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. 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. To lose that community is a pretty scary thought. When I discovered that there were many other aisles in the supermarket that contained delicious spiritual food I was at first nervous and suspicious. One main issue discussed by them is the problem with LGBTQ and church. 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. It doesnt really matter if it never reaches its destination. Man, does that feel familiar! This is the effect the gospel has, and we should expect these types of reactions. They offer videos that present everything from video-game hacks to make-up tutorials to opinions about political and religious issues. And deal with them now, but dont exchange Christianity with doubts for an empty belief system made solely of doubts. Maybe YouTube said "we want to get behind you and do such and such but it has to be about Rhett and Link, not random crew members". All their YouTube Channels have a good amount of engagement, subscribers, and views as a result of their engaging content. The stir online is probably exhausting. The song became the most-played country tune on the radio for six . 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. These are great questions that Christians have been asking for years. What am I gonna teach my kids? When Scarlett was seen in Ashley's arms at the saw mill she knew. 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. 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. 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. Blend that with Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and its no wonder the faith of many Christians has been unsettled. Much of their appeal comes from their history together. Of course not. In a church culture where those lines are increasingly blurred, their clarity is refreshing. I cant help but notice the similarities. I dont blame them. At one point, Rhett asked a very good question. 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. We were in conversation. And, every time Rhett said, I know you are going to say _____________, I was thinking, Yeah, thats exactly what Id say.. I love it. 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. I often joke that most of the people I I shouldnt be afraid to poke and prod at any of this stuff, right? He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. This is what Ive been teaching them. I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. As a result, they are surprised and hurt by Christians who promptly said that they never truly were of us ( 1 John 2:19 ). First, I am right in the middle of teaching an Apologetics course for the Snowbird Institute, so my mind is already focused on reasons to believe in God. Unfortunately, much of the church and pastoral leadership seems committed to stopping the proper spiritual development of Christians and instead choose to keep them artificially in a state of spiritual arrested development. Rhett seems really reluctant to talk about it, so Scarlett doesn't ask more questions. 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. ), and both have made it abundantly clear that they are 100% pro-homosexuality, and take serious issue with Christianity because of it (I mean it is the 21st century - Helloooo? This led to him jumping ship. Rhett explains that his first step toward evolution came through Francis Collins' book The Language of God. When he identified as a Christian he said that he had to have certainty, but now he is fine not having certainty. Today that simple choice to follow Jesus and learn to engage Life through his Way comes with a whole lot of additional belief requirements. 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. I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. Who do you think you are? people will say to them. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. We have taught breakouts on evolution at camp and there are many good books you can read on the subject that Ill put at the end. One of the metaphors I like to use for my own personal spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction is that of a supermarket. Where does that come from? 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? Ill confess I havent watched a ton of their stuff, but thats mostly because I dont watch much YouTube at all. Youre gonna get through this. 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? We've known. 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. It was a relationship. 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. Remember that even John the Baptist had a little crisis and needed to be reassured (Matthew 11:1-11). That was the key for all of us, wasnt it? We don't. He further likens the endogenous retroviruses shared between humans and other ape descendants to a coffee stain that shows up in later versions of a manual, demonstrating an earlier common ancestor who must have experienced the original mutation/stain. Leaving aside the irony of that accusation, I would simply say, as I always do, that certainty is the currency of fundamentalism. Demas traded eternal hope for earthly treasure. The two The answer many of us who deconstructed Every bit helps, and is greatly appreciated. be One in Christ. 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. 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. SUBSCRIBE to Faithwires (free) YouTube channel. Why? I Work for a Pastor with Low Emotional Intelligence, Split or Stay? When it comes to apologetics, its a very helpful tactic to show unbelievers the truths of the Bible. These apostles of unbelief are on a mission to help others deconstruct with the same evangelistic zeal they learned from their previous tribe. Therefore, we also explored this topic f. Of course, I had never looked at the evidence for evolution. Bingo! 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. 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. Help! Rhett and Link have never punched each other in the face. Their response has been very interesting; they have lamented this by retorting something like . This is something Jesus himself said would happenand it will continue to happen until he returns (Matt. Get resources, podcast episodes, and SWO updates sent directly to your inbox. It gives you purpose. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Ill leave you with Rhetts self-description, since it seems a good place to stop: I would call myself a hopeful agnostic. 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. 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. I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. It's not the End of the World When public figures walk away from the faith, a lot of Christians panic; but really, it's not the end of the world. 