Comfortably numb

So I heard a radio commercial today for a dentist. But not just any dentist. No, this one was special.

Not only could he fix your teeth, but he will sedate you so that all your dental work can be down in one sitting and without feeling a thing.

Near the end he says, "You wouldn't think of having your tonsils or appendix removed without sedation, so why not your teeth?"

Call me cynical, but this is emblematic of our society, of ourselves. We are eager to wrap ourselves in anything that prevents us from feeling.

Think about your life. The heating/air conditioning keep us from the cold/heat outside, not to mention having to chop wood for the fireplace. We watch TV or read books as a means of escape. Some of our greatest societal ills are the result of trying not to feel anything, or at least only what feels good: Alcohol, drugs or even caffeine, anyone?

And maybe most hypocritically, we insulate ourselves in the church. We have our feel-good songs, our once or twice a week visits for positive reinforcement and more. But we rarely allow ourselves to feel the pain, the hurt and the disappointment from those outside those walls. And the second we do, we run back inside our air-conditioned houses to listen to our Jesus Loves Me music and rest in our easy chair.

It makes me think maybe classic rockers Pink Floyd were on the right track 30 years ago with their song, "Comfortably Numb."

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.