The assertion that conflating Pauline writings with the teachings of Jesus is a misdirection and that the Gospel of Thomas aligns seamlessly with Jesus' recorded sayings requires careful consideration of both Paul's letters and the content of the Gospel of Thomas.

1. Distinctive Messages:

   • Pauline Epistles: Paul's letters often focus on theological explanations, Christian doctrine, and practical instructions for Christian communities. They are distinct from the Gospel narratives, emphasizing themes like justification by faith and the role of grace.
   • Gospel of Thomas: This non-canonical gospel consists of sayings attributed to Jesus. While some sayings may resemble canonical Gospels, others differ significantly, presenting a more esoteric or Gnostic flavor.

2. Theological Emphasis:

   • Pauline Theology: Paul emphasizes concepts like justification, redemption, and the role of faith in Christ. His writings contribute significantly to the theological foundation of Christianity.
   • Gospel of Thomas: The Gospel of Thomas contains sayings that often focus on hidden knowledge and spiritual insight, aligning more with Gnostic perspectives than the overtly theological emphasis found in Paul's writings.

3. Jesus' Teachings in Canonical Gospels:

   • Unique Emphases: The teachings of Jesus in the canonical Gospels, such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, cover a range of topics including love, forgiveness, the Kingdom of God, and ethical conduct. While some themes may overlap with Thomas, the contexts and nuances can differ.

4. Authorship and Historical Context:

   • Authorship of Thomas: The authorship of the Gospel of Thomas is debated, and attributing it to the brother of Jesus lacks strong historical evidence. Its dating and origin are subjects of scholarly discussion, and it likely emerged from a different theological milieu than the canonical Gospels.

Here are a few examples that highlight the distinctive nature of the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas compared to the teachings found in canonical Gospels and Pauline writings:

1. Example of Hidden Knowledge:

   • Gospel of Thomas (Logion 2): "Jesus said, 'Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All.'"
     • This saying emphasizes the seeking of hidden knowledge that leads to a higher state of understanding.

2. Example of Gnostic Themes:

   • Gospel of Thomas (Logion 114): "Simon Peter said to him, 'Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life.' Jesus said, 'I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.'"
     • This saying introduces a Gnostic theme of transcending gender for spiritual enlightenment, reflecting a departure from traditional Christian teachings.

3. Example of Spiritual Insight:

   • Gospel of Thomas (Logion 3): "Jesus said, 'If those who lead you say to you, "See, the Kingdom is in the sky," then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, "It is in the sea," then the fish will precede you.'"
     • This saying encourages a deeper, metaphorical understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven, emphasizing spiritual insight over literal interpretations.

It's important to note that the Gnostic flavor in the Gospel of Thomas lies in its emphasis on esoteric knowledge, spiritual transformation, and unique perspectives on gender and salvation. These aspects distinguish it from the more straightforward ethical teachings and narratives found in canonical Gospels and the theological focus of Paul's letters.

The claim that numerous books were considered canon by various Christian groups contradicts the historical reality

Early Christian communities did have some variations in their canons

These statement are at direct odds.

but there was a gradual consensus

There is a gradual consensus recorded by those very same people who won the war. And indeed, it was a war, with deaths and laws and conquerors etc. Certain beliefs were stamped out, written out by law under penalty of death.

How exactly was consensus created? Was it "gradual"? Sure, there is evidence of steps of the people who are commonly quoted, but importantly, there is evidence of different views that were labeled "heretical" during those "gradual" steps as well. Were they truly "heretical," or were they stated as such by the victors? I doubt the numerous people, of which there is substantial historical record that still exists today considered themselves to be heretical. Again, the victors of that war called them heretics, and those same victors wrote the bible its modern day adherents consider "the total and complete truth."

Authorship of 2 Timothy: You suggest uncertainty about the authorship of 2 Timothy (by citing a Wiki page

Wikipedia is useful. You can, from there, dig deeper because they cite their sources. I could have instead gone to the sources, dug that out and quoted it. Would that have made it better for you or would you have instead rolled your eyes at that?

assert it may have been created during the construction of a Church hierarchy

There is no doubt, as far as I have seen, that that was the case. A Church Hierarchy was being created. It was part of the Christian Beliefs war. No one doubts that statement. Why do you?

oversimplifies

All of history is an "oversimplification." But one can put things simply, while appreciating that there is a lot that complicates it. However, the statements I have made have to do with important pieces of evidence that are left out of the narrative of the True Believers. That all by itself should tell you something.

I did not post anything wanting to argue over it. You do what you believe. I don't need any other books!

While it's true that there are numerous ancient texts beyond the 66 books of the Bible, the process of canonization involved careful consideration and theological scrutiny.

By the leaders of specific groups.

It's important to appreciate exactly who was doing the consideration and exactly which "theological scrutiny" was involved. There were a lot of theologies in competition at the time.

The first thing to appreciate, that almost no one does, is that everyone involved of note was from the upper crust of society (call it "top one percent"(ish)). All of the Christian leaders who are quoted were all born into wealth and community power. This is a recurring theme in history, and one that is almost never considered. Information, schooling, etc., were not available to most people. They never have been. You had to born to the right class to have a voice at all. This is how it was in the Jewish community, and how it was in the Roman Empire. The plebeians were just that; ignorant and voiceless. They were controlled by the ruling class who had access to writings, had the training in how to read, and had the time to do so, all of which means wealth, station, and some level of power. The same is true of the leaders of the Christian community.

The decision to include certain books and exclude others was not solely driven by a desire for power and control.

Prove it. It is easy to show that everyone involved was born to the people who already had at least some level of power and control in the community. For those that have power, one of the common motivating factors for action taken is to keep power (or more likely, increase it). There is plenty of evidence that the motivations were to keep power in what actually happened after the fact (see the Constantine Church). Why assume that what resulted wasn't also a part of the motivation?

Early Christian communities sought to preserve teachings consistent with Pauline tradition

FTFY.

There were a metric fuckton of people (according to evidence) that were not in the Pauline camp. They were all killed, or silenced, or their books burned; called "heretics" or "gnostics" or whatever. This is the reality of how the "teachings were made consistent with tradition". The tradition was forced, by bloodshed, ad hominem, and propaganda from those who had power in the community.

The process of canonization aimed at preserving the core tenets of Christianity based on theological criteria of the victors.

FTFY

The exclusion of specific texts does not inherently invalidate the profound individual connection to God that many believers experience.

Perhaps this is because you cannot be disconnected from Source. It is impossible. You can only be convinced to ignore the connection (or misconstrue what it means). Just because I think there was fuckery in the "Christianity" we got doesn't mean there is no truth in there. The best lies are built on the Truth. It is made a lie not by stating non-truths, but by leaving important things out,. and giving a narrative overlay that matches with your design.

That is how the news is run today (on both sides). There is plenty of evidence that suggests that is how the world has always been run. Why assume it was any different then when the results were exactly the same in the case of the development of Christianity (consolidation of power through control of beliefs).