@Squeakybro,
You are kidding right? Paul was a religious authority assigned to find, try and execute anyone who was guilty of failing to adhere to Jewish religious orthodoxy.
The ironic part of it was that after his conversion he had to argue against Christian authorities in their belief that only Jews could become Christians.
I could not understand why G*d had put such an unworthy man as Paul, a murderer, into such an important place in the early church. It bothered me for years and I could find nothing good to think or say about him. But now I understand: if a man like Paul can be forgiven and redeemed then I could be and anyone else, too. Even you.