Kindest Regards, Inhumility!
Thank you for addressing me directly.
The pleasure is mine, sir.
Dor, ... has already informed me of the link, perhaps you missed reading that; I also acknowledged in response that I have downloaded it and I would read it carefully.
I did miss reading it until you brought it to my attention. I had not seen this thread until just before I posted to you..."how did I miss this?"
I have yet only read some pages and not yet finished it.
I can accept this. It is a bit long, but only a minor fraction of what Mr. Garaffa composed. If it would assist any, I recommend skipping to the apologetic critique of the summary, somewhere around posts 5-7 or so. That is where everything is brought together in direct relationship to Mr. Garaffa's work.
What I could ascertain as of now is that you both seem to be thinking on different planes, not from the same vantage point.
I myself am not interested in Paul bashing, that never interests me, I concentrate on the PerfectMan (not God) JesusYeshuaIssa ProphetMessenger and his teachings and I love him and his followers. I know for certain that Paul was an enemy of Jesus and his teachings before the clever vision which Paul states that he saw, while he also states that he was blind at that time. What a blind man could see is anybody's guess? After the vision Paul became even a more bitter enemy of Jesus and his teachings, which is very obvious.
Mr. Garaffa and I do not share the same vantage point, though we look at the same thing. His view is too focused, my view is broad and all-encompassing. I can accept the possibility that this may be your view that Paul is the enemy of Jesus, however it is one I do not share in, logically, as I spelled out. While I may have an interest in defending my faith, I can as easily posit that you have an equal interest in defending your faith. For Paul to lose his eyesight for a few days yet still have a waking dream or vision is not only a valid possible reality, it is a medically truthful possibility that happens frequently enough to merit belief. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the rationality and logic of reality. Then to claim that Paul was a bitter enemy of Jesus simply bears no merit whatsoever, I'm sorry, it is not there and does not follow from the argument.
I only want that my Christian friends follow JesusYeshuaIssa as he was the way and light for the Christians from GodAllahYHWH; Paul was not.
It may be that I am the person here closest to what you describe, and I must respectfully disagree with you. I lived for many years, nearly 20, until this past year, following a path most closely resembling a Messianic Jew. In my view, that would be what Jesus' immediate followers would have been. By definition, Paul was a Messianic Jew. The contradiction in your statement I find glaring. I pray it is not intentional for the purpose of misleading...I sincerely do not believe that is your intention. However, intended or not, the motives behind your inflamatory posts do draw serious questions as to your motives and intent. I will proceed for this moment on the conclusion that your assertions are mistaken rather than deliberate.
I may also mention here that our friend Victor A. Garaffa is a solid steadfast Christian and a good scholar, please see his credentials on Google. He teaches Christian priests.
I have no doubt Mr. Garaffa is a steadfast Christian and a good scholar. However, if you did indeed read his response to me, you would see he disavows any credentials in a specific statement to me. I will be happy to quote if you like. So I am confused...which of you is telling me the truth? You, or Mr. Garaffa?
I don't have to follow Victor A. Garaffa unnecessarily, I follow reasonable and rational arguments of the PromisedMessiahImamMahdi mentioned in his books, when he died Victor A. Garaffa would have not born even.
Indeed, I follow no man without question. Including scholars. Including religious leaders.
I thank everybody for bearing with me here. I love you all. Thanks again. I am an Ahmadi - a peaceful faith in Islam
You are persistent if nothing else. I want to believe you mean no harm. Often your statements are ill timed and ill placed, and in doing so you do not promote the peace you claim. It has been a pleasure to address you sir, but please remember this is a delicate subject, if it is truly peace you wish to promote. I would recommend further discussion on this subject be carried elsewhere, like the comparative board, so as not to be perceived as threatening. Like I have already asked a number of times before. Thank you.
