I have decided to call it the “tax collector complex.”
In Jesus’s time, the tax collector was like the “king of sinners,” the worst of the worst of the worst. Jews found them repulsive. They are even treated as their own special category (Jesus was asked “why do your followers eat with tax collectors and sinners?”).
Because of what it says in the Bible? No. Did some of them steal off the top? Of course, the Bible says they did. Did all of them? That’s highly unlikely.
They were repulsive to Pharisees but that’s absolutely and unequivocally about culture wars (the tax collectors collaborated with the Romans). That’s why Jesus told the story of the Pharisee who prayed “thank you that I’m not like that tax collector over there” … because that’s how repulsed they were.
Even if you believe homosexuality is a sin (which I do NOT, I believe homosexuality is an orientation you are born with, it is actions that can be sinful or not), why are people so hyper focused on it? The tax collector complex. That’s the only reasonable explanation.
Here’s a simple example. We offer plenty of grace regarding divorce and remarriage (which Jesus clearly called adultery, which by the way is in the 10 commandments), but there are folks who offer NO grace at all about being queer (which Jesus never mentions at all, EVER, and it’s NOT in the 10 commandments). I am not saying we should condemn divorce, not at all. I’m saying offering grace about divorce and remarriage, but not about being queer, can simply NOT be justified biblically. It’s culture wars, plain and simple.
I debated with Nigerian pastors over their views condemning the actions of General Conference. I kept asking, if they believed homosexuality is a sin and they also believe polygamy is a sin, then why were they so offended that we simply neutralized language in the Discipline about homosexuality, but they never, EVER insist on filling the Discipline with harmful language about polygamy?
They never could answer my question. Of course they can’t … because the only justification for the difference in attitude is the “tax collector complex.” I told them they were comfortable dealing with their own social issues regionally, but they were refusing to allow us to do the same.
