How can two guys who make a living as YouTube personalities go from making possum corndogs one day to throwing 2,000 years of Christian history under the bus the next? Home of #GMM, Rhett and Link, and everything else #Mythical @rhettmc @linkneal @mythicalstore @mythicalchef Rhett and Link met each other way back in Elementary school in North Carolina and they've stuck together into adulthood, at one time passing through a ministry phase as full-time staffers with Campus Crusade (now called Cru ). With the YouTube-ification of our culture, though, consumers are connecting not with actors playing characters, but real people who allow them to peek behind the curtain of their lives. At some level, my therapist knew what everyone in his position knows: Once you start seriously considering the unthinkable about your faith, so many scary questions begin to plague you that it keeps you up at night. With a successful career line as YouTubers, Rhett and Link have a net worth of $25 . ), but he cant escape the fact that he is an image-bearer of God, living in Gods world. Rhett Butler (Born in 1828) is a fictional character in the 1936 novel Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and in the 1939 film adaptation of the same name. I have read and listened to many atheists over the years who have explained why they didnt believe, but what made Rhett and Links (anti) testimonies so disheartening is the fact that they use much of the same vocabulary to describe their faith as I do. Gods in control. Rhett even invokes the Apostle Peters response to Jesus when Jesus asks if he will leave him to which Peter responds, Where would I go?. Not only was I taught everything I ever needed for my faith in Christ could be found in that aisle but later, sadly, that was what I went on to teach others. It was a relationship. What I want to address is that even if Evolution were true (which I dont believe it is) there are way too many things in this world that need explanations that the Naturalistic worldview cannot answer. This week, Faithwire managing editor Dan Andros discussed some of those concerns with editor Tr Goins-Phillips. Whenever somebody other than Rhett mentions the word "Tokyo," Rhett will shout "What" for a length of time, and an overlay appears with the word "Tokyo," stylized to look like the Japanese flag, the cityscape of Tokyo, and a cat chasing a red laser beam, while a bell rings in the background. Hopefully, they also realize these accusations are shots fired out of fearfear that one day they may wake up to find that we are making at least as much sense as they are. After all, remember, we are talking about nothing. Alisa Childers wrote a piece for The Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett & Links shared spiritual deconstruction from evangelical Christianity. the way they had been taught was not the one size fits all that they thought. With every hit of the like button, the personalities weve subscribed to have become our authorities for truth. Rhett echoed that hes more interested in what happens during his life on earth. This was my LIFE. Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter who writes at alisachilders.com, an apologetics blog for doubting Christians and honest skeptics. But where did the first stuff actually come from? Should we watch it? Rhett and Link, extremely well-known YouTubers, recently posted videos talking about how they left the faith. And then I was like [**fwip**] Im gonna take the bikini off. Aside from the fact that most apologists have day jobs, this leads to a fair question: what would Rhett and Link stand to lose if they didnt capitulate to culture on an issue like same-sex marriage? I also appreciate him making a point of clarifying that bad experiences didnt push him out of the faith. Today that simple choice to follow Jesus and learn to engage Life through his Way comes with a whole lot of additional belief requirements. Christy White is the wife of Charles Lincoln Neal III, the bespectacled half of the internet-famous duo, Rhett & Link on Good Mythical Morning their famous YouTube comedy. for a rude awakening when you travel. That was one of the hardest pills for me to swallow, too. Their shift away from Christianity, though, raises quite a few red flags, especially given so much of it seems to hinge on their own experiences and desire to embrace the LGBTQ community. But, Continue reading, When we talk about what it means to be a man from a biblical perspective, we have to realize that we are working completely against popular culture. They were getting tired of doing GMM. Who will separate us from the Love of Christ? Nothing? It isnt the skeptics who crave constant assurances were on the right track. This is why growth is stunted, why people abandon the faith: our church is too shallow for roots to dig deep. The answer many of us who deconstructed I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. 