Tuckenie on Cultural Lies: The Apology

Dear Sir,

I had a crazy week. A really crazy week. I'm sure compared to your's it was nothing but for me I think I grew a lot and that pains me considering my birthday is coming up. At my school we had a 24/3 prayer initiative that united several Christian campus ministries together and it was simply incredible. Communing with God is always a great experience but somehow this week was different for me. I didn't feel closer to the Lord specifically and I didn't see anything radical take place that most people would be impressed with. Rather I think I grew in my understanding of God's heart. Just a little bit mind you. I still have a long way to go. But I have to do something now. Something I find difficult but necessary.

I have to apologize to you Mr. President.

See I don't particularly like you. I'm sure you're a great guy outside of Washington and I bet you're great at BBQ's but I find many of your policies to be close minded and negative. I don't particularly want to get into anything specific but suffice to say I'm not exactly voting Republican in November.

Yet I see the media coverage of the world right now and I can't help but think that somewhere we've gone wrong. I'm not just talking about Iraq or Afghanistan or 9/11 or Bill Clinton or that time Andrew Jackson brought a bull-whip to a duel. I'm talking about how we approach issues and inform each other. Everything seems biased these days. It seems like our entire culture is based on cynicism and power struggles. Nobody can be allowed to get an edge so as much mud is slung as possible to avoid an upsetting to the balance of power. It's like we don't even remember the point of government anymore. It's not about public service anymore it's about getting one over on the opposition.

I see this and I see how I approach you. I see what you're faced with. The other night I was praying for you and I was confronted with just a taste of the pressures you have to bear. I saw the darkness that threatens your soul and the hounding of a world driven by greed and instant gratification. I can cook a hotdog in thirty seconds Mr. President so how come our boys aren't home yet? It's like we don't even remember that it took six years for our own independence to be won. You have people crying out for your blood and declaring you to be the ultimate representation of evil. It's as if they think that will change your mind. I don't blame you anymore sir. I'd refuse to listen to people saying those things about me as well.

This is what we've driven ourselves to in this country. We believe in freedom of speech, as long as you aren't saying something people don't like. We believe in the freedom to practice our chosen religion, as long as it doesn't offend the other people present. We believe torture is wrong, until our security is threatened. We believe the press is free to do whatever it wants, including destroying our lives.

Yet do we have free speech when Satan controls the words? Do we have a free press when the dollar controls the content? Is a religion free when it devotes itself to politics?

Something else is needed in this country Mr. President and it is needed now starting with you. We need God sir, and if you want to show yourself to be the leader you claim to be then you can start on your knees crying out to him. The time for this hatred and despair has been too long and we need to turn to something only the greatest of men reach for, love. God is found in love and that's what I plan on showing to you for now on. I don't agree with you and I won't vote for you, but I will respect and love you George W. Bush. And I will pray for you. I will pray that the light of wisdom and knowledge will reach you. I will pray that your heart will embrace the love it needs. I will pray that prophetic words guided by love will reach your ears. I will pray protection over your thoughts and actions and that you will be blessed with success. I will pray these things for you not only because your blessings are our country's but also because I sense you really need someone who prays for you out of love and not because of your agenda. I believe you and all our other leaders have been corrupted by a spirit of darkness that must be cleansed for our country to heal. And I believe the only answer to the problems gripping our world are the servants of the most high crying out for him to move across the land and declare his kingdom.

I apologize to you for breaking one of the greatest commandments for I have not loved you as myself or as Christ loves me. I ask only for your grace and forgiveness.

Flying with Christ,

Vallen C. Tucker ><>

Random Postage

And for this week's example of "What's wrong with the world?"



Collective head slap anyone?

In other news, I hate midterms.

In other other other news, one day you may be driving around in this:

* I think Fever Pitch get's my award for most underrated movie of the last few years. Seriously, it's on the movie channels everyday and whenever I catch a glimpse of it, especially the end, I like it more. And there are few movies I can say that about.

* I definatly CAN'T say that about Fantastic Four. Every time it's on-which is a LOT-a small part of me dies inside.

* New Real Time Strategy game called HALO WARS is coming. From the makers of Age of Empires. I may need to lie down.

Derek Webb is my hero.

