why did rhett and link leave christianity

and African Christians, and South American Christians, and Indian Christians, Link asked, Why on airplanes? to which Rhett replied: Because when youre an evangelical Christian, when you sit next to a stranger, this may be the only opportunity you have to share the life changing message of Jesus with them. Demas traded eternal hope for earthly treasure. As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. Today, Rhett and Link have a net worth of $25 million as of 2021. They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now, When they each recorded videos walking fans through their spiritual-deconstruction stories in February, it shot through the internet like a bolt of lightning. Ray Comfort explains the reason why this happens so often with those who used to believe in Christianity. 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. The same goes for apologetics in general, doesnt it? Rhett (a.k.a. Whether it's Rhett and Link, who used their platform to honestly discuss their deconstruction and deconversion; or Abraham Piper, son of influential pastor John Piper, who's publicly deconstructing evangelical Christianity on TikTok; or . The apostle Paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in Rome (Philem. I'm super disappointed but also not surprised. She's been showing up less and less on the main series so I've suspected for a . Let me help you out here. By the way, Evolutionary theory doesnt have a sufficient cause for the universe coming into existence out of nothing. The comment sections of their Reddit, Facebook, and YouTube pages reveal that their stories inspired many atheists and touched the hearts of some folks who experienced similar deconversion journeys, describing the videos as beautiful, candid, and vulnerable.. Governor Bullock's presence at Scarlett's crush made Melanie feel. The song became the most-played country tune on the radio for six . We were in conversation. Relocating with their families to Los Angeles around this time almost certainly made it easier for Rhett and Link to think through some of their questions, removed as they now were from the Christ-Haunted atmosphere of the Bible Belt. Since the release of their stories, several apologists and scholars have offered sound rebuttals to some of the claims made by Rhett in particular. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. I didnt have the opportunity to open my laptop (they didnt yet exist) or turn on our home computer (we didnt own one), hop on YouTube, and watch my future husband walk me through his breakfast choices, morning drive, and whimsical musings. Please help us to continue to make our videos and movies available on YouTube free of charge. Rhett & Link, best friends since 2 nd grade, currently host one of the most popular YouTube channels on the Internet, Good Mythical Morning. Melanie then asks for coffee and sandwiches. Celebrity YouTubers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have caused a few waves following their collective decision to abandon the Christian faith. Are you sure about that? 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.. He predicted that with the rise of technology and communication, people wouldnt be deprived of information, but rather they would be given somuch that they would become passive and egocentric. How would it affect their revenue streams and net worth to remain faithful Christians in todays cultural climate? And as a guy who loves Jesus too I quickly found myself resonating with their stories. 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. As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. Rhett McLaughlin. After all, when someone is conversant in apologetics and theology, knows his Bible, and can anticipate my suspicions and objections, its difficult to simply pass him off as someone who never really understood Christianity. She had a pretty nose, little girl's eyes, but her lips gave everything away. As they mixed with Christians that perhaps Why were so many people rattled and even persuaded by them? After all, when someone is conversant in apologetics and theology, knows his Bible, and can anticipate my suspicions and objections, its difficult to simply pass him off as someone who never really understood Christianity. Hes the one whos established this entire universe. 24:12). Theres one thing I respect about the deconstruction stories of Rhett and Link. Most of my life I saw the one or two aisles of Evangelical / Charismatic Christianity I was raised with as the totality of the whole store. So I think that I was primed to hear what they had to say with an open (but biblically-grounded) mind. And when I jumped ship, I didnt jump to another boat. Starring filmmakers and comedy duo Rhett & Link, this non-fiction comedy series follows their travels to small towns across America where they develop and produce commercials for local businesses using local talent. Thats humanism in a nutshell, and I feel the same way. For more than a decade, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have made videos together under the name Rhett & Link, cementing their bromance as one of YouTube's most memorable partnerships.In a recent vlog, McLaughlin and Neal who have been buddies since the first grade took their friendship to another level. One main issue discussed by them is the problem with LGBTQ and church. Because of that many former Christians suddenly and unceremoniously find themselves kicked outside the church wondering what just happened (with various levels of resentment and cynicism thrown in). When it comes to apologetics, its a very helpful tactic to show unbelievers the truths of the Bible. 