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Paul's own words tell us in Romans 11:2: 'I am an Israelite myself, of
stock of Abraham, of tribe of Benjamin,',' circumcised on my eighth day, Israelite by race, of tribe of Benjamin, A Hebrew, born and bred; in my attitude to law, A Pharisee (Philippians 3:5).'
Nothing in his early life actions would tell us that he was a Pharisee who supported underprivileged (Or even in later life if one reads his thoughts about women) in laws and all societal structures throughout Roman and Parthian Empire. A detailed and honest investigation can easily see Pharisees have been ridiculed and given all kinds of negative publicity in Gospels and from evangelical pulpits of this very day. What better way to destroy someone, than to have your 'front man' write their dogma? This is classic espionage and 'black ops' intrigue! Mr. Maccoby gives us these further comments on matter and we could have chosen many other scholars to say these things.
"Instead of priests, Pharisees looked for guidance to their own leaders, 'hakhamin' (sages), who were not a hereditary class but came from every level of society including poorest... The other verse quoted by Jesus from Leviticus, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' was also regarded by Pharisees as of central importance, and was treated by two greatest figures of Pharisaism, Hillel and Rabbi Akiba...
Jesus' threat to Temple was not subversive of High Priest... rather it was Jews who were framed by Gospels, whose concern was to shift blame for crucifixion from Romans to Jews and their religion." (3)
"When in name of God {Nations or academia}, people hold black and white beliefs that cut them off from other human beings; when in name of God, they give up their own sense of right and wrong; when in name of God, they suffer financial deprivation; then they are suffering from religious addiction. When, in name of God, people are made to feel unhealthy fear, false guilt, toxic shame, and destructive anger; when in name of God, they have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused; when in name of God, they have judged themselves and others as inherently worth- less; then they have been subject to religious abuse… At that point, Father Leo Booth says, 'God has become a drug. My name is Leo. I'm an alcoholic and religious abuser. I'm a recovering priest.’ {He was a Catholic who taught that non-Catholics receiving no catechism went to Hell.}
...Moses was told by God that his name was 'I am who I am.' Every child is born with a sense of 'I am who I am'. The job of family and church is to orchestrate life so that sense of 'I AM' can grow and expand. Chapter 5 painfully outlines how children raised by religious addicts have their 'I AM'-ness ripped apart - how their sense of wholeness is split. This is a far cry from religion's promise of at-one-ment." (4)
PEACE: - Let us give credit to John Lennon and 'hippies' who were strong enough to say NO! Their collective energy and thought or prayer has been useful in ending organized war among superpowers, now we need to extend a hand to those who are suffering within nations under strong arm and insanity of national despots protected by international sovereign rights.
Author and activist for ecumenicism
