The JW Governing Body is no more "spirit directed" than the Pope is. They actually admit it from time to time, but express it by talking out of both sides of their mouth at the same time. This is so as to deceive Watch Tower followers who are too dumb to see through the subterfuge.
The term "spirit directed" implies active direction from the "spirit". Passive direction is meaningless, i.e., reading the spirit-inspired Bible and trying to apply its cousel does not in any way imply active direction from "Jehovah's holy spirit".
The GB's claims about being spirit-directed depend on a deliberate confusion between active and passive direction. Passive direction by the holy spirit means reading the holy-spirit-inspired Bible, and then interpreting and applying what it says. Active direction means that God actively causes one to perfectly interpret and apply what the Bible says, or that one is actually being inspired by God through God putting in one's mind information that did not originate in one's mind. Since no one can perfectly interpret and apply what the Bible says, passive spirit-direction is meaningless. And since the GB has repeatedly admitted that it is neither inspired nor infallible, they admit that they do not receive active spirit-direction.
The Watch Tower Society has repeatedly argued that the spirit-direction claimed by other Christian sects is faulty, and therefore is a faulty form of passive spirit-direction. Yet it also argues that the Governing Body (and earlier JW leaders) have always been spirit-directed, with the implied claim that this spirit-direction has been active and perfect. So, while condemning this claim by "Christendom", they embrace it for themselves -- even while knowing, and occasionally admitting, that their spirit-direction is passive and quite imperfect. That's how they talk out of both sides of their mouth.
AlanF