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? I read here a lot more than I comment, but Neil was ", "Then the LORD said to Hosea, Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Lets keep this conversation going, please. But it wouldnt have shaken my own faith. The best chance I had of communicating with him was writing a letter to his fan club. It gives you purpose. If youre younger than 30, you likely have a list of favorite YouTube channels that you follow. Or what about morality? 4:10). It was a relationship. As you listen to Rhett, he says that there were basically two things that converged to lead him away from the faith. I'm not saying that Rhett and Link walking away from the faith isn't a big deal . Only the dates and names were changed. While their degrees and first jobs were in engineering, funny video production ultimately became their claim to fame. Over the course of a few days, social-media newsfeeds became inundated with hot takes, responses, disagreements, and praise for the comedy duo. 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.. Home of #GMM, Rhett and Link, and everything else #Mythical @rhettmc @linkneal @mythicalstore @mythicalchef Is Apologetics Helpful or Necessary in Evangelism? But where did the first stuff actually come from? Do you want to read more articles like this? If the below fields are visible, ignore them. I Work for a Pastor with Low Emotional Intelligence, Split or Stay? This is the effect the gospel has, and we should expect these types of reactions. themselves a Christian? (And Im a regular YouTube watcher)But then Rhett & Link appeared suddenly on my radar when their silo crossed over into mine. Then he skillfully planted a possible motive: money. The YouTube comedy duo Rhett and Link are well-known for eating bizarre foods, making wacky music videos, and more recently, walking away from the Christian faith. Postman posited that in the future, we would be oppressed not by an outside force like Big Brother in George Orwells dystopian novel1984. As far as Im concerned, Jesus was as real to me as he possibly could be without physically manifesting himself in my presence. Aside from the fact that most apologists have day jobs, this leads to a fair question: what would, stand to lose if they didnt capitulate to culture on an issue like same-sex marriage? Charles Lincoln Neal III) have already established themselves as YouTube's grand old men and as two of the platform's most consistently . How is my marriage going to stay together? Overtime these add on requirements of belief become so ingrained with ones Christian faith that when you begin to question them your whole Christian identity feels under threat. 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?. ButIm more interested now in what I do when I LIVE.because the only thing that I know that Ive got is this life. Their response has been very interesting; they have lamented this by retorting something like . It would appear that despite how destabilizing and difficult their deconstruction processes were, they no longer, The sad reality is that, for the deconverted, disbelief isnt sufficient. How could so much of the history of Israel be made up? Her exact date of birth and lace of birth is currently not known yet. By naming several apologists such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Tim Keller, and Ravi Zacharias, he knocked the legs out from under their arguments. Before February 2020 I had never heard of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. Today that simple choice to follow Jesus and learn to engage Life through his Way comes with a whole lot of additional belief requirements. Would Jack Black and Daniel Radcliffe guest star on their YouTube channel if they held to the biblical doctrine of marriage and homosexuality? Try the whole world. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. Fast forward 35 years to a day replete with a global internet and smartphones, and Postmans words ring with the chill of prophetic accuracy. Did it also come from that pair of chromosomes? This channel has made Rhett and Link the fourth highest-earning YouTube stars 3 while reaching audiences around the world. 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. That is an excellent analogy. To paraphrase: Mammy sits by the door and hears nothing, only a low humming sound--Melanie convincing Rhett to bury Bonnie. On the show, the two comedians . Man, does that feel familiar! One element of his deconstruction story thats particularly compelling to young people is his seemingly exhaustive knowledge of Christian apologetics. What was scheduled as an hour-long chapel service last Wednesday has turned into a multi-day revival at Asbury University. (Except for a short hiatus after The Karate Kid, when Ralph Macchio was my all in all for a few months.) I believe they have a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. Rhett says hes lost his appetite for certainty, and I know what he means. I might get a new episode once a week if I was lucky. Its no wonder, then, that every time we turn around there is yet another deconversion story being proffered as the newest ex-evangelical smoking gun. Later on, Wade asks Rhett if he understands little boys, and Rhett bitterly says he does. I mean we have little finite minds and we are trying to understand an infinite God. