[/b]"The Apostle Saul ( Paul )[/b]
Saul (later to be known as the apostle Paul) was zealous in all that he did. He was from the Jewish tribe of Benjamin, and when describing himself, he said he was a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the Mosaic Law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the Christian Church, as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. (Philippians 3:4-6) Even so, he was to become one of the greatest evangelists of his day in spreading Christianity after his encounter with Christ Jesus on the road to Damascus.
Saul did everything he could to try and stop the growth of Christianity. In fact, when Stephen (the first recorded Christian martyr in the New Testament) was killed, Saul was there (watching the cloaks of those who were stoning Stephen.)
On the day Stephen was martyred, a great persecution broke out against the Christian Church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. At that time, Saul began to destroy the Church. Going from house to house , he dragged off Christian men and women and put them in prison. Eventually he obtained letters from the Jewish religious leaders to Jews in Damascus and he went there to bring the Christians (known as followers of the Way at that time) back to Jerusalem to be punished.
About noon, as he came near to Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute Me?' Who are you Lord?' He asked. I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' Next, Jesus instructed Saul to get up and go into Damascus.
Because of the brilliance of the bright light, Saul had been blinded. For three days he could not see (his companions had to lead him into Damascus by hand.)
While in Damascus, Jesus instructed a devout follower of the Way to pray for Saul in order that his sight be restored. When he did, immediately Saul could see. Saul was told that he would be Jesus' witness to all men of what he had seen and heard. At that time, Saul got up and was baptized a follower of Christ Jesus. Saul was to become known as the apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews) whereas Peter was called the apostle to the Jews.
Saul's great abilities and earnest enthusiasm in spreading the gospel of Christ have made his name revered wherever the Christian religion is known. It is his writings which make up much of the New Testament of the Bible.
After his wonderful conversion, Saul went to Jerusalem where he saw Peter, James and John. Later, he went forth with Barnabas to preach (sent forth from the church in Antioch.)
Much can be read about the life and missionary journeys of Saul in the New Testament of the Bible. On his first missionary journey, while at Paphos on the island of Cyprus, we see Saul, also, referred to as Paul (the name we have known him by since.)
Paul suffered much in spreading the Gospel. Most of his missionary efforts were in what is modern day Greece and Turkey, and the surrounding areas.
After being released from imprisonment in Rome, as part of his further missionary journeys, it is believed that Paul, also, visited Gaul and Spain (there is, also, a belief that he visited England.)
When Paul returned to Rome, he was taken prisoner again and imprisoned for nine months with the apostle Peter in the Mamertine prison.
It was in Rome that the apostle Paul suffered martyrdom. By order of the Emperor Nero, Paul was beheaded with a sword." http://www.biblepath.com/paul.html
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby"When Paul returned to Rome, he was taken prisoner again and imprisoned for nine months with the apostle Peter in the Mamertine prison."
"The Apostle Saul ( Paul )[/b]
Saul (later to be known as the apostle Paul) was zealous in all that he did. He was from the Jewish tribe of Benjamin, and when describing himself, he said he was a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the Mosaic Law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the Christian Church, as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. ...[text shortened]... y order of the Emperor Nero, Paul was beheaded with a sword." http://www.biblepath.com/paul.html[/b]
Is that true? Were Paul and Peter imprisoned together in Rome? This is the first time I heard of that.
FMF: Do you seriously and sincerely contend that non-Christians don't have "human spirit"?Whichever way one looks at it, your perspective is quite literally dehumanizing to its very core. On the positive side, one can conclude that it's just the product of some daft, partisan extremism.
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Yes.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraThis absolute truth applies universally to all human beings at the moment of physical birth.
Well, that's awkward. So I am the only person on Earth with a soul and I don't even believe in the existence of a soul!
"Everything you add to the truth subtracts from the truth. When truth is discovered by someone else,
it loses something of its attractiveness." -Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
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Originally posted by Grampy BobbyNo, that is complete and utter [stuff that comes out the south end of a north facing bull].
Renee Descartes got it wrong with, "I think therefore I am."
Rather: "I am therefore I think."
The argument as everyone should know as general knowledge is as thus.
Imagine that there are evil demons [the matrix] that can make you sense [touch see smell
hear etc] anything they like. They could make you experience anything at all and you wouldn't
be able to tell it from 'the real thing'.
So, how can you tell whether the 'reality' you experience is actually real, as opposed to
some fantasy created by these evil demons [in modern terms, how can you tell if you are
in the matrix]?
If anything you could possibly sense could be created by these demons then there is nothing
you could do to test the universe to see if it is real...
You can't tell if the people you meet, or the world you live in actually exist.
How do you even know if YOU yourself exists?
At this point Descartes says "aha, there is something thinking 'do I exist?', which means that
there must be something doing that thinking, and that something is me. I am thinking therefore
I exist". [it should be noted that later philosophers have disputed this]
BECAUSE you think [according to Descartes] you can know that you exist.
Therefore Descartes did not get it wrong by saying "I think therefore I am" instead of "I am therefore I think".
Originally posted by FMFDasa: ""You have to find the pure Vaishnava translation and not the translation from a pseudo wine dinking and fornicating and meat eating and animal killing nut job professor of Hindu studies who speculates and doesn't particularly knows Sanskrit that well."
The absolute truth this ~ the absolute truth that ~ it applies universally. Oh dear. You seem to be channelling Dasa.
Don't you miss him?