I thought this was my idea, and I am presenting the idea on this page only as I had thought of it over two decades of reading and pondering the bible. However, it turns out, many others (including Thomas Jefferson), have preceded me showing the contradictions in the doctrines of Jesus and Paul. A whole literature on this subject exists. Now why didn't they tell me about this in Sunday School or on TV?
Jesus was a countercultural revolutionary of his time. In fact, he would probably be a countercultural revolutionary in our time as well, since human culture hasn't really advanced very much in the last two millenia.
In contrast, The Apostle Paul was a counter revolutionary, who twisted the legend and doctrines of Jesus completely around so that they served counter revolutionary rather than revolutionary ends. There is evidence for this even in the legend of Paul himself. According to this legend, Saul was an persecutor of the early Christians. Then, a miracle happened, Saul became Paul and he was converted to Christianity himself. I don't believe in miracles and I don't believe that legend. What I believe really happened was that Paul figured out he he could use twist the Christian myth for his own counter revolutionary ends (after he had sufficiently crushed the first Christians...).
It is surprisingly easy to see the differences in the canonical New Testament text (very surprising indeed considering that the books were actually written much later and "cannonized" in the fourth century C.E. Consider some of the recorded words of Jesus:
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
These verses describe the very revolutionary "no work" philosphy that is also being presented on this website which is still revolutionary in our own time. Now, contrast this with the words of Paul:
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
This is the ultimate counter revolutionary message. Either do the work that Paul has commanded, or starve. You are not being starved necessarily because there is no food, but because of your ideology; you are failing to submit. This is the core message of all tyrants, from Stalin to Jesse Helms.
Now consider more of the revolutionary words of Jesus:
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
This is the ultimate socialist message, restated by Marx when he said, From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs. Jesus was the first socialist, predating Marx by almost two millenia. Unfortunately, the socialist message got lost because of all the twisting done by Paul.