Why did Paul persecute Christians before he was saved?

Les explains that before his salvation, Paul was a religious zealot. He sincerely believed that by stamping out anything that referred to Jesus of Nazareth in Israel, he was doing the God of Abraham a service. God suddenly stopped him on the road to Damascus, and later, while Saul was blind in Damascus, the Lord spoke to Ananias, telling him to go to the street called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus, who was praying. Saul had seen a vision of Ananias coming to put his hands on him so he might receive his sight. Ananias was to understand that Saul was being made ready for something special.