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. Thats why leaving it is so damned scary. On the show, the two comedians . Listening to both Rhetts and Links stories, you can feel how much pushback they anticipate encountering from people who love them. 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. 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). With every hit of the like button, the personalities weve subscribed to have become our authorities for truth. Christy was born in the United States of America. Much to the chagrin of their critics who 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. 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. Melanie then asks for coffee and sandwiches. They no longer identify as Christians so it is not judgmental to refer to them this way.) Rhett and Link grew up as evangelical Christiansand worked extensively with Christian organizations in the past, including working for Campus Crusade for Christand playing the Fabulous Bentley Brothers for a children's Bible education series on Jelly Telly. Should Christians Embrace Evolution? 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. As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. No, we are the ones who learn to accept that on our best day, were still mostly grasping at straws. Try the whole world. 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. I quickly downloaded and submerged myself into Rhett and Links respective stories (which you can also see on YouTube here and here). They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now Cru) staff members. Just like always, our biggest mistake was thatwe did as we were told. As far as Im concerned, Jesus was as real to me as he possibly could be without physically manifesting himself in my presence. 4:10). 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. Christians today must be ready to provide a compelling defense for Christand even play some offenseas we demonstrate an alternative story to deconversion. Co-founder of @mythical. personally know that jettison God altogether during their deconstruction often become Like him, I was told that archaeology only proves the Bible, which means theres no reason not to dive headlong into it, right? The younger generation is even more open about questioning their faith and leaving Christianity behind. 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. This brings us to the salient question. Would. 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. 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. She Leaves Once This Christian Brings Up This Topic. 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. 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 . As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. Like in biological puberty where one begins to form an adult identity separate from their parents and begin to wrestle with the understanding that the world is much more complex and nuanced than originally thought. 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. To paraphrase: Mammy sits by the door and hears nothing, only a low humming sound--Melanie convincing Rhett to bury Bonnie. Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. 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. Its stable. Do you see the problem? Really good analogy. I think Postman was on to something when he wrote, WhatOrwell feared were those who would ban books. Frank had gone to Shantytown with some members of the Ku Klux Klan to. But where did the first stuff actually come from? And as a guy who loves Jesus too I quickly found myself resonating with their stories. 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. 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. 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. 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. I also appreciate him making a point of clarifying that bad experiences didnt push him out of the faith. If I wouldve found out he was a former Christian now identifying as agnostic, it would have broken my heart. Rhett said, If I dont have 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. Should we avoid it? Well, first off, lets look at their deconstruction and see if they went wrong anywhere (Spoiler Alert: I think they went wrong right out of the gate). Love these mugs! Let me help you out here. But dont throw the tub out. As the logic goes, a God who is not on board with the LGBTQ agenda is not a God worth serving. 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. Is Apologetics Helpful or Necessary in Evangelism? That is why I read and study. On the other hand, we need to be confident in our faith, so we need to listen to what non-Christians say about Christianity. For many people deconstructing, so much of their world revolves around their church community. Right and wrong? Why We Should Not Redeem Deconstruction, Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstruction and the Church, Why Progressive Christianity Cant Bring Reformation, Jen Hatmaker and the Made-to-Order Gospel. Watch the rest of their discussion in the video above, and read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett and Link here. As any parent will attest teenagers are difficult, children are much easier to control. Postman posited that in the future, we would be oppressed not by an outside force like Big Brother in George Orwells dystopian novel1984. It is one of Clark Gable's most recognizable and significant roles. But that is no way to live. It's easy Christianity-it left Jesus out a long time ago. They were getting tired of doing GMM. 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, . Nothing? Ray Comfort explains the reason why this happens so often with those who used to believe in Christianity. I was recently at a conference where a prominent Christian leader was asked to give his opinion on what good could come from a Biden America and Continue reading, How are Christians supposed to think about Game of Thrones? I laughed out loud when Rhett talked about engaging people on airplanes by spouting talking points from books byJosh MacDowell and Lee Strobel. Rhett McLaughlin. What would Rhett and Link stand to lose if they didnt capitulate to culture on an issue like same-sex marriage? you? 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. For Rhett, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the earth, and evolution. Now that they no longer need to outsource their morality to God they begin to take more responsibility for it themselves. Rhett and Link, extremely well-known YouTubers, recently posted videos talking about how they left the faith. Lauren Boebert And Marjorie Greene's Adult Christianity Was Never About Democracy, Anyway. Should we watch it? Take Rhett, for example. Why do Rhett and Link homeschool? (And Im a regular YouTube watcher)But then Rhett & Link appeared suddenly on my radar when their silo crossed over into mine. 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