2 2.The REAL Reason Why Rhett and Link Fell Away from Christianity; 3 3.Rhett Bought a Bible - Rhett's Deconstruction 2 Years Later - YouTube; 4 4.Let's Deconstruct a Deconversion Story: The Case of Rhett and Link; 5 5.Why Rhett and Link Broke Up with Jesus | Neil Carter - Patheos; 6 6.Why Rhett & Link's Deconversion Feels So Right . What does this obtain for you? I told him honestly that it could only lead to loss and pain, but that I didnt really have a choice. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. The two men, known for their daily Good Mythical Morningbroadcast, have, over the last few years, gone through what they have described as their spiritual deconstruction[s]. After having spent years in young adult ministry, Rhett and Link now call themselves hopeful agnostics.. Ill interact the most with Rhetts extimony as it covered the lions share of their reasons for leaving the faith. But when evangelizing, is apologetics helpful or necessary? Role. suggestion that their moving to Los Angeles was just the slippery slope to As much as I felt undying love for Ricky Schroder, I knew little about him. But it was while still back in North Carolina that Rhetts wife, Jessie, had taken Bible courses under agnostic biblical scholarBart Ehrman, and the historical questions those studies raised continued to impact their lives. Rhett says hes lost his appetite for certainty, and I know what he means. I jumped into a sea of uncertainty. The song became the most-played country tune on the radio for six . Theres a good chance the Christian kid who looks up to Rhett (and probably doesnt ever crack open his Bible) will never read those authors now. Rhett's argument here against Christianity wrongly very wrongly assumes questions about sexuality are in some way new, as if, despite having survived thousands of years, Christianity is unable to withstand the whims of human desire. fear that if they stopped believing in this Mythical Kitchen Why did Rhett and Link leave Christianity?-----Our mission is to create educational content. Rhett and Link met each other way back in Elementary school in North Carolina and they've stuck together into adulthood, at one time passing through a ministry phase as full-time staffers with. As part of their healing process, they are all told to declare to the world their reasons for why being a Christian is wrong. When Scarlett was seen in Ashley's arms at the saw mill she knew. One article about Rhett and Link said, "they both felt a deep discomfort with biblical sexual ethics, which they perceived to oppress women and their LGBTQ+ friends.". A Christians Response to the Deconstructed Faith of YouTubers Rhett and Link. Rhett & Link preempt their critics Its hard not to feel insulted by his unwillingness to accept this. I wont rehash all the arguments on which he touched (thats your own homework to do if youre interested), but in the end Rhett settled for himself that the gospels are a mix of religious propaganda as well as actual history. Like me, he leans toward believing that Jesus was a real person, even if he didnt do magic or come back from the dead. I found myself identifying with them a lot through experiences from our very similar pasts. Rhett and Link have never punched each other in the face. Norman C. Nevin, Theistic Evolution Edited by J.P. Moreland, Stephen C. Meyer, Ann K. Gauger, Wayne Grudem, & Christopher Shaw. To put it bluntly. And it gives you community. When he identified as a Christian he said that he had to have certainty, but now he is fine not having certainty. What am I gonna teach my kids? Were So Spoiled. Our cultural moment is a cauldron of information and celebrity worship in which the cult of personality can ferment and grow. They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now Cru) staff members. I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. Ray Comfort explains the reason why this happens so often with those who used to believe in Christianity. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day. Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. To some, it smells like beauty and life; to others, it smells like death. Can nothing make something? I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Why ban a Tim Keller or Ravi Zacharias book when you can create a community in which no one will want to read one? I hope theres something. Tokyo is a recurring joke on Good Mythical Morning. I shouldnt be afraid to poke and prod at any of this stuff, right? They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. And so as I processed Rhett & Links stories I found 5 takeaways to suggest maybe they hadnt abandoned Jesus as much as their (many) critics suggest: When Jesus called his disciples he simply said, Follow Me. But it wouldnt have shaken. 