The dentist’s office is truly a torture center.  No matter how punctual I am for the appointment, I am forced to wait and worry as I listen to the sounds of drilling and consider indescribable pains being experienced on the other side of the wall.  Soon my eye begins to twitch.  Then I am seated into an uncomfortable bucket seat, and the agony truly begins.  The hygienist appears to be sweet, or at least she has kind eyes, for her face is covered with a mask and her eyes are behind goggles.  She is quite capable with her instruments of pain.  Methodically and slowly she lances the gums with large needles, scrapes the teeth with razors and sands them with drill bits.  She runs piano cords between my teeth, and asks me to gargle with gasoline. 

 

The dentist comes in to probe the surfaces with pointed screwdrivers, and deliver the bad news.  “Gross debridement.”  Just another term for torture, and I am sure it is a procedure utilized at Guantanamo.  One time they convinced me to endure this procedure, and believe me when I tell you that such is not a pleasant experience.  Imagine razor wire being gouged between your teeth and far into your gums. So, this time I refused.  The dentist and assistant collaborated to try to convince me, to no avail.  She said something to the fact that the little boy in the next room was much more amenable to their procedures, and I responded, “Ignorance is bliss.  Leave my mouth alone.”  She thought a professional, like myself, should show more deportment.  By now my eyes were wild with fear, mouth clenched, and it was pretty clear they were not going to pry my mouth open to insert their mini-chainsaw. The dentist sighed, scribbled what were probably some nasty comments in my file, and walked away. I was thinking, again, of that time as a child when a country dentist proceeded to extract a molar with a pair of pliers.  I’m praying, “God, just please get me out of here.  I promise to floss twice a day, rinse with fluoride, and never again chew ice.”

 

I paid the bill.  I would have written a check for any amount to leave that place.  The office staff all stopped to observe, or so it seemed to me.  I did not care. As I opened the door to the outside, I felt like a bird freed from a cage, or a man set free from prison.  At home I described the ordeal to my wife.  She just rolled her eyes.  So did my secretary.  I guess if you can give birth, then having a hole drilled into your tooth is no big deal.

 

And so, similar is my experience twice a year.  Why can’t they invent a pill for dental health?  A new advertisement in my area touts the advantages of a “sedation dentist” who will put you to sleep before any procedures.  I am afraid he will just paralyze me, and so I will endure all the pain without the ability to cry out in anguish, except for tears in my eyes.

 

Me paranoid?  Irrational fear? No way!  I know taking care of my teeth and going to the dentist is a necessary discipline in my life.  I know dentists and their assistants are just doing their jobs.  I am glad I do not have wooden teeth, like Washington, or false teeth like so many of my elderly friends.  So I go to the dentist twice a year and endure such challenge to my well-being. 

 

Now, how do you feel about church? And preachers?  God?

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posted by: sweetsue (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (6:02 am)

I know the feeling..I really dislike going too..and the wait and the noises..they should pay us for enduring all the stress of waiting and going through it all.
Now..how do I feel about church..well when I am in church..I feel a sense of security,I feel at peace and I love our preacher..he is awesome.As for God..I don't always understand what he expects of me,or my purpose,but he knows best and I am working on that with the help of reading and trying to just be the best I can while here on earth...I like your post Pastor Dave..Wish I could put my thoughts into writing the same as you and surrogate do..Have a great day!

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posted by: mblog (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (7:00 am)

These days, you can actually get pain killers at the dentist's office. They even have nitrous oxide.

Of course, all of that is for total wimps. Or people who have anxiety for perfectly legitimate reasons. There's no reason why anybody should need pain killers just to have a tooth drilled. It's mind over matter.

Pain is the body's way of telling you that something is wrong. But if you know the reason for the pain, and that your body need not act upon it, then there is no reason to let it get to you.

I don't know what this has to do with church, preachers and God, but I suppose I can address that too.

I noticed that you said church with a small "c" so I won't go into how I feel about The Church. Perhaps you are asking about my views on architecture. I'm not really sure. If you want my views on Christian houses of worship in general, I think they serve a valuable role in the lives of many Christians and are an important part of the community. It's that sense of community that's the important part, and The Church is the congregation more than anything else.

Preachers? Again, that depends what you mean. If you mean a person who preaches the Gospel, and if by Gospel, you mean the traditional Christian teachings, then I suppose I generally view preachers as respectable members of the community who serve a valuable role. Since Christianity is a diverse umbrella, I can't say that I view all preachers in equal light. I have no problem with the ones who are open minded and recognize the diversity of religious views, and accept that others have differing views. And I don't expect them to share my views. But I don't think that those who think that most of the world is going to hell for not seeing things their way really understand God.

God? That's a tougher one. Asking how I feel about God is like asking how I feel about anything in existence. It's such an encompassing question that I don't know where to begin.

Now if I have to put all these ideas together, I'd say that dental work is a necessary part of life, and God gave you ways of dealing with things. Sometimes, life gives you a challenge, and sometimes it's mind over matter. God lets you experience pain for a reason. It's a necessary part of life. So is dealing with pain and accepting that it's sometimes necessary.

