Lurkers and JWs: Would you use this Doctor?

AuldSoul

Would You Choose This Doctor?
Suppose you and I both live in a very small town. I am well connected with everyone in town, they all know and respect me as an authority on medicine. I've been giving medical advice for some years without actually starting up a practice. I finally hang a shingle that says I am a doctor and you bring your sick child to me, with a small rash on the throat and redness in the cheeks.
Barely even looking at your child, I start off by saying, "Your child has small pox." You express grave concern, obviously, and I start telling you about the treatment plan for small pox. You take out pencil and paper to make sure you don't miss a word. As I talk, I'm studying your child inquisitively.
Suddenly, just as you have the details of the treatment down, I say, "Hold it! Nope, you were wrong, it's not small pox at all. It is scarlet fever. Yes, I am sure of it. Every indication points to this as the correct diagnosis of this patient."
You protest meekly, "But...I didn't say it was small pox. You said it was small pox."
I puff out my chest and put my thumbs behind my suspenders and say, "Yes. Scarlet fever. It sure is a good thing you brought your child to me, who knows what you might have caused giving a scarlet fever patient a treatment regimine for small pox. It's a good thing I caught that blunder. Of course, I also make mistakes. I'm not infallible, you know." I then proceed to relate the treatment requirements for scarlet fever. You busy yourself hurriedly trying to scratch out the regimine for small pox and start writing the treatment for scarlet fever. You begin to notice the treatment is almost identical. In fact, it is identical. Then, on the last step of the regimine, I simply changed what time of day you apply the treatment.
You grumble a bit that I could have saved you a lot of trouble by just saying that only the timing changed.
I remove my thumbs from the suspenders and walk over curiously, "Let me see what you wrote there." I take your pencil and paper, scratching out bits with a frustrated air, "No, you got that wrong, and that wrong, and that wrong. What in blazes are you trying to do, kill the child?"
"I only wrote what you told me to write," you say, with a bit more conviction this time.
I condescendingly reply, "No, no, no, that was for the small pox, your child has —scar-let feeee-ver— don't you get it?" Then I tell you what to replace for the bits I scratched out. "And, you were off on the time, too." With a resigned sigh, you take your pencil and wait.
I wait.
You wait.
I raise my eyebrows, which prompts you to say, "The time? You said you were off on the time?"
I reply knowingly, "Ah, yes, the time. Yes, you were off on the time. You have to be very careful about that sort of thing, you know. No, with scarlet fever, which this definitely is, you don't know a specific time to apply the treatment."
"Well," you begin, losing patience and growing more confused, "how do you know when to apply it."
"Apply what?" I say, as though snapped from a brief reverie by your question.
"How do you know when to APPLY THE TREATMENT FOR SCARLET FEVER?" you ask testily.
"Now, listen here! I'm the doctor, you've no call to talk to me that way! I won't stand for it. If you don't apologize I will throw you out of here."
More calmly, you feign unfelt humility, "I apologize, it is my child's life I'm talking with you about and I'm not feeling as though you actually care what happens to my child."
I smile imperiously, "Yes, that's better. Scarlet fever treatment must be applied when you see the rash on the upper leg break out. Or is it the upper arm? No, it's both. I'm absolutely sure of it. If you don't watch for that your child will probably die. Start giving plenty of fluids when that rash appears."
You look at your list, bewildered, "Uh, Doctor...the, um, list doesn't say anything about fluids."
I say, "That's because you didn't write it down."
You respond, "Well, where does it go in the list?"
"List? What list?"
You finally get fed up, "Doctor, I can't believe they let you get a medical degree. I would be better of buying a book on medicine and teaching myself."
I retort, "I don't know what you are so upset about. I never claimed to be a MEDICAL doctor, I'm just a doctor in the sense that I tell people what is wrong with them and help them get better. Besides, I told you 'I also make mistakes. I'm not infallible...' so you really have only yourself to blame."
"But," you rail at him, "the shingle outside SAYS you are a Doctor! That's the only reason I came here in the first place, was for trustworthy medical advice!"
I rock back on my heels and cross my arms, "That's enough! I've had it! You'll be a pariah in this town after I'm done with you. You DARE to call my medical advice into question? I never once claimed to be a MEDICAL doctor. I SAID I can make mistakes. I was completely up front with you about it. If you call my medical advice into question again you will be exiled from this town. Not a soul in town will speak to you. Now are you ready to listen to my advice or not?"
Would you trust me as source of medical advice? Would you try to warn other people against me as a source of medical advice?
Well, I think you know of a source of spiritual guidance that states, "We are not INSPIRED by holy spirit. But we are God's Channel of communication. We are not infallible; we can make mistakes, but if you DARE to challenge our understanding of spiritual things you will be exiled."
Don't you know of a source of spiritual guidance like that? Would you trust them?
AuldSoul

BlackSwan of Memphis

It seems like a person who has their power of reason would read this and look at what the WTS has offered and would get it.

Great post.

meagan

jst2laws

I never once claimed to be a MEDICAL doctor. I SAID I can make mistakes. I was completely up front with you about it. If you call my medical advice into question again you will be exiled from this town.

translation of allegory imparted:

We never claimed to be inspired, what we say is not perfect. But if you disagree with what we print we will disfellowship you.

Steve

LDH

Well, I think you know of a source of spiritual guidance that states, "We are not INSPIRED by holy spirit. But we are God's Channel of communication. We are not infallible; we can make mistakes, but if you DARE to challenge our understanding of spiritual things you will be exiled."
Don't you know of a source of spiritual guidance like that? Would you trust them?

"Honest Abe's Used Cars"

This is the Marketing Campaign of the WBTS. Always having to flash their own 'credentials.'

How do you suppose you are the channel of communication from God if you are not inspired? I'm not inspired. Perhaps I am the channel of communication!

bebu

How do you suppose you are the channel of communication from God if you are not inspired? I'm not inspired. Perhaps I am the channel of communication!

Great illustration, and great comment here.

bebu