Mythical Kitchen Why did Rhett and Link leave Christianity?-----Our mission is to create educational content. Rhett (a.k.a. Nothing? That was the key for all of us, wasnt it? 1:24; Col. 4:14). 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. Remember that even John the Baptist had a little crisis and needed to be reassured (Matthew 11:1-11). 1) Deconstructing Statements of Faith is not the same as Deconstructing Faith itself When Jesus called his disciples he simply said, "Follow Me". These apostles of unbelief are on a mission to help others deconstruct with the same evangelistic zeal they learned from their previous tribe. It morphed into doubts surrounding biblical reliability, the historicity of the resurrection, and the general idea of hell and judgment. 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. That tow-headed heartthrob took my breath away with every episode of the 1980s sitcom Silver Spoons. They offer videos that present everything from video-game hacks to make-up tutorials to opinions about political and religious issues. (And they do have an audience - their personal channel alone has nearly 5 million followers. I never got a reply. Ray Comfort What about the beginning? By naming several apologists such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Tim Keller, and Ravi Zacharias, he knocked the legs out from under their arguments. Good Mythical Morning, hosted by Rhett &Link, is a morning daily talk show. 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. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. Rhett James McLaughlin) and Link (a.k.a. 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. One of the metaphors I like to use for my own personal spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction is that of a supermarket. In a church culture where those lines are increasingly blurred, their clarity is refreshing. And I pulled my wife and my children with me. Therefore they had to halt all the crew stuff. If you want Continue reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man is a Theologian. It's easy Christianity-it left Jesus out a long time ago. And, think of what the Apostle Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15) where he said that if it isnt true that Jesus rose from the dead, then we need to be pitied more than anyone else. for a rude awakening when you travel. 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. I'm super disappointed but also not surprised. To paraphrase: Mammy sits by the door and hears nothing, only a low humming sound--Melanie convincing Rhett to bury Bonnie. Cotton Candy Randy is known to whisper "sweet nothings" in people's ears, but in Rhett's house, where he had a fan going in his room as . What am I gonna teach them now? Ive heard these things described dozens of times by now, but never before by guys I know my still-believing daughters have been watching for years. I mean really loved Jesus! When he identified as a Christian he said that he had to have certainty, but now he is fine not having certainty. Do you see the problem? Who will separate us from the Love of Christ? Take Rhett, for example. Or what about morality? Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. How is my marriage going to stay together? I kind of saw Christianity as this boat in a very stormy sea. They understand if you cease to believe in core tenets of the faithlike sin, the atonement, the resurrection of Jesus, and the reality of heaven and hellthen you shouldnt still identify as a Christian. So Rhett got hung up on the way that one pair of chromosomes looks (okay?. The sweater of faith. And, in reality, hes not living that way either. 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.. Encouragement for Anglican Pastors, Downplaying the Sin of Homosexuality Wont Win the Next Generation, 9 Things You Should Know About Revivals in America, When You Dont Feel Like Having Sex with Your Spouse, The Burning Question from Asbury Isnt About Asbury, Megachurch Marriage for the Bachelor Pastor: A Story of Love that Lasts, Ordinary and Extraordinary: A Day at the Asbury Awakening, Tim Keller on the Decline and Renewal of the American Church. It doesnt really matter if it never reaches its destination. 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. This is the effect the gospel has, and we should expect these types of reactions. Please have your Passports Ready. Neil Carter is a high school teacher, a writer, a speaker, a father of four, and a skeptic living in the Bible Belt. Its the. 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. 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. Im not gonna be scared of the truth. After having spent years in young adult ministry, Rhett and Link now call themselves "hopeful agnostics." 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. Rhett and Links deconstruction journey frequently mentioned the struggle they felt as they began to hold long held beliefs to the fire. Today that simple choice to follow Jesus and learn to engage Life through his Way comes with a whole lot of additional belief requirements. He is still living as if he has value, that there is a purpose to his life and the lives of his family, that there is a standard of morality that people should follow, and that it matters how someone chooses to live their lives. In Book VIII, Chapter IV of Confessions, St. Augustine relates the conversion of a famed Roman rhetorician, Victorinus, whose public conversion caused great rejoicing. Scarlett had befriended the very people who had destroyed the South. As they mixed with Christians that perhaps The best chance I had of communicating with him was writing a letter to his fan club. Responding to a fan question in 2010, Rhett said that, while they were both Christian, their content is not religious. ). Should Christian Parents Send Their Children to Public Schools? For Rhett, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the earth, and evolution. Goins-Phillips, in response, pointed out that Christianity has been around for 2,000 years and remains the worlds largest religion, so it has withstood challenges and investigations. 