Dear Mr Gordon
All Creationists are fundamentalists. Intelligent Designists are fundamentalists and Creationists. Time is irrelevant in the Creationist story, be it 6,000 or 10,000 or hundreds of millions of years. We are talking about a process, that being instant fully formed animals, Creation as opposed to a single replicating something imbued with the potential to radiate out and become every form of life as seen in the fossil record. Same God, different modus operandi.
As an aside, is 10,000 years starting to replace the 6,000 years of Creation? This could be something interesting to keep an eye on. I guess there is a mathematically impossible premiss behind 6,000 years and growing a population from Adam and Eve then repopulating after the extinction event in Noah's time.
Yes, it is a good thing to stay away from party politics. As for JWs refusing to vote - this is no different than Sharia law. The right to vote took thousands of years and millions of lives to achieve. One may vote informal if not wishing to support any political group or for the best of several dreadful candidates, because the principle of voting far outweighs pseudo-religious beliefs.
'no part of this world' I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. John 17:14-16
This does not refer to the generality of running the affairs of humankind, though any right-minded person should avoid politics as though it were ebola.
One of the meanings is this - Those who hear and understand the word of Jesus are no longer attracted to the material aspects of the world. They already live for the spiritual dimensions of their lives, uncorrupted by material possessions and desire. They should not be removed to your God's kingdom but rather protected in this life from the evil one (their ego and material desire). They already dwell in love of God, detached from the material and transient trappings of this life.
'not part of this world' is a spiritual state and has nothing to do with being educated, or working in the legal, medical or educational systems of this world. Sure, politics is corrupt and to be avoided at all cost. Many JWs become tradespeople, builders etc, how is this not part of the world?
The words of John become meaningless when applied in the manner in which the JWs have used them.
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