excerpt: It may be assumed that in the first century Paul’s choice with regard to forming and developing the religion progressed in two directions. Both directions were conditioned by the aim of gathering adherents: (1) The social factor: Women’s rights and equal rights for men and women. This attitude and point of view gave the means to women to find their ‘voices’ and ‘souls’. The equal rights of men and women were not established in a single one of the contemporary religions in the Roman Empire and its neighbourhood. It can be said that in this way Paul took a step towards restoring Neanderthal emancipation; and (2) The political factor: The ban on homosexuality was aimed directly against a certain elite group – the pagan priests. In the same way as in the Roman religion, homosexuality must have been an acceptable norm of behaviour among those engaged in cult worship. The association of this behaviour with wealth, influence and the Roman religion created the best means of gathering poor people and the less influential elite around Christianity. In this way Paul laid the foundations of Christianity which, from a historic perspective, soon bore fruit – within two and a half centuries. Christianity became a political force to be reckoned with, and in the end, the sole religion of the Roman Empire.