Derek Webb - In his words.lyrics from the new album "Mockingbird"

there are two great lies that i've heard: the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him -from A King & A Kingdom

peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication it's like telling someone murder is wrong and then showing them by way of execution -from My Enemies Are Men Like Me

are we defending life when we just pick and choose lives acceptable to lose and which ones to defend -from Love Is Not Against The Law

don't teach me about moderation and liberty, i prefer a shot of grape juice -from A New Law

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man, my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood it's to a king & a kingdom -from A King & A Kingdom

come on and follow Me, but sell your house, sell your suv, sell your stocks, sell your security and give it to the poor -From Rich Young Ruler

Iron Man Will Be...

Robert Downey, Jr

Congratulations if you saw that coming, because you're the only one. And if this turns out to be wrong, blame Ain't It Cool News. Good choice though. Gutsy, but good.

Political Memos

* Dear Democrats: Nobody is winning anything in November if you keep harping on one topic instead of introducing some new ideas we can get behind. I know you hate the war. We ALL know. We get it. No Iraq for the democrats. You want our troops home. Good for you. Now how about telling us your wonderful plans for life after that? Oh and about your money... it sure is a good thing you aren't wasting cash fighting another democrat in Conneticut.

* Dear President Bush: You know what? To hell with National Security. No really. At some point the cost for security will get to high and that line is with torture. This isn't about protecting our troops. It's not about our freedom and safety. It's about what is morally right and wrong. We really have to get into a huge debate over the Geneva convention about this? How about we get to the point where we decide it's better to be morally right then it is to have an image of toughness. We're just handing away everything that makes this country great to these psychos and you're the one doing it.

Tuckenie on Cultural Lies: What's Really Wrong With You

Every now and then the hike get's long and I face a dry space of shallow grayness. I see the bright yellow of the dawn and I know that the light of truth is within reach and yet I can't help but marvel at the grayness of a world staring at itself in constant self reflection. Too fat. Too old. Too wrinkly. Too skinny. Not sweet enough. Too rough. What do they think of me? Why did I do that? Why am I still single? When will this feeling go away? It's my fault. It's me. They don't like me.... ARGGGGH!!!

The culture will tell you there's something wrong with you. It has to. It needs you. Consumption is based on neccessity. Without you there's nobody to buy all the little trinkets. Without anyone buying the little trinkets people don't make money. So therefore you must be convinced that you need something. What better way than to tell you there's something wrong with you? Only it's not just on the physical level anymore. It cannot stay just on the physical level. Because if it was all about your body you'd just go work out, get addicted to adrenaline and your problem would be over. No it's a mental, spiritual issue as well. Mankind's greatest fear is of being alone. It's the ultimate response to separation from God. The ultimate lie. He doesn't want you. Why would he want you? Look at you. You're so pathetic. Such a loser. Not like that guy over there. He's got it together. Only deep down inside, he has the same lie being told to him. Nobody has everything together. Nobody is perfect. Show me someone who has their life worked out with no worries and no stress and I'll show you a man who is dead. Maybe not physically but spiritually yes.

Why would he not want you? Your personality? Of course. That's the problem. Somewhere in the course of your life you decided to be a loser. You know what that day was? When you decided to be different. When you became someone who isn't like everyone else. How dare you like reading comics? Who wants to watch Gilmore Girls? Only guys like to play video games. Rats are filthy, disgusting creatures. Stick to your own race. There's no hope for you because what YOU did is unforgiveable. Christians must be Republican. It's your fault. What's wrong with YOU?! Lies! ALL LIES!!!

God does not create "ugly". God does not create "loser". The culture does. And then the "counter" culture agrees, just as much a slave to neccessity as what it claims to reject. The culture is jealous because it does not understand. You are creation. You were not meant to belong to anyone or thing but your creator. There is nothing wrong with you. You were created to be this. Anything less would be an insult to the one who breathed life into you. The greatest of sins. The undoing of creation. You are the greatest work of art. The ultimate character. The roads you cross lead to the new and unique. The paths you cross change lives. Your impact is eternal. You send shockwaves with your words, create new plotthreads with your choices. It's neverending and unconstrained. You are exactly who you are supposed to be. And God loves you. That is the point. That is the truth. He loves you and he likes you. And for that, the culture will continue to hate you.

It will suck away your life like color from a palette. Fill you with lies and cram your world with darkness. It hates creation and must hate you. You are different and therefore spell its death. For the culture has been birthed in death, and you bring life. The culture is of this world and you are not. Therefore it will attack you. It will lie to you. Stand firm in truth. Stand firm in love. Go deeper into the light. Be yourself. For you are a child of the living God. The Lord of creation. The beginning and the end. And you are beautiful. Luminous. Magnificant. And not alone. NEVER alone.

The journey continues and I move on. I know I shall see this again, I just pray they'll be more light next time.