DATA-DOG: The rank and file have a stewardship " in a sense " and all the responsibility of stewards, just none of the perks.
Good catch!
Did you notice the article linked these traits with stewards: Faithful, trustworthy, authority and responsibility.
Now in the real world, authority and responsibility are intrinsically linked. It is axiomatic that a person should not be held responsible for things over which they have no authority or control. Similarly, when a person is granted a measure of authority they need to handle it responsibly.
Note that in this particular WT study the word "authority" is only used once. It appears in paragraph 4 in the context of discussing a stewards role in a household in "ancient times." It is immediately after the reference to the FDS in paragraph 3 and immediately before a discussion of the role of elders and other overseers in the congregation.
Notable is the fact that the word "responsibility" and related forms appear thirteen times in the article! This is grossly disproportionate.
It's a subtle but powerfully manipulative trick on the part of the writers of this article. They are clearly re-asserting the unbalanced relationship between the GB and the R&F in the organization. The GB have authority. They delegate a measure of that to the elders and other overseers. The unwashed masses of R&F JWs are expected to be faithful, trustworthy and responsible, but they have no authority, none.
Let's be clear: If you're a JW, you are a slave. In fact, you are a "good-for-nothing slave." - (ibid, p. 11. para. 9).
