Men who seek power always do it at great risk. I don't suppose you can think of any revolutionaries, kings, political figures, cult leaders, union leaders, or presidents that have ever been assassinated, can you?
You think it would not have mattered if Paul raped young girls?
Well, Jewish law would have required him to pay a fee to her father and marry her, but other than that, no, Thou Shalt Not Rape didn't make the Top Ten. Women were not important in the Middle East, not then and not now. They were basically chattel.
As for how many years the divine right of kings lasted in Europe, it doesn't matter. It crops up all over the world, and simply shows that leaders of all types tend to assure their populace that they represent God, that obeying them is God's will, etc. Many religions even impress upon women that her husband is representative of God to her. Our modern day Democrats assure us that their overwhelming desire to feed the poor stems directly from their close, personal relationship with Jesus. Anyone who desires power quickly learns the advantage of convincing others that God is in perfect agreement. Thus with Paul.
Sorry, but what you’re saying just doesn’t make any sense.
Again, Paul knew he was risking everything and doing it for NO DISECRNABLE EARTHLY GAIN.
You wrote: “Men who seek power always do it at great risk.”
Not necessarily and not ever as Paul did. Paul joined a side that had NO EARTHLY POWER WHATSOEVER and at great personal risk - guaranteed risk - to himself. Quite simply NO ONE DOES THAT.
“Well, Jewish law would have required him to pay a fee to her father and marry her, but other than that, no”
Again, you’re not making any sense. Paul’s moral code precluded any act of rape. It’s just that simple.
Everyone is entitled to his opinion but when an opinion is just irrational, unreasonable, baseless, and goes against all known evidence it’s not worth holding to say the least.