Sub-section Two: The story of the sudden conversion of Paul to Christianity:

Luke tells the story of the conversion of Paul, saying: “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.”[1]

The story is supported by no evidence or a witness except his own allegation, and because lies cannot be hidden, we find the following story related by himself in Acts: “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.”[2]

“From this we understand that the travelers heard the voice but did not see the light, according to chapter (9) and conversely, they saw the light but did not hear the voice, according to chapter (22).”[3]

Thus lies contradict themselves. Nevertheless, we find a lot of people who changed from being enemies of the religion into supporters striving for it. But Paul was an abnormal case for he did not conform to this rule, which is followed by all those that are converted to a new religion or ism. Instead of abiding by the instructions of Christianity and devoting himself to promoting them, he corrupted and altered them and set out wandering everywhere to propagate false teachings of which Jesus was innocent.

Monotheists rejected these teachings as Paul himself admitted when he declared in his second letter to Timothy: “that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me.”[4] This is what was expected from those who had known Jesus and heard from him. Paul, however managed to disseminate his call among heathens after he claimed that he “was authorized by Allah (i.e. Jesus, peace be upon him) after his death, and it was an intelligent allegation for it entitled him to be above any secular authority and became unaccountable for his deeds.”[5] He was the only person to represent Jesus and would not need the authority of the Disciples because he received his authority from heaven directly; therefore, he was free to change and alter as he wished and he started his call as he wished. He did not meet with the Disciples, who were the reference in all that concerned Christianity and its propagation.[6] Besides, he never met, saw or heard from Christ.

After his escape from Damascus to Jerusalem he met with Barnabas, who was one of sincere and close Disciples of Christ. He told Barnabas his story and how he became a believer in Christ, whereupon he introduced him to the other disciples… But Paul differed with Barnabas, Peter and the other Disciples because of Paul’s allegation that Christ was the son of Allah, Who sent him to people to redeem humanity from Adam’s sin, and that Jesus voluntarily presented himself to the Jews to crucify him to bring about redemption.”[7]

The teachings advocated by Paul were popular and acceptable to his contemporaries, for they were readily willing to accept and believe myths, which facilitated the task of Paul to a great extent.”[8] So, a mature cultural atmosphere was available for welcoming the principles of his doctrine, for the notion of saviors and incarnated gods was popular among Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Indians, Chinese, etc., which caused many people to follow Paul as it was easy for them to accept his doctrine that resembled theirs. Thus Paul enhanced his expansive ambitions. “Thus Paul presented Christianity to the followers of various doctrines in a way that pleased all of them, which resulted in their conversion to the new religion carrying with them their old doctrines and notions.”[9] In this way paganism sneaked into Christianity, and Jesus was gradually accepted as a god. In 325 AD the Emperor Constantine held the Council of Nicaea and the Emperor’s resolution was issued to formally regard Christ as god. Thus Paul’s version of Christianity assumed its legal approved shape through the resolutions of Nicaea and then through the successive Ecumenical Councils that were held thereafter and that were—theoretically at least—attended by Christian clerics from all over the world—hence the term Ecumenical, meaning ‘of worldwide scope or applicability’”[10] Consequently, the Christianity of Jesus, which was still a newborn, changed into the Christianity of Paul.