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The Pharisees were NOT part of the ruling class. To say they were simply discredits your arguments about Paul's motivations.
Within the hierarchy of Jewish sectarianism during the Jesus era, the Sadducees represented an aristocratic, wealthy, and traditional elite, in contrast to the Pharisees and the Essenes.
Actually, they were very powerful religious figures.
Within Pharisaic tradition, Paul/Saul learned how to make the mohair with which tents were made [Acts 18:1-3]. Later as a Christian missionary, that trade (& tent making) became a means of financial support for him that he practiced ... until he received funds from converted Gentiles & non-aristocratic Jews, who wanted to believe the crap about Jesus being the Jewish Messiah and/or "son of God", and they will be "saved" if they believe ... and cough up financial support.
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He received support while he was in prison. Can you find where he demanded it so he could stop making and selling tents? Please do.
None of this, BTW, lends any credence to your insane belief that he thought becoming a Christian was a good power move.
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Unless Muslim, my understanding is that religious leaders don't demand payments for their preaching; it would look bad to do so. However, they will be glad to "suggest" they need your financial support. They still get their "donations" ... or you go to hell
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Insane belief"? That describes perfectly Paul's claim about Jesus being the Jewish Messiah and "son of God" .
Hey, no one here knows the accurate details about events from 2,000 years ago. The Bible is one
interpretation with a subjective bent.
I was simply offering an alternative hypothesis to the ridiculous claim of seeing a "resurrection".
If anyone claimed that today, would they be taken seriously by sane people?