RATISBONNE - A PARALLEL TO ST PAUL'S CONVERSION WHO SHOWS IT IS DUBIOUS
Christians argue that St Paul when he was known as Saul of Tarsus
debunked Christianity and hated it and had Christians killed. The
story according to the Acts of the Apostles is that he was on his
way on another evil bigoted mission against believers in Jesus when
he had a vision and Jesus spoke to him. He was blinded and fell off
his horse. Soon he was baptised and set about becoming an extremely
busy missionary for his new faith.
On the face of it the story looks convincing.
But while Paul did write that he encountered Jesus who converted him
from his murderous hate for Jesus’ followers, he did not tell us
much about it. The Acts story may have too much embellishment and we
are under no duty to validate it when we don’t know if Paul ever
seen it never mind approved it.
Another reason the story is weaker than you would think is that
there is a good parallel case.
Alphonse Ratisbonne born 1814 was an atheist from a Jewish
background. He bitterly hated how the Catholic Church treated the
Jewish people and was an ardent anti-Catholic.
He was put to a challenge by a devout Catholic. As a test, he
started to wear a medal to see if anything would happen. The medal
was the popular Miraculous Medal with its prayer printed on it, O
Mary Conceived without original sin, pray for us who have recourse
to thee. At the time he also undertook to say a prayer every day,
the Memorare. He commented “If this won’t do me any good, at least
it won’t do me any harm.” That comment hints that he was already
softening towards the Catholic faith and was not admitting it. He
was as good as saying that Catholic religious practice is harmless.
He agreed to wait in the Catholic basilica, St Andrea delle Fratte
which is in Rome for a friend to return for him. The friend came
back and was shocked to find Ratisbonne in prayer. Later Ratisbonne
said, “"I was scarcely in the church when a total confusion came
over me. When I looked up, it seemed to me that the entire church
had been swallowed up in shadow, except one chapel. It was as though
all the light was concentrated in that single place. I looked over
towards this chapel whence so much light shone, and above the altar
was a living figure, tall, majestic, beautiful and full of mercy. It
was the most holy Virgin Mary, resembling her figure on the
Miraculous Medal. At this sight I fell on my knees right where I
stood. Unable to look up because of the blinding light, I fixed my
glance on her hands, and in them I could read the expression of
mercy and pardon. In the presence of the Most Blessed Virgin, even
though she did not speak a word to me, I understood the frightful
situation I was in, my sins and the beauty of the Catholic Faith."
It is possible that Saul of Tarsus had been started to develop an
attraction for the Jesus faith and as the role of persecutor was
expected of him he went along with it until he couldn’t any more.
Paul and Ratisbonne seem to have had some kind of seizure or attack.
Both lived lives that were out of character for them after their
experience. They were not the same men at all.
Both converted too fast. Ratisbonne had his "apparition" on January
20 1842 and was received in to the Church soon after just eleven
days later.
Both became missionaries. Ratisbonne became a priest and the
co-founder of The Sisters of Our Lady of Sion. This was part of his
plan for bringing Jews into the Church. Paul likewise would not
leave the Jews alone either.
The apparition to Ratisbonne was accepted as true by the Church
though it reads more like the imagination than anything else. There
is no evidence that he had the ecstasy or trance that accompanies
apparitions. Nobody saw him while it was having it. Remember his
hatred was too much and indicates a disturbed mind. The Church
usually only accepts apparitions when it is able to have the
doctor's assessment and other tests for it says God does not ask for
blind faith.
An anti-semitic religion that accepts a vision that leads to an
anti-semitic mission is not looking good. That was the true motive
for the enthusiastic and unprofessional endorsement. Plus the
Miraculous Medal devotion is promoted by a "vision" that made false
prophecies when the Bible says God owns the future so he cannot make
mistakes about it. And Mary's appearance in it as a Caucasian woman
is erasing her Jewishness.
You won't be as impressed by Paul now! I know I'm not. He was the
only risen Jesus witness who wrote about what he experienced so it
does not make the resurrection sound very plausible.