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, at the conclusion of Links talk, they both indicated theyll be setting this whole topic aside for a while in order to get their bearings. He feared that truth would be lost in a sea of irrelevance. Fast forward 35 years to a day replete with a global internet and smartphones, and Postmans words ring with the chill of prophetic accuracy. But the same timeworn skepticism the church has interacted with since its inception is given a fresh dose of potency when delivered to a whole new generation by cool and funny guys whove become a fixture of their childhood. But I also know from experience that the work of defending the faith requires enormous amounts of self-deception, closing one eye and squinting the other to make sure things look the way theyre supposed to look. Alisa Childers wrote a piece for The Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett & Links shared spiritual deconstruction from evangelical Christianity. 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? Rhett echoed that hes more interested in what happens during his life on earth: Its not so much what happens after you die, but what happens while youre alive.. In later episodes, Rhett and Link each go into depth describing what led them, ultimately, to deny their earlier faith. Rhett and Link already know theyll be accused of being arrogant. By Dawson Gaillard FOR about some the reason seasoned, as I aged sat in bricks a French dating Quarter back to patio the musing 1700's, about the seasoned, aged bricks dating back to the 1700's, I began to think of Gone with the Wind. Its not like hes throwing out the baby with the bathwater, its like hes throwing out the tub and trying to keep the baby and the bathwater intact. The joke first appeared in the episode called Odd . I mean really loved Jesus! Indeed they become: From the short exposure Ive had to the spiritual journey of Rhett and Link it seems they will produce even more love, joy, peace, gentleness, and kindness that Jesus says will come from those who are following him. their abandoning their faith. Role. Im almost sure I said those same words at some point in my journey. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. At this point in his story, Rhett uses some of the exact same language I use when trying to explain what its like trying to look at the world through a completely different lensjust to see if things look any clearer. Rhett and Link, extremely well-known YouTubers, recently posted videos talking about how they left the faith. It was a relationship. I hope theres something. However, celebrity Christian deconversions, or celebrity conversions, actually do matter. Its no wonder, then, that every time we turn around there is yet another, Rhett and Link have grown their brand performing hilarious satirical songs and engaging in zany stunts such as duct-taping themselves together, playing wedgie-hangman, crushing glow sticks in a meat-grinder, and flinging bags of dog feces at one anothers faces. Maybe the whole deconversion narrative is due for a bit of deconstruction. And soon discovered some of these other traditions had different perspectives on some of the issues that often trigger Evangelical spiritual deconstruction: I came to realise the Evangelical aisle of the supermarket is a wonderful aisle in the supermarket but it aint the only aisleas much as they often like to claim it is. When Rhett says hes read all the Ravi Zacharias books and found them uncompelling, the church kid probably wont even bother with more than 30 books, containing decades worth of complex and carefully thought-out arguments that have been tested by time, debate, and rigorous scholarship. Remember that even John the Baptist had a little crisis and needed to be reassured (Matthew 11:1-11). This is how we know what there is to know about Jesus. Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal III is an American actor, writer, singer/songwriter known for being the comedy duo "Rhett & Link." Neal is also known for being the co-creator and co-host of Good Mythical Morning (2012) along with several other projects such as Commerical Kings (2011), The Mythical Show (2013), and Rhett and Link's Buddy System (2016 . Should Christians Embrace Evolution? I could go on and on, but Ill wrap this up by looking at the last analogy Rhett used to explain what its like to leave the faith of your upbringing. Rhett & Link preempt their critics or that could they even still call After abandoning a Young Earth view of the cosmos, Rhett wrestled next with the historicity of the rest of the Old Testament (the stuff about Jesus would have to wait till later). For Rhett, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the earth, and evolution. Listening to both Rhetts and Links stories, you can feel how much pushback they anticipate encountering from people who love them. Doubt always accompany faith. To put it bluntly. Mark Spence, a Christian, discusses some controversial subjects with a couple, and they leave once he brings up one topic in particular. It gives you stability. Rhett explains that his first step toward evolution came through Francis Collins' book The Language of God. Tokyo is a recurring joke on Good Mythical Morning. I jumped into a sea of uncertainty. 