To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers,evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 18:9-14
I’d like to think that when I see parables and stories about the Pharisees and humble sinners, that I’m more like the humble sinners. The reality, though, is that I’m much more like the Pharisees and this even spills over into my nerdom. I have a confession to make: I’m a Pharisaic nerd.
If I were the Pharisee in this parable, I might sound something like this:
“God, I thank you that I am not like other nerds – Renaissance Faire enthusiasts, World of Warcraft players, Dungeons and Dragons groups – or even like this anime fan. I watch sports twice a week and don’t live in my mother’s basement.”
I am definitely a Pharisaic nerd; I have been for quite some time. I once worked at a video game store in a mall. My coworkers and I were always grateful that there was a Games Workshop in the mall with us because that meant we weren’t the nerdiest store. As long as we had Games Workshop to look down on, it meant that we weren’t that bad; Games Workshop gave us the opportunity to say, “At least we’re not like them.” And I may not work at the video game store anymore, but I still have the same attitude.
I like Star Wars, Star Trek, comics, video games, Battlestar Galactica, computers, Firefly and Celine Dion. I have plenty of nerdclinations of which I can be ashamed. But, even though I consider myself a giant nerd, at least I don’t like anime…or cosplaying…or Civil War reenactments…or Everquest…or Stargate: Atlantis. I’m like that Pharisee, standing in the temple of nerdom, thanking God that there are people nerdier and more obsessive than me.
That’s not really a fair attitude, though, and obviously Jesus doesn’t like it that much. If we draw the parallel out even further, it’s the anime fans that end up justified and probably goes home with the pretty girl. While me, the Pharisaic nerd, ends up at home alone, eating Top Ramen and watching the Star Trek reboot alone for the 50th time.
Even if that was me, though, sitting at home alone staring into Chris Pine’s dreamy blue eyes, I’d still have my pride; I’d be more than happy to watch Star Trek than something about an animated monster chasing school girls.
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