Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

[Johny Joe Hold]

What really burns me up these days are atheists who make light of important figures in the Bible. These holy men who wrote the Bible put there names right there in public and their reputations should not be ruined by gossip today.

Most recently, I've been reading the really terrible things atheists have been saying about our dear Apostle Paul. They make a big deal out of the fact that Paul gave himself the title of Apostle. I mean Jesus would have named his an Apostle if he had met him. I think there were attempts to get together but both were busy and a meeting did not pan out.

Then there is this tongue wagging about Paul being single and talking about women in a not so flattering way. I say leave him alone--maybe he had a nasty mother.

But what really gripes me are hints and suggestions inferred from this sentence in Acts 9:43 It came to pass that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

What business does anyone have speculating about Paul when he was off the clock so to speak. He had been preaching and healing and needed a little private time with Simon the tanner. He took vacation days in Joppa and what he did there is no one's business but Paul's.

This underhanded atheist snipping has got to stop.

[Elmer G. White]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

Mr. Mayor,

I find it most irritating that the atheist cultists try to smear the good name of Mr. Paul by shameless innuendo about his allegedly unnatural relationship with Mr. Simon the Tanner. It is quite clear that their relationship was purely Platonic (not Socratic) and professional, both regarding the Spreading of the Gospel and their mundane jobs.

Mr. Paul was a highly-skilled and educated craftsman, who made tents for the desert nomads, never discriminated and never refused to serve any Christian Caucasian man or a married begetting couple who came to him for new tents or reparations while politely refusing to service any possible sodomite couples because of his religious Godly objections.

Acts 18:3
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Now, Mr. Simon was a tanner. He knew both Mr. Paul and Mr. Peter quite well.

Acts 10:6
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Here we can see that, as a tentmaker, Mr. Paul needed to engage in various activities with Mr. Simon the tanner as he needed the raw material for his sturdy tents. I presume that not only cloth but also durable hides were required to make tents for the harsh desert environment. Apparently, the men were well educated as they knew what ought to be done under various circumstances.

Here is an informative picture of Mr. Simon. He seems to be a hard-working man with a nice roomy house that could lodge tired evangelists in times of need.



A wise man. Tanneries stench notoriously bad, so the seaside breeze must have been a real confort amidst all the smells. Obviously, tanning involves all kinds of nasty stuff (often urine), so that not all stench was removed by the sea air but apparently on the shore it would have been fresh and nice for Mr. Paul to relax in between the bouts of persecution that he must have encountered after ceasing to persecute True Christians™ himself.

Acts 8:3
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

If we consider all this and remember that the tannery smell was awful and must have permeated the cloths of Mr. Simon, it is inconceivable that anyone would have found him an alluring companion for fornication, so it is quite certain that the chastity of Mr. Paul would have been preserved.

Once again, the atheist case loses miserably! Jesus is Victorious.




Yours in Christ,

Elmer

[Ezekiel Bathfire]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

Most recently, I've been reading the really terrible things atheists have been saying about our dear Apostle Paul. They make a big deal out of the fact that Paul gave himself the title of Apostle. I mean Jesus would have named his an Apostle if he had met him. I think there were attempts to get together but both were busy and a meeting did not pan out.

I think the point here is that Paul did meet Jesus, but he met Him on "a Spiritual Plane", and is this not how we, today, meet Jesus? I know this is how I met Jesus. I had been involved in an incident with a horse, 12 yards of rope, and a ripe watermelon and had been badly kicked. In hospital, like Paul on the road to Damascus, I was drifting in and out of consciousness, when Jesus came to me and told me he wanted me to do his work. (He also asked me if I would paint the shed green. I think that this was a metaphor or parable... I'm still unsure of its meaning but God will let me know in good time.)

Then there is this tongue wagging about Paul being single and talking about women in a not so flattering way. I say leave him alone--maybe he had a nasty mother.

There will not be a single man among us who has not been irritated by a woman beyond forbearance - Paul looks to our having a peaceful life dedicated to the service of God... is that even possible if a woman is yattering on all the time?

But what really gripes me are hints and suggestions inferred from this sentence in Acts 9:43 It came to pass that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.

As I understand it, Paul was negotiating a supply of Bibles - leather-bound.

This underhanded atheist snipping has got to stop.

Exactly! It is most wearing to have to listen to these atheists going on about a subject when they can't even grasp the basics.

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

As I understand it, Paul was negotiating a supply of Bibles - leather-bound.
Exactly! It is most wearing to have to listen to these atheists going on about a subject when they can't even grasp the basics.

