What's wrong with pauls writings

[knight in battle]

Paul had the tone of someone who was obsessed with optimal living. While he argued well against ritualistic practices in favor of producing genuine acts of love, he appears to prove too much in the direction of what a renewed person would do.

In some instances, he says that moral obligations are defunct, because it was futile and unnecessary for reaching the state of perfection.

Yet in other instances, he claims that the Divine Spirit is assisting renewed people not only to do genuine acts of kindness but also to behave morally in rather intense ways.

 

[just me]

I think Christianity "today" is the same as it was in the past. Jesus taught love. Yet, he called many religious leaders of the day hypocrites. Many people simply do not give presence to studying the word. I personally feel most people that have problems with the scriptures do not fully understand them as a whole. "Oh ye of little faith", or "oligopistoi" in the early Greek, may truly be an understatement. I am reminded of a verse that goes something like this:
"Ye that strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."

"Love thy neighbor as thyself." Hard to do when one's neighbor is leasing properties to people skating laws at the cost of others with no compassion or understanding. People burn wires to get the copper from them in large drums in blatant disrespect of the laws governing our environment. Rent properties that have no bathrooms. Tenants party with their music turned up too loud at night. Does your building meet the codes? They block your easements. It feels like a direct attack on one's personal rights. Rent to Hazardous Waste handlers while one watches them wash out their containers onto the ground. Bring containers of trash and junk to go through for a living next door. Somebody help me. Love thy neighbor, but rush inside the house while they are burning.

If you are burning wires and tires, I am sure you would have a problem with the laws. If you have a group of men with a clubhouse and like to turn it up, I am sure you might have a problem with the sound codes. The codes and laws are there for the benefit of the entire world of people out there. Those that do not care? They obviously have little understanding or are selfish and do not care about anyone but their own selves. I feel my love for my fellow humankind is being tested, but it is in fact being stepped on and trodden under foot.

Why the laws governing burning rubber and wire? There was a problem and it needed addressing. The outcome was for the best interests of the masses. Paul addressed problems in the churches. Someone had to do it. The answer to one problem at one church should not be compared to a different problem's answer.


Pauline Christianity? How about Phillippians 4:8? Look for Paul's word "finally" in his writings. Ephesians 6:10-18. Let everything be done unto the edification of the whole body.

 

[knight in battle]

I'm not going to speak for anyone else, but I'll tell you what I, personally, think is "wrong" with Paul's teachings. Jesus taught certain things. Paul taught things ABOUT Jesus...things Jesus never taught about himself. The original apostles considered Paul to be a heretic. If you look at the NT, you'll see that Jesus' teachings are limited to the 4 gospels. The vast majority of the remainder of the NT is made up of Paul's letters. Christianity today has more to do with the teachings of Paul than with the teachings of Jesus. For this reason, modern Christianity is often referred to as "Pauline Christianity." Personally, I'd go further than that and call it "Paulism."

I can see your point. The Gospels quoted Jesus extensively, but Paul seemed to do less of that. There does seem to be a difference in the way Jesus talked and Paul talked.

It seems reasonable to question Paul's adherence to Jesus' teachings, because Jesus claims to be both God and "Lord of the harvest". If that's the case, no harm could be done to Jesus' agenda if Paul is found to be deviant. And if Paul is in adherence to Jesus, then Paul's teachings should logically connect with Jesus', even if they seem to contradict.

The only problem is that Paul claims to be a servant of Jesus.

 

[abeautifulheartandmind]

I tell you and I am going to speak from that which I have seen. I think most people have "issues" with the religion of what is being handed down through either what has been taught or read by each denomination. I have seen some wonderful people "thinking" they are doing God's work that were then completely annihilated by the very religion they were rooted in. Paul had the same thing happen and he changed. Perhaps we sometimes allow the "beast" which in this case is the religions and denominations become bigger and more important than the message that was being conveyed. We even make the Bible and the words contained mean more than the lives of other human beings which would be completely disliked by Christ. The teachings of Christ and His deed should never be overshadowed by any other disciple or religion. Christ gave us a template in which to be and we have turned people away by acting in exact opposite of what He so expressed. JMHO.

 

[JonMac]

I can see your point. The Gospels quoted Jesus extensively, but Paul seemed to do less of that. There does seem to be a difference in the way Jesus talked and Paul talked.

It seems reasonable to question Paul's adherence to Jesus' teachings, because Jesus claims to be both God and "Lord of the harvest". If that's the case, no harm could be done to Jesus' agenda if Paul is found to be deviant. And if Paul is in adherence to Jesus, then Paul's teachings should logically connect with Jesus', even if they seem to contradict.

The only problem is that Paul claims to be a servant of Jesus.

Actually Paul only quotes Jesus once, and even that's hearsay. Jesus claimed to be God? Where? Have you ever read the Gnostic Gospels? I find them to be a much more logical and reliable account. Here are the issues with Paul:

1. Jesus hand-picked his apostles. These chosen followers, who were left with the charge of carrying on Jesus' teachings, considered Paul to be a heretic.
2. Jesus' role as Messiah was to free the Jews. Paul went to preach to the Gentiles. What did they care for a emancipator of the Jews? Nothing at all. So Paul had to recast Jesus in each culture's extant mythology/religion. As he himself says, "I have become all things to all people." One of the earliest and most successful regions where Paul found success was in Egypt, and he did this by casting Jesus in the role of Osiris, a deity that the Egyptians could relate to. He did the same in other regions, and this is why Christianity today has so many Pagan influences. Again, none of this has anything to do with what Jesus taught.
3. Paul never met Jesus. Prior to his conversion (which, by the way, we only know about by Paul's own account), he had been a persecutor of Jesus' followers. What better way to subvert a religion than by declaring yourself a disciple and issuing false teachings? Again, the original disciples thought him a heretic because of his teachings, which were all ABOUT Jesus, AFTER the fact, and were nothing like what Jesus actually taught.

There is a big difference between what Jesus actually taught, and what Paul taught ABOUT Jesus.

 

[knight in battle]

Again, the original disciples thought him a heretic because of his teachings, which were all ABOUT Jesus, AFTER the fact, and were nothing like what Jesus actually taught.

Paul and Jesus taught about morality and love, though Paul mentioned some things that Jesus didn't.

It seems that Jesus spoke in terms that sounded like a higher morality than Paul did.