Childbirth is a good example, because the greater good that comes out of it puts things in perspective. I suppose that there are some women whose reason to avoid pregnancy will be to avoid the pain of childbirth, but I don't expect that to be very many.

As for dental care, the greater good comes from treating your body with respect in the first place. It comes from taking care of yourself and eating right. It comes from avoiding those things that cause dental problems in the first place because self indulgence at the price of your life is never worth it. Dental work might not seem like a life or death issue, but eating right certainly is. Most tooth decay is caused by diet, and improper care. The same diet that causes tooth decay can also cause much worse problems, and failing to care for your body is showing a lack of appreciation for God's gift.

I never thought about it in those terms before, but is a preacher with a pot belly truly showing appreciation for what God gave him?

I'd say that anybody who blames the dentist for those things that he could have avoided is not acknowledging his own shortcomings.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (7:22 am)

Reply to: DeathByGlitter
Spiritual matters sure can be confusing.

Never any major dental work? That is great; you are incredibly blessed. I fear dentists; my heart starts pounding as I approach his/her office. Irrational?

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (7:27 am)

Reply to: mblog
Pretty good, thoughtful response, probably of higher quality than the subject matter!

I do think many view a trip to church or a conversation with a pastor with the same fear that I dread a trip to the dentist. My fear is not warranted. The dentist and the dental procedures are clearly for my well-being. Same with church and God.

I am asking others to examine why they may have a negative attitude toward spiritual matters. Maybe a conscious and concerted effort needs to be made to look at matters from a different perspective?

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (7:30 am)

Reply to: sweetsue
Obviously you do not equate a trip to church with a trip to the dentist. Good. Of course, serving God can sometimes bring along an unpleasant experience. Like the cross.

You are very kind with your compliment. You have a different and I think very effective way of expressing yourself, and you sure promote your blog well. And Surrogate seems a good guy and a fine writer; if I could only get him to swing more toward the conservative spectrum. Oh well.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (7:55 am)

Reply to: userfriendly
You need to get on to see a dentist. It is a necessary pain of life. I have a family of 5, and we do not have dental insurance. We are subscribed to a dental discount plan, and you can find them on the internet. Some are good and some are bad. We pay $7.95 per month. They give us a list of local dentists who go along with their discounted prices. So, we go to a local dentist, and pay prices that are about 40% less than the stated prices. So twice yearly we all get checkups, and whatever else is needed.

While I do not have to use this service, our local association of churches offer a free dental clinic for needful persons. Dentists and assistants volunteer their time, and these guys offer a great help to low-income persons. I would not feel bad about using their services, if needed.

As a church worker, I know of many persons who are nice guys, but avoid church like it was a trip to the dentist. It appears you are not such a person, and that is great.

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (8:34 am)

I have to go next week. -Thanks a lot. (I try so hard to keep it out of mind until the day of my appointment...lol)

Great post!

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posted by: mblog (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (10:35 am)

Reply to: kurtmaddox

My views are best expressed a bit at a time.

When I say I don't expect people to share my views, I'm not saying that I don't want people to share them. I'm merely saying that they don't have to share them.

Had God revealed a certain truth to all peoples of the world at once, then one could argue that we should all have the same practices. But if your world view is different from mine, I can't say it makes you wrong. If you do your best to conduct yourself in a righteous way, that's all I can expect.

I know that's an oversimplification, but it was a general question.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.07.05 (3:25 pm)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
I'll interject a comment. Sure, God reveals truth to varying cultures in different manners. I believe in the progressive revelation of Go. But, His ultimate Truth is unchanging. Jesus Christ. I understand the message of Hebrews & the gospel of John to be exactly this.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.08.05 (8:43 am)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
If you truly believe this, then why do you regularly attend worship in a Christian church? Those folks are worshiping Jesus. Surely you would consider such to either be foolish delusion or, worse, idolatry. If I did not believe Jesus to be God and worthy of my worship, then I would stay far from a true Christian church.

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posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 11.08.05 (12:08 pm)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
But those others are not there for the "Christ consciousness"; they are there to bow their knees to their god, who is Jesus Christ. Do you not look around and think, "These people are deluded. They are offending the true God, or they are deceived and channeling their lives in the wrong direction. Wake up, people. Do something constructive, instead of worshiping a dead god."? I would never be comfortable in a Hindu ceremony or a Mosque, other than maybe a visit out of curiosity or out of invitation from a friend. Of course, I'll never be allowed into a Mosque!

Your mom likes it? Now, that is an excellent reason. Not the best, of course. I tell alot of men, and teens, from time to time that I recognize and appreciate that they attend church basically out of respect for the woman in their lives. I believe Jesus would smile at that, because He loved His mama, too.