As I said earlier, how Paul and the muscular young tanner spent their time was Paul's business and no one else's. It could have been about leather bound Bibles, leather tent flaps, the tailoring of matching leather outfits or any other issue.

Paul's life had to be a lonely one and finding true friendship on the road must have been a wonderful experience.

[Roland]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

[...]
Paul's life had to be a lonely one and finding true friendship on the road must have been a wonderful experience.

It is a wonderful story. As you explain they both needed each others skills to get where they wanted to be, to fulfil their dreams. Both in the desert, both having the skills to use leather to better not only their own lives but also that of the people around them. Thank you for sharing Johny.

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

Politics is a wonderful institution for furthering the cause of Jesus Christ. But, it should not be used to undermine the reputation of our great teacher, Paul. We should put in jail those who hint at Paul being a homosexual.

Pimps and male whores parading around on Gay Pride day deserve our distain and disapproval. Paul, seeking companionship on the endless trail to spread the message of Jesus needs our encouragement.

In addition to the cruelty of a inference it is factually incorrect. For professional reasons, I track the occupations of those who parade on Gay Pride Week. I can say with certainty I have never seen a gay man from the hide tanning profession at any gay pride event. Therefore the tanner in the Bible was not gay.

[Basilissa]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

Politics is a wonderful institution for furthering the cause of Jesus Christ. But, it should not be used to undermine the reputation of our great teacher, Paul. We should put in jail those who hint at Paul being a homosexual.

Amen Brother! And I'm 100% sure that when Brother Elmer said Paul's relationship with the tanner was Platonic he meant it in the common meaning of the word and was not hinting at the way how Plato explained what is the most perfect love in his Simposium dialogue, because that book is just... eww!

[Michael Hezekiah Esq]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

Paul was the Yin to Peter's Yang, Peter was a simple fisherman and was a simple honest working man. Paul was a scholar/lawyer by comparison; he was very educated and needed to be with someone like Peter to understand the people who he'd be teaching. They are the perfect match of strengths that made the seed of christianity flourish. Too bad Paul fell for the lie; the messiah has not yet come and while Paul was probably very sincere, he should have remained true to the Prophets.


As for his relationship with the tanner, what's the big deal? In modern times, Paul's email account would be huge - he could send letters to churches all day long and no one would care with whom he slept. If he got a little somethin somethin from a tanner, good for him. (Although tanners really smelled bad, so I hope Paul had some mad powerful deodorant)


Rock on Paul - who loved Peter!


Mike Hezekiah, Esq

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

It continues to burn me up that atheists and their fellow travelers continue to read their own meaning into Acts 9:43. That passage reports that Paul of the Bible would spend the weekend with Simon the tanner in the city of Joppa.

The cruel suggestion is that Paul and Simon the Tanner were having an affair. Atheists use evidence of gay life today in the same city, now called Jaffa. Yes, there is homer sin in Jaffa today but that is a modern turn of events. It has nothing to do with Paul and Simon during those ancient times.

Anyone reading the Bible knows Joppa was a trade city. Paul made tents for a living. Simon sold leather. No doubt Paul used leather for reinforcement of seams in his tents. This being the case, the weekend they spent together was a long business meeting.

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[Adam Fag]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impuning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

names right there

"They" put up names? Do you mean Paul was real? We don't know who wrote half his stuff, so why should he write it at all? It's just a name. I could write bunk then sign off, "I Paul write with my own hand..." (proof please)

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

"They" put up names? Do you mean Paul was real? We don't know who wrote half his stuff, so why should he write it at all? It's just a name. I could write bunk then sign off, "I Paul write with my own hand..." (proof please)

There you atheists go again, impugning the reputation of Paul. You did it with his weekend with the tanner. Now with his writing.

The proof is this. In Acts 9 Paul tells of meeting Jesus. Jesus had already come back to life once, He had no obligation to do it several more times. He only did it when there was an important person or issue at stake. Paul was so important Jesus had to take time off and visit with him.

[Adam Fag]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

I thought Luke wrote Acts?

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

I thought Luke wrote Acts?

God wrote the Bible, foolish atheist.

[Ezekiel Bathfire]

Re: Atheists, Stop Impugning the Reputation of the Apostle Paul

I thought Luke wrote Acts?

As Mr Mayor makes clear. None of the authors of the Bible had the "original idea". It is not like, for example, your copy of "The Works of Lenin" or "Chairman Mao's Red Book" where delusions and poor political thought are spewed onto the page by someone possessed by Satan! No! This is God inspiring each letter of each word.



The Bible may have been written by men, but it is authored by God.