28 April – Andrew Bulmer, Life Church Petersfield

Leaders

The prophet Samuel living over 3,000 years ago in ancient Israel conceded to the people’s wish to have a King. However he warned them saying that although this may seem an attractive arrangement, kingship would end in disaster and you, the people, will be exploited. Among many other injustices the king ‘will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers’.

Fast forward to Queen Elizabeth II. Power now lies not with her Majesty but with us the people, through those we elect to represent us. Far from the monarch exploiting us, her governments aim to manage our desires with cheap money. Loans are procured both at a national and individual level to ensure that we enjoy a ‘good’ life; plenty of wine and olives in fact!

In support of this is an accumulation of ‘things’, resulting in natural resources being exploited and bio systems seriously disturbed with the leftovers from the table of our appetites, dumped.

So, come May 6th how should we approach the opportunity to elect our people’s representatives?

Firstly, with gratefulness, since it is a better option than being ruled by tyrants!

Secondly, we can assess each candidate’s position on our current economic model. Have they done any thinking on how we can arrange our world differently or is it just to be the same, and the more the better?

Thirdly, how should we do politics? Favours for courtiers as Samuel warned, and as we are learning about in the latest lobbying scandal, or open transparent people-orientated politics? Ask the questions.