Is it right to compare Paul prior to conversion, to Hitler?

[Fascinated With God]

Prior to conversion Paul was a Pharisee who was responsible for an unspecified number of executions of Christians (Acts 22:4). Bad as that is, I was shocked to see people here comparing Paul to Hitler, and asserting that even prior to converting Paul knew that he was doing evil and that he was intentionally going against God. To me that basically sounds like a sociopathic Devil worshiper, which while not precisely how most people would describe Hitler, is a sentiment that most people would generally agree with in regards to Hitler.

Comparing the most prolific writer of the New Testament to Hitler and extreme sociopaths and making him sound like a Devil worshiper prior to conversion, doesn't that make Christianity sound like the best religion ever! Why wouldn't everyone convert to Christianity if they knew this?

I was so perplexed by this that when I ran into a lady I know to be Pentecostal at the Deli, I brought this up, even though I am rather averse to Pentecostals. Another woman who I didn't know gasped in disbelief when I mentioned the comparison of Paul to Hitler, but the lady I know immediately piped up that she agreed that Saul had been no better than Hitler. In examining her opinion I discovered that she had the rather unusual belief that Hitler had thought he was doing the right thing and had no intention of doing evil.

If I hadn't ran into this lady I would have convinced myself that the people on here who say that Saul was no better than Hitler were yanking my chain and fake people just trying to stir things up. It was really hard for me to believe that this is real. Sociopaths don't feel empathy or experience human bonds, and nothing can change that. If Paul was an extreme sociopath like Hitler that would completely undermine the legitimacy of his divine inspiration. Hitler was incapable of feeling repentance, much less of becoming so open to the Holy Spirit that he could write divinely inspired absolute truth.

 

[Athanasias]

.

 

[Fascinated With God]

I'm not smoking anything. The debate I described is ongoing on the "Paul haters" thread here in this forum.

 

[Jpark]

No.

Hitler felt powerless, even before his "conversion".

Whereas Paul has always felt enabled, being extremely zealous even before his conversion.

In the end, Hitler proved to be still powerless. Whereas Paul left behind him a legacy.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Hitler was a genocidal maniac and an authoritarian, fascist, dictator.

No, Paul was not these things prior to his conversion.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I'm not smoking anything. The debate I described is ongoing on the "Paul haters" thread here in this forum.

Who said you were?

 

[Albion]

Hitler was a genocidal maniac and an authoritarian, fascist, dictator.

No, Paul was not these things prior to his conversion.

-CryptoLutheran

Correct. People toss around Hitler's name too easily these days, making it almost the ultimate insult, no matter what the particular situation or offense might be. But Hitlerism is clearly a step up from what Saul was doing.

 

[ptomwebster]

Absolutely NOT! I could not vote because your empathic answer was to poorly written and bias.

 

[Rubiks]

no, I would not agree Saul was like Hitler.

 

[SolomonVII]

Other.
Of course not!
The comparison is a ludicrous one.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Is it right to compare Paul prior to conversion, to Hitler?

Biblically, I can see Paul as a type of Saul in the OT who persecuted David.
In other words, Paul became a type of "David", after his conversion, fleeing the persecution from the Jews.

Now, after his conversion, Paul is being persecuted by the same Jews he worked for before his conversion. Kind of ironic I would say.

2 Samuel 22:1 And David spake unto Yahweh, the words of this song, in the day when Yahweh had rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul;

Acts 13:46 And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said "To ye it was necessary that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away and do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, behold! we do turn to the Nations
50 And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders;

Acts 14:19 And there came thither Jews from Antioch and Iconium and they having persuaded the multitudes and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead;

 

[SolomonVII]

Is it right to compare Paul prior to conversion, to Hitler?

Biblically, I can see Paul as a type of Saul in the OT who persecuted David.
In other words, Paul became a type of "David", after his conversion, fleeing the persecution from the Jews.

Now, after his conversion, Paul is being persecuted by the same Jews he worked for before his conversion. Kind of ironic I would say.

2 Samuel 22:1 And David spake unto Yahweh, the words of this song, in the day when Yahweh had rescued him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul;

Acts 13:46 And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said "To ye it was necessary that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away and do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, behold! we do turn to the Nations
50 And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders;

Acts 14:19 And there came thither Jews from Antioch and Iconium and they having persuaded the multitudes and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead;

Kudos on a very interesting and original post.
It is interesting how the names of the NT at least sometimes some kind of connection to the names of the OT. It is almost as if what is seen falling apart in the OT is starting to be put back together in the new retelling of the sacred history.