2. Rhett led off with his intellectual doubts and Link countered with an emotional appeal. And we dont have to wait a week for the next episodein many cases theres a new upload every single day. The REAL Reason Why Rhett and Link Fell Away from Christianity 268,033 views Premiered Mar 4, 2020 11K Dislike Share Save Living Waters 1.12M subscribers Rhett and Link, extremely. However, when they got to the point where they turned the corner away from the God of the Bible, our paths split and my heart broke. With every hit of the like button, the personalities weve subscribed to have become our authorities for truth. I didnt want to believe thisI didnt want to leave this thing. Watching people eat bugs and murderously hot peppers isnt really my thing, but its a different story for my kids. What about the beginning? Christy was born in the United States of America. On the contrary, as he pointed out, being a straight white dude in an evangelical church kind of greased the rails for him. To lose that community is a pretty scary thought. Secondly, I have been preparing to teach John 6 where Jesus says in several ways that God draws people to Jesus, He saves them, and He doesnt lose any of them. I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. If I wouldve found out he was a former Christian now identifying as agnostic, it would have broken my heart. When the teenage years come and the questions and pushing the boundaries begin most churches are ill-equipped to handle it. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. As an evangelical Christian, you learn to tackle controversial subjects by reading only books by other evangelicals as they talk through their own rationalizations for their beliefs. He firsttells the story of how during college he fell in with a crowd of Young Earth Creationists who maintained that the universe is only 6,000-10,000 years old, give or takea perspective he would adopt for many years to come. When he jumped the Christian ship, he didnt jump into another boat, but into a sea of uncertainty. His Christianity has been replaced with what he calls openness and curiosity. He describes how liberating its been to let go of the appetite for certainty. To the careful observer, its evident that Rhett has traded in one worldview for another: Christianity for postmodernity, with all its skepticism, denial of absolutes, and relativism. Travis Tritt asked the question, but it seems Thomas Rhett knows the answer. Actor Rupert Everett, who fell hard for her said: 'Her face had the illusion of beauty, but in fact it was wonky all over. Please have your Passports Ready. Popular YouTubers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have publicly announced that they have left Christianity and landed in agnosticism.. Their deconversions are especially noteworthy given how publicly the two had once been with their Christian faith (e.g., missionaries for CRU, featured in Phil Vischer's What's in the Bible?It's also noteworthy that Rhett and Link have over 15 million . Rhett led off with his intellectual doubts and Link countered with an emotional appeal. Its far easier to dismiss this all with the wave of a hand, ascribing imperfect motives to us as if that changes the facts themselves in any way. By saying that he does not believe in the God of the Bible he is making a statement of certainty, even if he is trying to soften the blow by using non-threatening language. I had been pulling on this thread for a really long timeLets call it the sweater of faithI had been pulling on this thread until it had sort of turned into a vestand then a midriffand then a halter tapand now it was a string bikini. Its got a destination. But it wouldnt have shaken. In Book VIII, Chapter IV of Confessions, St. Augustine relates the conversion of a famed Roman rhetorician, Victorinus, whose public conversion caused great rejoicing. Rhett mentions to Scarlett that he goes to New Orleans to visit a young boy who goes to school there, because Rhett is his guardian. But then on top of all this, adding insult to injury, they keep underestimating the sincerity of our search, which may be the thing that stings the most of all. The character is played by Mythical Crew member Jordan Morris, and is often portrayed as a creepy man who is obsessed with Rhett and hates Link. Frank had gone to Shantytown with some members of the Ku Klux Klan to. Alisa Childers is an American singer and songwriter who writes at alisachilders.com, an apologetics blog for doubting Christians and honest skeptics. For those who don't know, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal are a musical comedy duo who have built their YouTube show Good Mythical Morning into one of the biggest shows on the channel, with over 17 million subscribers. They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now Cru) staff members. How would it affect their revenue streams and net worth to remain faithful Christians in todays cultural climate? Later in Pauls ministry, however, he writes that Demas ended up loving the present world more than the things of God and walked away (2 Tim. The sweater of faith. I never got a reply. That is why I read and study. 