Jeremiah Ames
Well-Known Member
Paul called himself an apostle.
No one else did.
Furthermore, he could not have been a true apostle, since there were only 12, and he would make 13.
Revelation 21:14 states there are twelve apostles of the Lamb.
So, he effectively made it up.
For what reason? Obviously not a good one, imo.
Paul says he was visited by Jesus and was given divine revelation.
Well, we have only his word for that. How is that any different than Joseph Smith’s claims? Also, he narrates the story of his conversion three times. (Acts 9:1-18, Acts 22:1-15, and Acts 26:10-19). Oddly, the third account is not at all the same as the others. This is why police ask a suspect the same question repeatedly.
Also, if Paul was to receive divine revelation, why wouldn’t the real apostles get this alleged revelation?
He then wrote many letters and started many churches.
From his letters you can conclude that he had a difficult time keeping the people in agreement in his various churches.
You also can see that there was some dissension between him and the true apostles.
He bragged quite often, he held himself up for accolades quite often, and he put others down, including the real apostles. These characteristics are not Jesus like.
He created doctrines, not of God, but of Paul. Doctrines not mentioned by Jesus. Such as the spiritual gift of tongues. The position of women in the churches. The comments regarding homosexuals. After his visit to Jerusalem to get a decision from the church leaders regarding circumcision, James gave a specific decision, in a letter which was to be delivered to the churches. Paul didn’t deliver it to the Galatians, instead he gave them a different story. Galatians 2:10.
The books placed in the Bible written by him amount to a significant portion of the NT. The Catholic Church claims to have assembled the Bible, and I would not disagree.
However, it brings me no peace either. Since the church adopted much of Paul’s man made doctrine as their own.
The real nail in the coffin for me was reading 1 Corinthians 4:15-16.
Paul states emphatically that regardless of who comes to teach you (the people of Corinth), you only have one spiritual father, and that is Paul. And the second part encourages them to imitate him, NOT Jesus!! Scary. Matthew 23:9 makes it clear who should be addressed as father, and it isn’t Paul. Nor some guy in the Catholic Church.
So, how does one reconcile the issues I have brought up from a Christian religious view?
No one else did.
Furthermore, he could not have been a true apostle, since there were only 12, and he would make 13.
Revelation 21:14 states there are twelve apostles of the Lamb.
So, he effectively made it up.
For what reason? Obviously not a good one, imo.
Paul says he was visited by Jesus and was given divine revelation.
Well, we have only his word for that. How is that any different than Joseph Smith’s claims? Also, he narrates the story of his conversion three times. (Acts 9:1-18, Acts 22:1-15, and Acts 26:10-19). Oddly, the third account is not at all the same as the others. This is why police ask a suspect the same question repeatedly.
Also, if Paul was to receive divine revelation, why wouldn’t the real apostles get this alleged revelation?
He then wrote many letters and started many churches.
From his letters you can conclude that he had a difficult time keeping the people in agreement in his various churches.
You also can see that there was some dissension between him and the true apostles.
He bragged quite often, he held himself up for accolades quite often, and he put others down, including the real apostles. These characteristics are not Jesus like.
He created doctrines, not of God, but of Paul. Doctrines not mentioned by Jesus. Such as the spiritual gift of tongues. The position of women in the churches. The comments regarding homosexuals. After his visit to Jerusalem to get a decision from the church leaders regarding circumcision, James gave a specific decision, in a letter which was to be delivered to the churches. Paul didn’t deliver it to the Galatians, instead he gave them a different story. Galatians 2:10.
The books placed in the Bible written by him amount to a significant portion of the NT. The Catholic Church claims to have assembled the Bible, and I would not disagree.
However, it brings me no peace either. Since the church adopted much of Paul’s man made doctrine as their own.
The real nail in the coffin for me was reading 1 Corinthians 4:15-16.
Paul states emphatically that regardless of who comes to teach you (the people of Corinth), you only have one spiritual father, and that is Paul. And the second part encourages them to imitate him, NOT Jesus!! Scary. Matthew 23:9 makes it clear who should be addressed as father, and it isn’t Paul. Nor some guy in the Catholic Church.
So, how does one reconcile the issues I have brought up from a Christian religious view?