Proverbs 31:8-9

Alistair Johnson considers the Hunger Games and it's reflection of life

Alistair Johnson

I wonder how many of us have joined the queue for a ticket for the next installment of the Hunger Games. Catching Fire has been getting rave reviews recently and has taken the box office by storm. The latest film fuses together a reality-type show of Celebrity Get me Out of Here, the horror of Lord of the Flies, the threatening scrutiny of Orwell's 1984, and the glamour of Dancing on Ice, all in one.

The next installment sees more cruel deaths, more soul searching and more revolution. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta begin on the tour of districts as previous winners and begin to see what takes place outside their world. As they travel around the district they see the sparks of a revolution beginning to take hold with the people. The Capitol cannot have this happening and they realise that Katniss is a central figure in the rebellion and has become the figure of the cause.

Katniss and Peeta find themselves forced to become pawns in the game of the Capitol and their mentor, Haymitch, says it best when he says 'From now on, your job is to be a distraction so that people forget what the real problems are'. The film is an incredible portrayal of the world we live in.

Maybe we think that the harsh reality of the world of the Hunger Games is far removed from ours but at some point we all like to watch reality TV where we laugh at the expense of others and begin to feel better about ourselves.

Watching the Foodbank debate recently I was really moved by the behaviour of our MPs. The chamber was empty and the sneering MPs seemed to treat the debate with a minimal amount of importance. Here are some quotes from it:

Roger Williams (Con): "Foodbanks have come rather late to my constituency, but I really welcome them."

Another MP claimed the Government was doing everything it could:

Robert Halfon, Con: "No one denies that there is a problem, but...the Government is doing everything possible to alleviate it."

Don't get me wrong I support the work of the Stoke-On-Trent Foodbank but there should be no need for a Foodbank. It is about time we became advocates of this. Foodbanks shouldn't have to exist, but they are a last resort. Our MPs should see an issue here.

Just as Katniss did in the Hunger Games: Catching Fire, it is important that we do as it says in Proverbs 31:8-10

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

These words can speak to the Church in its current place. Let's find our voice and use it.