Kurt, you're a smart guy and spiritually more sensitive than I in many ways. I won't keep pestering you about this. I just find it to be an interesting inconsistency. And I wonder if maybe you are more in tune with Jesus Christ than your words indicate. That's what I hinted with your sister. By the way, she really needs to get into this blogging.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.08.05 (12:13 pm)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
The last post was from me. Sorry about the "newbie" label.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 11.08.05 (3:16 pm)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
It is a matter of authority. Who will be in charge of your life? You seem to be unwilling to give up that control, to surrender to the authority of a higher being. The ultimate determinant seems to be what Kurt thinks, how Kurt feels. The "leap of faith" into the Lordship of Jesus Christ does not require that you figure it all out, that you understand it all. You love Him and you trust Him.. And you worship Him.

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posted by: bronwynj (reply)
post date: 11.08.05 (10:11 pm)

Kurt, I understand & appreciate your post of Tuesday 11.08.05 [9:46 pm]

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posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 11.09.05 (1:46 am)

Reply to: kurtmaddox
You appear to seek, and appreciate, a simple life. Can't your faith be simple (not your god, of course)?

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posted by: mblog (reply)
post date: 11.09.05 (8:49 am)

Reply to: kurtmaddox

I don't think I would say that. Different things have been revealed to different people at different times. If there were an "ultimate" truth that had been revealed, then somebody would have all the answers. I don't think there can be an ultimate truth without an ultimate understanding.

However, there is a lot of convergence. If somebody says you should love your neighbor because Jesus said so, it's hard to argue that it's a bad idea or that Jesus didn't say so. If somebody else points out what Leviticus says, or what Rabbi Hillel said before Jesus came along, then what does it do to the message? There will be some who will argue that it could not have been Jesus' idea since others said it first. But that misses the point. If Jesus was preaching something that was consistent with contemporary Jewish teachings, that should not have been surprising, but expected. If both claim that the message is from God, then there's no real conflict or contradiction. And if you accept Jesus as your Lord, then the idea that it predates Jesus but still comes from God makes no sense either. It's essentially all from God in that case, and it's merely being revealed to more people.

If I point to teachings of Confucius or Buddha or Herodotus, it would still not lessen the meaning of the teaching, but strengthen it.

If you believe that God is responsible for everything, then God is responsible for those teachings in other cultures too.

Likewise, values such as honoring parents, not murdering or stealing, are fairly universal. Even cannibals understand it, believe it or not.

Of course there are those who don't believe in God who accept the same notions about these teachings. But if you do believe in God, then it's still reasonable to say that God is responsible for those views. And if you don't, you can say it's part of human nature.

But what is nature? Suppose an atheist told me that nature is responsible for everything, and I said I don't believe in nature. I could say that there's no proof that nature exists just because you attribute things to nature, since you can't show me nature. You can point to a tree or a waterfall and say that these are all examples of nature's work and nature is all around us. I could say that they are all examples of God's work and God is all around us. I could further point out that I've seen and heard ideas about nature and they conflict each other. I've heard that nature is a mother. I've seen her picture in books and on TV commercials. Yet others deny her physical existence as a being. If the ideas of nature are so contradictory, they cannot be true. The atheist might point out that some of the views are metaphorical, and even if people misunderstand nature, it's a sign that people are misinformed, not that nature does not exist. The parallel argument is obvious.

If I follow this argument to its logical conclusion, I could say that nature is just the atheist's word for God and the works of God. But since those who believe in God use the word too, and see nature as God's creation, the atheist is just using different words to describe God's creation. So ultimately, the most diametrically opposed justification for a teaching may be a lot closer to another justification than people realize.

We live in a world with truths. We also live in a world with myths and legends. We have people with an anthropomorphic view of God, and those with an entirely spiritual view of God. But if all of these ultimately lead to a convergence of ideas, then those can be seen as truths.

There are also widely held religious notions that do not cross all societies. If one group has no prohibition against eating food that's not kosher, and another group has no problems with birth control, that does not invalidate the beliefs of the other group. It merely means that different things were presented to different groups for different reasons. They may not be universal in nature, or they may be misunderstood. But I don't think that's something that happened by chance. There's a reason that each group has its set of rules. And even in the case where there may be a misunderstanding, and even if it exists for hundreds or thousands of years, there's a reason that the truth about it becomes clear at certain times. Earlier times were just not appropriate given the state of the world. Whether you say that it's God's will, or just based on the state of human knowledge at the time, it doesn't matter. They may both be true.

If there is an ultimate truth to be revealed, it will happen when the world is ready for it and people can accept it. Some people think it will be when the messiah comes, or returns. Others have different ideas. All I know is that we are not there yet.

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posted by: preceptlady (reply)
post date: 11.10.05 (4:46 pm)

Jesus said"I am the way, the truth and the Life and NO ONE comes to the Father except by ME".

Seems to me there is no other way, no other authority, no other Truth, no other right way....He is the ONLY way.

His Truth is exactly that..Truth..anything else is false.

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posted by: fish_hfd (reply)
post date: 06.29.07 (8:22 pm)

It's nice

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