had never met the historical Jesus.
But why do you hate people that are Christians? Do you hate Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus? Mormons? Jews?
Of course you are probably very young or have been raised in a very intolerant atmosphere.
By the way I am an agnostic and don't have problems with people's religious views unless they are using them to try to kill me.

Answer 5

I agree with Thomas Jefferson- Paul created a blood cult religion surrounding Jesus- who never intended to create a religion.

"Christianity...[has become] the most perverted system that ever shone on man....Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and importers led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus."

"I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved -- the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!"

"The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."

"I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half of the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the earth."

Brian, your comment as usual, is factually incorrect. The gospels were not in fact written by people who knew Jesus. They were written by people who were not even alive at the same time. The fact that other christianists gave you thumbs up betrays the prevalence of this misinformation.

Answer 6

If you were trying to preserve an empire that was collapsing under the weight of its own decadence combined with the zeal of a new religion whose adherents would rather die than continue to bow to any of your idols, it makes perfect sense to try to coopt that religion and become the Keeper of The Book.

The Roman Empire didn't fall, friends, it turned into the Vatican, starting under Constantine.

Why focus on the letters of Paul? Precisely because they aren't nearly as troubling for a ruler as the sayings attributed to Jesus.

You can't base an empire on the Sermon On The Mount. No, the first Pope was the very man who denied his savior three times on the last day of His mortal life.....

Answer 7

surely Jesus is as alive now as while He became into walking in the international incarnated as a human. So Paul's bump into with the risen Jesus became into as authentic as any. And be conscious that in the time of two Peter, Peter refers to a matching journey of Christ in his glory (the Transfiguration) particularly than Jesus as he walked around on ministry, while he basically regarded human. additionally from 2 Corinthians and references in letters alongside with Galatians that's obvious Paul had further revelations from God, probable alongside with encounters with Christ. In a number of those encounters issues have been revealed to him that are no longer even authorised to be spoken to adult adult males. additionally while Jesus left, He sent the Holy Spirit. He stands in for us interior the placement of Jesus, in accordance to Jesus own words. that folk of non-God-sourced faiths don't understand that's via fact he's invisible to the attention. subsequently a St Francis or John Wesley or William Wilberforce has the capacity to be as close to to God as certainly one of Jesus' disciples.

Answer 8

Why not? Any slightly-addled fool can have a "vision" and be a prophet, thus, why shouldn't someone who writes fanciful tales have a similar opportunity...

Religion is merely about control, and obviously there are many folks that apparently need this in their lives, since they seek it, absorb it, embrace it and proselytize it.

I'm starting my own tax-exempt religion; wanna' join? We could make up some real fun and crazy things to keep the "flock" occupied...

Answer 9

Paul was a disciple, he was with Jesus when he was on earth. You might try actually reading the Bible before you condemn it, or at least pay more attention to the history channel when it talks about the Paul from Revelations as being a different Paul from the Gospel and Romans.

Answer 10

Christianity is based mostly on Jewish fundamentals:

monotheism
resurrection
forgiveness
the two love laws
the golden rule
the concept of a messiah

Which Christianity are you talking about?

Answer 11

Too bad historians have proved that Paul and Jesus existed.