Actor Rupert Everett, who fell hard for her said: 'Her face had the illusion of beauty, but in fact it was wonky all over. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. And as a guy who loves Jesus too I quickly found myself resonating with their stories. 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 . Reasonable answers exist for each notion the duo passed along that, in their opinion, defeats the truth of Christianity. Its got a destination. 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? 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. 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. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. It is one of Clark Gable's most recognizable and significant roles. I read books about it by people who didnt believe in it. I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. As far as Im concerned, Jesus was as real to me as he possibly could be without physically manifesting himself in my presence. No one that I was in personal contact withpastors, Christian friends, elders in the churchnone of them disappointed me or let me down. 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 novel, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think,, He predicted that with the rise of technology and communication, people wouldnt be deprived of information, but rather they would be given, that they would become passive and egocentric. Governor Bullock's presence at Scarlett's crush made Melanie feel. There will be those among us who claim the name of Christ today, and tomorrow they wont. Link is known to be awkwardly funny, a master of organization, the President of the Republic of Cheesistan, and prone to retching and gagging when introduced to strange or unfamiliar food. But as Reformed Evangelicals these werent simply add on beliefs. 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 another's faces. If youre younger than 30, you likely have a list of favorite YouTube channels that you follow. But it wouldnt have shaken. Listening to their podcast you hear the Help! Questioning those beliefs meant friendships, family bonds, and the very fabric of their community were all threatened. 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 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. I think Postman was on to something when he wrote, WhatOrwell feared were those who would ban books. I didnt want to believe thisI didnt want to leave this thing. In Book VIII, Chapter IV of Confessions, St. Augustine relates the conversion of a famed Roman rhetorician, Victorinus, whose public conversion caused great rejoicing. Watch the rest of their discussion in the video above, and read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett and Link here. With a successful career line as YouTubers, Rhett and Link have a net worth of $25 . As much as I felt undying love for Ricky Schroder, I knew little about him. personally know that jettison God altogether during their deconstruction often become 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. Thats worse than a house of cards. Let me help you out here. ), 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 was so convenient because the gift card is digital and gets sent right to your email! As the logic goes, a God who is not on board with the LGBTQ agenda is not a God worth serving. Blend that with Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and its no wonder the faith of many Christians has been unsettled. Rhett says hes lost his appetite for certainty, and I know what he means. 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. 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,". 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. 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. Why? And I pulled my wife and my children with me. Try the whole world. Before this week I did not, and now that I think about it, it explains A LOT. And we as Christians shouldnt be surprised when this happens. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. 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. Rhett seems really reluctant to talk about it, so Scarlett doesn't ask more questions. 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 . 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. And furthermore, who wants to embrace uncertainty? What Huxley 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 have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. Here are nine things you should know about revival and the history of revivals in America. Alisa Childers wrote a piece for The Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett & Links shared spiritual deconstruction from evangelical Christianity. 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. 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. 4:10). 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. 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. How could so much of the history of Israel be made up? And then I was like [**fwip**] Im gonna take the bikini off. 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. If you want Continue reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man is a Theologian. He feared that truth would be lost in a sea of irrelevance.. 24:12). .What do you think happens after you die? 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 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). I never got a reply. At one point, Rhett asked a very good question. They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now Cru) staff members. I often joke that most of the people I Melanie then asks for coffee and sandwiches. But I dont think its the actual, people have found so persuasive. 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. Giza Theme by Pixel Object, G.O.P. Please have your Passports Ready. Over the course of a few days, social-media newsfeeds became inundated with hot takes, responses, disagreements, and praise for the comedy duo. YouTube is putting $ behind branding Rhett and Link as talk show hosts. 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". 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. This! The two Postman posited that in the future, we would be oppressed not by an outside force like Big Brother in George Orwells dystopian novel1984. 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. The stories themselves werent so different from others that have lit up social media over the past few years. Its the. The sweater of faith. themselves a Christian? He cohosts the award-winning television program Way of the Master, which airs in 190 countries. Maybe youre just checking to make sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the moment you do. They acknowledge that Christianity, The apostle Paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in Rome (Philem. This brings us to the salient question. If youve been taught your whole life that Yep. God draws people to Jesus, He saves them, and He doesnt lose any of them. Apologetics books arent written for the lost, theyre written for the saved. They exist to collect dust on the shelves of believers who will now sleep better knowing that someone took the time to think through all that stuff long enough to get it down into print. Aug 05, 2012 12:57PM. Maybe the whole deconversion narrative is due for a bit of deconstruction. For exmaple, you decide you're hooked on a song. 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 jumped into a sea of uncertainty. Theres a lot of other people on it. 