There was a recent thread here which covered the subject of the GB claiming to be “spirit directed” (and not actually “inspired” by the holy spirit). By now, most of us are quite aware that this is just a play with words to excuse themselves whenever one of their false doctrines is debunked (by someone using the Bible or their own publications). But when you think of it, “spirit-directed” is actually more presumptuous than “spirit-inspired”.
That being said, I’d really like to draw attention to the fact that the WT continuously claims that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has NEVER claimed to be inspired by God (through his holy spirit). In fact, one of my last conversations with an elder (when I was active) regarding 607-1914, 1935 and other doctrines led this elder to tell me the very same thing. His exact words: “You have to remember, these are imperfect men and they NEVER claimed to be inspired.”
However, this is completely FALSE… They did in fact claim to be inspired by the holy spirit (and also claimed to be God’s prophet) in this May 15, 1955 Watchtower (pages 305 and 308):
Page 305…
16 From the many recorded experiences we next observe that the official “Word” transmits the message either by means of an angelic messenger who appears face to face or by the use of God’s holy spirit to inspire the next agent in the line of communication . On special occasions even the Word himself might appear in a face-to-face interview with the next agent. Who, generally, is the next agent? For supernatural communications that reach the earth the agent (generally a human, although once the ass of Balaam was used) is referred to Biblically a prophet if he is a male servant of God or a prophetess if a woman. The prophet, in turn, speaks out the communication as God’s spokesman on earth. He publishes it to the many whom God intends to hear it if other than a single person is being specifically addressed. The prophet then becomes the immediate earthly channel through which the waters of lifegiving truth are conveyed to earth’s thirsting residents. Thus Jehovah’s earthly channel of communication is identified. The earthly channel is either a prophet or a collective prophetlike organization .
Page 308…
TRUE Christianity as a revealed religion relies fully upon all the progressive revelations of Jehovah’s sacred pronouncements communicated to the earth from the time of Adam to that of the apostle John. Additionally we see how God has provided his Christian servants from Pentecost, A.D. 33, forward with a reliable channel of guidance for the understanding of these amazing revelations of his will and purposes. From the prophetic shadows to the actual realities we observe that this God-provided channel for Christians is the collective congregation of anointed ones who serve as a prophetlike organization under the leadership of its communicating head, Christ Jesus . –Eph 5:23
Yes you read correctly… they can blame these 1955 Watchtower articles on Whacky Freddy all day long if they wish to, but the WT did publish that the GB is in fact inspired by the holy spirit.
So if any of you “lurkers” had any doubt about this, I invite you to go back to your Watchtower CD and verify this for yourselves.