I was crushed. It still provides the stability and the community on which peoples lives depend. To lose that community is a pretty scary thought. When I listened to their journeys from belief to hopeful agnosticism I was shocked at how much this looked like a one-two punch attack against Christianity. With the precision of a gifted lawyer, he laid out roadblocks to the objections he knew would follow his statements. Ray Comfort Its like trying on a different head just for a little while. 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. Both guys were raised in an environment that assumed Christianity as a part of the culture, and ultimately that did them a grave disservice. Could it be that the cultural influences driving these deconstruction stories needs to be re-examined, rather than Christianity itself? Rhett James McLaughlin) and Link (a.k.a. (And they do have an audience - their personal channel alone has nearly 5 million followers. Ill interact the most with Rhetts extimony as it covered the lions share of their reasons for leaving the faith. The sad reality is that, for the deconverted, disbelief isnt sufficient. As far as Im concerned, Jesus was as real to me as he possibly could be without physically manifesting himself in my presence. For exmaple, you decide you're hooked on a song. Rhett & Link preempt their critics But it wouldnt have shaken my own faith. He cohosts the award-winning television program Way of the Master, which airs in 190 countries. Before February 2020 I had never heard of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. Since Rhett and Link were relatively deep into religiosity, having learned "Christianese" and the culture, it took them years to complete their pilgrimage to secularism. Please have your Passports Ready. before can enthusiastically answer, YES, Jesus never answered the thief on the cross who asked Christ to remember him when he came into his Kingdom with, This Day youll be with me in Paradisejust so long as you also believe the world was created in six days. How would it affect their revenue streams and net worth to remain faithful Christians in todays cultural climate? suggestion that their moving to Los Angeles was just the slippery slope to With the help of the Holy Spirit, they became convinced that Christianity is true as they gazed deeply at Christs beauty. Should Christians Embrace Evolution? My heart is breaking and my head is spinning in light of the so-called deconstruction of Rhett and Links faith. 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. I did not have a personal tragedybut I was angry at the thinkers. personally know that jettison God altogether during their deconstruction often become As part of their healing process, they are all told to declare to the world their reasons for why being a Christian is wrong. Deconstructing from certain Statements of Faith doesnt mean you have to jettison the Christian faith altogetherin fact for many of us, its put the focus back on Jesus and the fire back in our faith! Co-founder of @mythical. Ray Comfort explains the reason why this happens so often with those who used to believe in Christianity.Visit https://www.LivingWaters.com to view more free Christian videos, articles, and to get tracts and other resources by Ray Comfort and the Living Waters team.FACEBOOKLiving Waters: https://www.facebook.com/lwwotmRay Comfort: https://www.facebook.com/official.Ray.ComfortINSTAGRAMLiving Waters: https://www.instagram.com/livingwatersofficialTWITTERLiving Waters: https://twitter.com/LivingWatersPubRay Comfort: https://twitter.com/RayComfort Maybe youre just checking to make sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the moment you do. Are you sure about that? But then I remember this is part of how they protect themselves, knowing too well the fragility of their own faith. Please help us to continue to make our videos and movies available on YouTube free of charge. Rhett and Link aren't going to church either way. As far as Christians believing in the theory of Evolution or not, there is too much to go into in this short post. This was so convenient because the gift card is digital and gets sent right to your email! Should we avoid it? Lover of beans. Should we watch it? Then he skillfully planted a possible motive: money. Which means the history matters. It morphed into doubts surrounding biblical reliability, the historicity of the resurrection, and the general idea of hell and judgment. 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. 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.. Its stable. 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. Welcome to Ohio. Good Mythical Morning Net worth- $30 Million. Both Goins-Phillips and Andros commended the comedy duo for their willingness to talk so transparently about what is sure to have been a difficult and challenging process. Evolution by natural selection seemed intolerably non-intuitiveit didnt make any senseand it struck him as a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to explain how a world like ours could come into being without an intelligent designer. 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 . Im reasonably certain that you dont burn in hell because you were intellectual curious and honest. 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. 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. When Scarlett was seen in Ashley's arms at the saw mill she knew. Scarlett had befriended the very people who had destroyed the South. 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 . 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. As a result, they are surprised and hurt by Christians who promptly said that they never truly were of us ( 1 John 2:19 ). Good Mythical Morning, hosted by Rhett &Link, is a morning daily talk show. Its got a destination. 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. On the contrary, as he pointed out, being a straight white dude in an evangelical church kind of greased the rails for him. If it can make something, can it make everything? To some, it smells like beauty and life; to others, it smells like death. 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. often suggest the real reason is so they can succumb to a life of sin, I find 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. Christy Neal: Link's wife. 