Dear Jamshid,
reading you I can guess that my mistake in due to one of the distortions that come from "being distant and separated from the original culture".
Of course I was not meaning a "religious guide". I was taught by my ex master, and of course his mistake was not volunteer. What this term meant for us was " the one who is teaching you to search for a inner dimension", through meditation, breathing, and also exchanging ideas, someone who help you think differently.
For me is amazing to think that everyone can be a spiritual guide for himself/herself, but thinking back you're right!