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. Because of his feelings. They both felt a deep discomfort with biblical sexual ethics, which they perceived to oppress women and their LGBTQ+ friends. In a church culture where those lines are increasingly blurred, their clarity is refreshing. I dont blame them. Church is much more varied and diverse than you can imagine yet can all still Love these mugs! And you think Los Angeles stretched 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. As believers, we should take comfort to know its not new,he said. None of this is brand new; its been around for years and years and years.. Youre gonna get through this. Rhett and Link have grown their brand performing hilarious satirical songs and engaging in zany stunts such as duct-taping themselves together, playing wedgie-hangman, crushing glow sticks in a meat-grinder, and flinging bags of dog feces at one anothers faces. When Scarlett was seen in Ashley's arms at the saw mill she knew. If youve been taught your whole life that Rhett James McLaughlin) and Link (a.k.a. What would Rhett and Link stand to lose if they didnt capitulate to culture on an issue like same-sex marriage? I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. Ray Comfort is the Founder and CEO of Living Waters, a bestselling author, and has written more than 100 books, including, The Evidence Study Bible. These apostles of unbelief are on a mission to help others deconstruct with the same evangelistic zeal they learned from their previous tribe. The REAL Reason Why Rhett and Link Fell Away from Christianity Ray Comfort Founder & CEO, Living Waters Rhett and Link, extremely well-known YouTubers, recently posted videos talking about how they left the faith. Rhett said, , to believe [Christianity], then why would I? Link expressed, Why was I working so hard to make Christianity work for me if it wasnt even true? Aside from encountering intellectual stumbling blocks, it seems that, to YouTubes favorite pair, the gospel had begun to stink. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. Childers has recently become the go to apologist for Evangelicals who go astray having flirted with deconstruction herself but then (whew) successfully managed to pull herself back from the postmodern abyss. your local one size fits all faith is THE faithwell, youre going to be in Then he skillfully planted a possible motive: money. As I listened to them walking through their journeys I was surprised to see that we have covered much of the same terrain. That was one of the hardest pills for me to swallow, too. 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.". 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. Rhett echoed that hes more interested in what happens during his life on earth: , Its not so much what happens after you die, but what happens while youre alive., Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:1416 that through his missionary work, Christ spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of himself. suggestion that their moving to Los Angeles was just the slippery slope to you? So to Rhett and Link I say enjoy the journey and keep bringing Life and Light to those around you!Peace, Steve, this resonates so much with me, Thanks , 2023 Beyond The Pale. And then my heart broke hearing not only where they are in their faith, but how they have made it easier for others to abandon their belief in God too. The sad reality is that, for the deconverted, disbelief isnt sufficient. be One in Christ. Much to the chagrin of their critics who They began their career as engineers and ended up in the field of comedy. Heres the deal, we (at SWO) have gone back and forth on whether or not to address this. 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. To some, it smells like beauty and life; to others, it smells like death. Of course not. The truth is that we have a personality-driven culture in which two comedians can persuade Christians to rethink their faith in just three hours of video. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. Anticipating pushback from those who say you have to trust Jesus over the noise of your own intellectual questions, Rhett reminds us you cannot separate an historical figure from actual history and still say youre talking about the same person. Could it be that the cultural influences driving these deconstruction stories needs to be re-examined, rather than Christianity itself? Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. But as Christians we should be encouraged to remember that for every Rhett and Link, theres a Lee Strobel, a J. Warner Wallace, a Holly Ordway, a C. S. Lewis, and a Rosaria Butterfield who tested their beliefs against the evidence, and found their atheism wanting. (And they do have an audience - their personal channel alone has nearly 5 million followers. Where does that come from? Just over a month ago in two hour+ podcast episodes, Rhett and Link told their stories about how they came to believe that Christianity wasn't true. 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 ). So you "offline mode" it. Were So Spoiled. 1) Deconstructing Statements of Faith is not the same as Deconstructing Faith itself When Jesus called his disciples he simply said, "Follow Me". When I was 11, I only had the opportunity to see Ricky Schroder once a week.

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