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. If you want Continue reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man is a Theologian. These discoveries challenged the underpinnings of his whole theological system, but like all of us he was encouraged to press on through with his questions without fear because: All truth is Gods truth. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. God draws people to Jesus, He saves them, and He doesnt lose any of them. It gives you purpose. But that is no way to live. They acknowledge that Christianity, The apostle Paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in Rome (Philem. I mean we have little finite minds and we are trying to understand an infinite God. 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. Do you want to read more articles like this? While their degrees and first jobs were in engineering, funny video production ultimately became their claim to fame. Should Christian Parents Send Their Children to Public Schools? 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. What am I gonna teach my kids? Meaning I dont know, but I hope. Only the dates and names were changed. Help! Demas traded eternal hope for earthly treasure. For example, in 2016, they worked on a scripted television show called Rhett & Link's Buddy System that saw the pair act in a bid to entertain their viewers. Please make sure all fields are filled out. 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. That is an excellent analogy. 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. Its not like God was all of the sudden blindsided by the fact that people are struggling with their sexual orientation or that some people have gender dysphoria. 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. Im not gonna be scared of the truth. None of this is brand new; its been around for years and years and years.. 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. 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. Rhett and Link also believed that women were not treated fairly with regard to leadership roles in the church (I mean it is the 21st century - Helloooo? I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. It morphed into doubts surrounding biblical reliability, the historicity of the resurrection, and the general idea of hell and judgment. Before this week I did not, and now that I think about it, it explains A LOT. This is something Jesus himself said would happenand it will continue to happen until he returns (Matt. It gives you stability. They already know people are saying one of them led the other astray, as if we arentall being influenced by one person or another at any given time. 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. 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, . He was basically telling MY story, along with the stories of a hundred people I know who went through the same thought processes and the same emotional struggles. These are great questions that Christians have been asking for years. Contents 1 The Early Years 2 Career 3 Personal Life 4 Kids 5 Appearances 6 What Link Neal Doesn't Like 7 What Link Neal Does Like 8 Trivia 9 References What about the beginning? 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. But it was Jesuss turn to be under the microscope next. We don't. Could it be that the cultural influences driving these deconstruction stories needs to be re-examined, rather than Christianity itself? I found myself identifying with them a lot through experiences from our very similar pasts. I remember my former Christian marriage therapist asking me point blank: What are you getting from this? Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:1416 that through his missionary work, Christ spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of himself. Exvangelicals remember this compulsion well. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I didnt want to believe thisI didnt want to leave this thing. I would also love to hear somethinganythingfrom their wives about how they experienced the transition out of the faith while still remaining intact as a family. It is one of Clark Gable's most recognizable and significant roles. Rhett, who makes up one half of the comedy duo Rhett & Link and co-hosts their hit YouTube talk show Good Mythical Morning, admits that while he is eager to "settle into the space we have,". Confession: When I was a kid, I was in love with Ricky Schroder. 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. I hope in the future they will explore that question a bit more, as well as their differing orientations toward hopefulness for the future of our species. It would appear that despite how destabilizing and difficult their deconstruction processes were, they no longer wanted Christianity to be true. If youre new to Godless In Dixie, be sure to check out The Beginners Guide for 200+ links categorized topically on a single page. If youve been taught your whole life that Rhett echoed that hes more interested in what happens during his life on earth. Get your FREE eBook about deconstruction: 'Before You Lose Your Faith'. 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. Its the people behind the arguments. But heres the thing; spiritual deconstruction is in many ways just spiritual puberty. I quickly downloaded and submerged myself into Rhett and Links respective stories (which you can also see on YouTube here and here). The reason Rhett and Link's deconstruction is so important is precisely because they are not scholars and neither are most members of their audience - which is no longer limited to Christians looking for wholesome entertainment. 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. Youre gonna get through this. The best chance I had of communicating with him was writing a letter to his fan club. 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. Would Jack Black and Daniel Radcliffe guest star on their YouTube channel if they held to the biblical doctrine of marriage and homosexuality? Peruse many a church website and youll find a Statement of Faith list of things you will need to believe in addition to Following Me. 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? When I was 11, I only had the opportunity to see Ricky Schroder once a week. Francis Schaeffer once wrote about the fact that Christians need to have such a commitment to the truth that if it were proven to be false we would be the first to get out of line and join the rest of the world in their destruction. ). 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. 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 . 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