1:24; Col. 4:14). Maybe youre just checking to make sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the moment you do. However, celebrity Christian deconversions, or celebrity conversions, actually do matter. They launched the 'Mythical Morning' studio in 2012 in North . Our media fueled siloed communities dividing us in politics, religion, race, culture, and various interests meant I was totally oblivious to Rhett & Link despite their being YouTube comedy sensations with nearly 17 million subscribers. And we dont have to wait a week for the next episodein many cases theres a new upload every single day. How is my marriage going to stay together? But as both Rhett and Link recounted, there was something brewing underneath the intellectual questions. And I pulled my wife and my children with me. Anticipating the response he would get for opening up about all of this, Rhett addressed the No True Christian argument right off the bat: I want to emphasize how big of a deal it was to me. She articulates her argument well as she did in a recent debate with Lisa Gungor, (and Im more in the Gungor camp) so Childers article became my on ramp into the deconstruction stories of these YouTube celebrities who seemingly had gone astray. Did it also come from that pair of chromosomes? Evolutionary theory doesnt have a sufficient cause for the universe coming into existence out of nothing. (Hold up, before anyone gets upset because I called Rhett and Link non-Christians, and am therefore judging them, these are their words. Several people reached out to me personally, including pastors who reported that the faith of several kids in their youth groups was rocked by the broadcasts, leaving them shaken and doubting. He occasionally sends judgments to earth to remind us of this. Mythical, founded by Rhett & Link, creates entertainment, products, and experiences that inspire human connection through curiosity and comedy. Responding to a fan question in 2010, Rhett said that, while they were both Christian, their content is not religious. As an actor playing a character on a TV show, my access was limited. Once you've listened to that track a certain number of times, it's clear that you don't own it but would like to. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. We have to understand were not the first people to grapple with these sorts of questions, said Andros, noting Ecclesiastes 1:9, which says, There is nothing new under the sun., In one interview, Rhett argued that, if Christianity is true, it should be able to withstand investigation and inquiry.. Giza Theme by Pixel Object, G.O.P. And, like he says toward the end of yesterdays talk by Link, the boat is real. And as a guy who loves Jesus too I quickly found myself resonating with their stories. They like to call themselves "Internetainers." Charles Lincoln Neal and Rhett McLaughlin first met on the first day of first grade in Buies Creek, North Carolina, when they were held in class during recess as punishment for writing profanity on their desks. My advice to Rhett and Link (and borrowing from the Immortal words of Douglas Adams) is Dont Panic; across the Jordan River of spiritual deconstruction exists a promised Land of a deeper, richer, and more beautiful faith in Christ and his Way. 2. Confession: When I was a kid, I was in love with, As much as I felt undying love for Ricky Schroder, I knew little about him. Rhett McLaughlin. Over the course of a few days, social-media newsfeeds became inundated with hot takes, responses, disagreements, and praise for the comedy duo. As it is also, evidently, for the more than 16 million subscribers these guys have accumulated since their show started back in 2012. Thomas, 31, wrote his chart-topping hit, "Die a Happy Man" a story about a man's need for nothing more in life than his woman's "crazy love"for and about his wife, Lauren (Gregory) Akins, 32. I mean really loved Jesus! The stir online is probably exhausting. It gives you something to hold on to. 24:12). I'm glad that so many are able to turn their jobs at GMM into better careers down the line :) We'll miss you Jen, I guess the old saying is true, "If you love something, let it go". And if you like what you read on Godless in Dixie, please consider sponsoring me on Patreon, or else you can give via Paypal to help me keep doing what Im doing. Do you want to read more articles like this? and Asian Christians, and Pacific Islander Christians you soon realize the Yep. For many people deconstructing, so much of their world revolves around their church community. My heart is breaking and my head is spinning in light of the so-called deconstruction of Rhett and Links faith. Are Rhett and Link still religious? , an apologetics blog for doubting Christians and honest skeptics growth is stunted, why abandon! From the Love of Christ intellectual questions every single day what happens during his life earth! 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