[Gutenberg 42984] • Not Paul, But Jesus

*In this edition hundreds of problems in punctuation and spelling that frustrated reading have been corrected (British spellings have been left alone).

* Contains a new Forward by Tobias Skinner.

*In Not Paul, But Jesus Jeremy Bentham offers solid proof that the books of the Bible ascribed to Paul could not have been divinely inspired due to the numerous fallacies and contradictions contained within them. Indeed, argues Bentham, Paul's works even contradict the teachings of Christ. It is likely the books ascribed to Paul, many of which are merely letters to early Christian churches, were added by the church because the doctrine of Paul allows the church to play a far larger role in the life of Christians than would be the case without the books included. Paul wanted the various churches he visited to practice Christianity his way. His letters tell them to do so, and apparently some influential leaders of the early and later church approved. Whatever the case, Bentham offers convincing proof that an infallible God could not have inspired the writings of Paul, which are far from infallible. In Bentham's view, Paul plays the role of an anti-Christ by making Christ subservient to Paul in the doctrine of Christianity.