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. Theres a lot of other people on it. Ray Comfort explains the reason why this happens so often with those who used to believe in Christianity. Last month, the GMM duo moved one of their podcasts, Ear Biscuits, to a separate channel in order to devote that space to an increasingly personal line of conversations about what led them to leave their faith and look for new sources of meaning and inspiration in the world in which they find themselves. 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. The stir online is probably exhausting. 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? I dont blame them. Much of their appeal comes from their history together. For Rhett, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the earth, and evolution. That is why I read and study. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. 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? Would Jack Black and Daniel Radcliffe guest star on their YouTube channel if they held to the biblical doctrine of marriage and homosexuality? No, these lads loved Jesus. We still believe the truth and the opinion of two YouTube comedians cannot change that. He was the only one for me. But then I remember this is part of how they protect themselves, knowing too well the fragility of their own faith. This channel has made Rhett and Link the fourth highest-earning YouTube stars 3 while reaching audiences around the world. Around the time I was nursing a wounded ego for being stood up by the Ricky Schroder fan club, Neil Postman made a prediction in his 1985 book, . If youve been taught your whole life that I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. Rhett was careful to say he doesnt think these apologists are intentionally deceiving anyone. Reasonable answers exist for each notion the duo passed along that, in their opinion, defeats the truth of Christianity. Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. 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. Right and wrong? 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. Much to the chagrin of their critics who I also appreciate him making a point of clarifying that bad experiences didnt push him out of the faith. With guest appearances on The TODAY Show, Live with Kelly, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, their stars have been rising for the past few years, swelling their net worth to an estimated $23 million. Later on, Wade asks Rhett if he understands little boys, and Rhett bitterly says he does. 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 . 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. suggestion that their moving to Los Angeles was just the slippery slope to With a successful career line as YouTubers, Rhett and Link have a net worth of $25 . Role. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. But as I tasted from Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, Anabaptist, and other aisles of the supermarket I discovered the Christian faith was much more rich, varied, and delicious than I had ever thought. This is why growth is stunted, why people abandon the faith: our church is too shallow for roots to dig deep. Are you sure about that? I Work for a Pastor with Low Emotional Intelligence, Split or Stay? be One in Christ. Certain? Thats what pushed us out, in the end. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. When they each recorded videos walking fans through their spiritual-deconstruction stories in February, it shot through the internet like a bolt of lightning. the opposite is often true. Through the deal, Mythical has expanded its busine After poking holes in Christianity, Rhett offered no plausible alternative to explain reality. This was my LIFE. Christy was born in the United States of America. (Tim Challies reviewed the book once upon a time.) Why do Rhett and Link homeschool? And deal with them now, but dont exchange Christianity with doubts for an empty belief system made solely of doubts. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. I jumped into the water. Im almost sure I said those same words at some point in my journey. I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. 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?. 1:24; Col. 4:14). 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. Rhett James McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln's hosts are known for their comedic viral videos and have gathered an estimated net worth of 30 million dollars. I guess my biggest frustration with what he is saying is that he is painting the picture that if you are a Christian you are not allowed to have any doubts, but if you arent a Christian then you dont have to believe in anything. However, celebrity Christian deconversions, or celebrity conversions, actually do matter. When Scarlett was seen in Ashley's arms at the saw mill she knew. (Except for a short hiatus after The Karate Kid, when Ralph Macchio was my all in all for a few months.) We don't. And thats no laughing matter. 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. 24:12). Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a relationship. 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.. Please help us to continue to make our videos and movies available on YouTube free of charge. As a result, they are surprised and hurt by Christians who promptly said that they never truly were of us ( 1 John 2:19 ). Tokyo is a recurring joke on Good Mythical Morning. The lesson we can learn from the Rhett and Link story is to observe the power of the media platform, recognize the roadblocks of the new apostles of unbelief, and keep a humble eye to history, remembering that our Savior told us some would fall away. 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". The joke first appeared in the episode called Odd . After all, remember, we are talking about nothing. I jumped into a sea of uncertainty. These apostles of unbelief are on a mission to help others deconstruct with the same evangelistic zeal they learned from their previous tribe. 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