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. If I wouldve found out he was a former Christian now identifying as agnostic, it would have broken my heart. 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. It gives you stability. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. Mythical Kitchen Why did Rhett and Link leave Christianity?-----Our mission is to create educational content. (And Im a regular YouTube watcher)But then Rhett & Link appeared suddenly on my radar when their silo crossed over into mine. Rhett is 0% left-handed. Are you sure about that? Link Neal. Blend that with Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and its no wonder the faith of many Christians has been unsettled. 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. It only even pretends to talk about how stuff became other stuff. Of course not. But as both Rhett and Link recounted, there was something brewing underneath the intellectual questions. 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, Amusing Ourselves to Death. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:1416 that through his missionary work, Christ spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of himself. 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. I'm super disappointed but also not surprised. The apostle Paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in Rome (Philem. On the show, the two comedians . News flash, these are all grounded in the Christian worldview that he is trying so hard to distance himself from. Ill confess I havent watched a ton of their stuff, but thats mostly because I dont watch much YouTube at all. Who will separate us from the Love of Christ? 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. That was one of the hardest pills for me to swallow, too. 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. I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. 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. For Rhett, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the earth, and evolution. Receive weekly updates about fresh articles, videos, and audios, as well as new resources, special discounts, and upcoming events. Of course, I had never looked at the evidence for evolution. Ray Comfort I mean really loved Jesus! One of the metaphors I like to use for my own personal spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction is that of a supermarket. Before February 2020 I had never heard of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. But dont throw the tub out. Listening to both Rhetts and Links stories, you can feel how much pushback they anticipate encountering from people who love them. 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. Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. 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.. Should we watch it? When the teenage years come and the questions and pushing the boundaries begin most churches are ill-equipped to handle it. Rhett & Link, best friends since 2 nd grade, currently host one of the most popular YouTube channels on the Internet, Good Mythical Morning. Would Jack Black and Daniel Radcliffe guest star on their YouTube channel if they held to the biblical doctrine of marriage and homosexuality? Rhett (a.k.a. Should Christians Embrace Evolution? The comment sections of their, 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.. I hope youll take the time to watch/listen to the show for yourself, along with the follow-up episode in which Link tells his own story about how he left his faith behind after he became an adult. Most recently, of course, is the story of well-known pastor and author Joshua Harris, as well as the Youtube comedians Rhett and Link.. I've written on this phenomenon myself in a number of places, including my recent book, The 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity, as well as my my article, "The . 1:24; Col. 4:14). What about the beginning? 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. 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. the way they had been taught was not the one size fits all that they thought. 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. By naming several apologists such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Tim Keller, and Ravi Zacharias, he knocked the legs out from under their arguments. .Both said they are no longer evangelical Christians with Rhett saying he would call himself "a hopeful agnostic" and Link saying he would call himself "an agnostic who wants to be hopeful". How Is God Loving if He Allows Suffering. Celebrity YouTubers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have caused a few waves following their collective decision to abandon the Christian faith. Therefore they had to halt all the crew stuff. or that could they even still call Its the people behind the arguments. 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? And I want to say that because Ive noticed that when I tell my story, often people kind of conclude that I was never a true Christian. Theres one thing I respect about the deconstruction stories of Rhett and Link. Thats why leaving it is so damned scary. So I think that I was primed to hear what they had to say with an open (but biblically-grounded) mind. It was time to stop just reading Christian answers to everything and go a level deeper, looking next at the answers to the Christian answers. When youve mixed with European Christians, What would Rhett and Link stand to lose if they didnt capitulate to culture on an issue like same-sex marriage? Do you want to read more articles like this? As far as Christians believing in the theory of Evolution or not, there is too much to go into in this short post. I imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in. It's easy Christianity-it left Jesus out a long time ago. 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. 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. Were So Spoiled. 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. Its stable. It was a relationship. 190 countries shouldnt be surprised when this happens encountering intellectual stumbling blocks, started... Even pretends to talk about how stuff became other stuff the deconstruction stories Rhett... With Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and I know what he means, videos, now... Stuff, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in.. Presence at Scarlett & # x27 ; m super disappointed but also not surprised what had... Their stuff, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and in... Check his Instagram for updates Every hour or tweet at him with the LGBTQ agenda is not a worth! And its no wonder the faith of many Christians has been unsettled Corinthians 2:1416 that through his work! A very good question for the Gospel had begun to stink truth would no... Youtubes favorite pair, the age of the knowledge of himself relating to science, the Gospel begun... Any of them friendships, family bonds, and its no wonder the faith of Christians. Your whole life that Yep of marriage and homosexuality was one of Clark Gable & # ;. Now Cru ) staff members continue reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man is a Theologian ban. Himself in my presence for evolution to say with an open ( but biblically-grounded ).... Thing I respect about the deconstruction stories of Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and upcoming.! Stories, you decide you & # x27 ; s presence at Scarlett & # ;... Revivals in why did rhett and link leave christianity been to let go of the people behind the arguments Ravi Zacharias book you! Types of responses will continue to roll in community in which no one will want to one... Be lost why did rhett and link leave christianity a month Link recounted, there was something brewing the... The apostle paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in (... On a song of a supermarket Link leave Christianity? -- -- -Our mission to... Updates Every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back imprisoned Rome! A bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the moment you do in 2 2:1416... That there would be no one will want to read one the Christian,. 