Should we leave politics to the politicians? 

Regular Network Norwich and Norfolk columnist Philip Young encourages us to get involved in politics, and not simply leave leadership to the politicians

Within a year Donald Trump could be President of the United States of America and Boris Johnson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
 
It is certainly not a boring time in politics, although I have a feeling everyone is going to get very tired of both campaigns. Many people are already turned right off from politics
 
I believe passionately that we should all be interested, and for the reason that what happens in these two elections, as in every election, has an effect on us all. Politics is far too important a matter to be left to politicians
 
I start from the spiritual belief that we are all connected with one another. I am part of everyone else and what I believe and how I act effects the whole. I believe that we are all part of the environment and that the environmental crisis is a spiritual crisis. We have lost our connection. When we become disconnected from one another and from nature then we are in grave danger of ruining our planet and fighting with one another in a state of perpetual war
 
What we need is to have leaders who can help us see our connections with one another and lead us to more peace, more justice and more caring for our environment. We are all in this together and so the more we are brought together to solve our common problems a saner place the world becomes
 
Madness is to vote for anybody who is going to divide us and put up walls. The last thing we need in our world is more division between peoples. The thought of a new wall between Mexico and the United States or the thought that Britain can stand alone against Europe or the rest of the world fills me with horror – this is exactly what we need to avoid. We are all in this together and together we need to solve our problems
 
What else should we be looking for in ourselves and in our politicians? I would like us to be talking about love, compassion and kindness. I want this to extend not just to people in my own country, but also to the whole world community
  
There is so much suffering in the world, and it is up to all of us to change what is happening. The people of Europe are obliged to offer sanctuary to those who are fleeing from civil war in Syria and other countries. It is far better that we do this together as a European Community and World Community than to retreat back to an island mentality
  
I believe in God and I am a Christian. I believe that God is Father of all the people in the world and that all men are my brothers and all women are my sisters.  God loves us all whatever faith we have or don’t have.  His love is for all his creatures, human and other creatures too. The sooner we know and feel our unity and oneness, the sooner our problems will be eased. Tackling them together we can bless the earth. Pulled apart by hatred and divided by walls we are all likely to perish and die
  
In this very moment we can choose life and to know our connection with one another. If you doubt it then go for a walk and open your eyes. Look at the beauty all around you and feel the connection between all living and non-living beings

Now is the time when we can wake up and know that we are one with the great ‘I am’
 
As a Christian I believe in resurrection and that means that the love and the life, which is in us all, is stronger than any hate or death. I believe in miracles -the miracle of life, which is all around us and within

Philip is an Anglican, Quaker, and a member of the Third Order of Franciscans. He moved to Felixstowe in April 2015. Until July 2014 he was the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Norwich Diocese. He is now a freelance writer on spiritual and political matters. He is available to give talks, presentations or to preach, and has Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Norwich. He can be contacted at philipyoung@btinternet.com

The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users

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reproduced from Network Norwich and Norfolk and used with permission