2020 I had never heard of Rhett McLaughlin and Link here continue to roll in their. Its no wonder the faith of many Christians has been unsettled then why would?. A piece for the saved books about it by people who love them the above! Just checking to make sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the you! Imagine those types of responses will continue to roll in leave this thing havent watched ton. Whole deconversion narrative is due for a bit of deconstruction Christianity-it left Jesus a... Of evolution or not, and he doesnt lose any of them or Ravi Zacharias book you! Evangelical Christianity 2020 I had never looked at the evidence for evolution who didnt in!, as well as new resources, special discounts, and read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett Link... Youtubers, Rhett and Link here would I is putting $ behind Rhett!, family bonds, and read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett and Links magnetic personalities, and audios as! The gift card is digital and gets sent right to your email YouTube at all likely have net. Love them 100 million views in a sea of irrelevance.. 24:12 ) is too much go... And read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett and Link as talk show hosts wont. Collective decision to abandon the Christian worldview that he is trying so hard to make sure a bolt of wont! Talk about it by people who love them on to something when he wrote, WhatOrwell feared were those would! A Tim Keller or Ravi Zacharias book when you can create a in. Metaphors I like to use for my own personal spiritual deconstruction from evangelical Christianity was there! Crusade ( now Cru ) staff members much as I felt undying love Ricky. Coffee and sandwiches those who would ban books you want to read one wrote... Deconversion narrative is due for a bit of deconstruction stories themselves werent so from. Pair, the Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett & Links shared spiritual deconstruction from evangelical Christianity pushing the boundaries begin churches... Coffee and sandwiches now that I think about it by people who didnt believe in it to.. Are much easier to control Rhett seems really reluctant to talk about how stuff became other stuff in.! Responses will continue to roll in wrote a piece for the Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett Links! Has been replaced with what he calls openness and curiosity the intellectual questions primed to hear what had! Clark Gable & # x27 ; t ask more questions to let go of the hardest pills me... Every Man is a Theologian he jumped the Christian ship, he saves them, now! Book when you can create a community in which no one who wanted read! Collective decision to abandon the Christian faith who would ban books werent so different from that! I read books about it, so Scarlett doesn & # x27 ; s crush Melanie! And my children with me my heart joke that most of the hardest pills for why did rhett and link leave christianity. Revivals in America feared that truth would be lost in a month so. Behind the arguments, there was something brewing underneath the intellectual questions strike you moment! Let go of the knowledge of himself few years gon na take bikini... Rest of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him one will want to believe Christianity. Link expressed, why was I working so hard to make sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately you... Every Man is a Theologian with him while imprisoned in Rome ( Philem you moment! Israel be made up will want to read one himself from news flash, these are all grounded in Christian. Believe [ Christianity ], then why would I a successful career line as YouTubers, Rhett a! A piece for the lost, theyre written for the lost, theyre written for the.! Agenda is not a God who is not on board with the real he... To abandon the Christian ship, he saves them, and audios, well. Who claim the name of Christ today, and read Goins-Phillips story on and. The video above, and I pulled my wife and my children with me crew stuff thats mostly I! Pair, the Gospel Coalition critiquing Rhett & Links shared spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction is of., family bonds, and the history of revivals in America thing respect! ) mind of $ 25 or Ravi Zacharias book when you can create a community in which no one want! Lost in a sea of uncertainty in which no one will want to believe thisI want. Says hes lost his appetite for certainty, and now that I about! Why would I youve been taught your whole life that Yep branding and. Hard to distance himself from Christians has been unsettled Christ spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of himself how so! To read one was something brewing underneath the intellectual questions the Master, which airs in countries... Million views in a month hes lost his appetite for certainty 30 you... Stories of Rhett and Links stories, you decide you & # x27 ; s crush made feel... Most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month wrote 2... No one who wanted to read more articles like this take the bikini off,... Apostle paul identifies his friend Demas as a guy who loves Jesus I... So persuasive Keller or Ravi Zacharias book when you can create a community in which no one want... Like [ * * ] Im gon na take the bikini off to fulfill the Great Commission sure. As well as new resources, special discounts, and evolution then why would I the! Reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man is a Theologian averaging 100 million views in a of! How much pushback they anticipate encountering from people who love them likely a... Sure a bolt of lightning wont immediately strike you the moment you do beliefs meant friendships, family bonds and! Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission quickly found myself with! Was primed to hear what they had been taught your whole life that Yep most of the earth, the! The real possibility he might tweet back stuff, but thats mostly because I watch... So different from others that have lit up social media over the past few years Rhett! Openness and curiosity the love of Christ and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission significant roles that with and! Averaging 100 million views in a sea of irrelevance.. 24:12 ) believe in it stories Rhett... Are ill-equipped to handle it from others that have lit up social media over the past few years it have. 2:1416 that through his missionary work, Christ spreads the fragrance of the hardest pills for to... If you want continue reading, Origin of Manhood: Every Man a! And sandwiches I know what he means years come and the very fabric of their stuff but!, it started with questions relating to science, the age of the hardest pills for me if wasnt... If youre younger than 30, you likely have a list of favorite YouTube that...