I dont know. themselves a Christian? Later on, Wade asks Rhett if he understands little boys, and Rhett bitterly says he does. Its got a destination. It morphed into doubts surrounding biblical reliability, the historicity of the resurrection, and the general idea of hell and judgment. Rhett and Link Controversy and Deconstruction Over the years, we learned that YouTubers Rhett and Link had been on staff with Cru, served as missionaries, led Bible studies, and worked with campus ministries. 1) Deconstructing Statements of Faith is not the same as Deconstructing Faith itself When Jesus called his disciples he simply said, "Follow Me". As I listened to them walking through their journeys I was surprised to see that we have covered much of the same terrain. Should Christian Parents Send Their Children to Public Schools? The best chance I had of communicating with him was writing a letter to his fan club. 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's easy Christianity-it left Jesus out a long time ago. I love it. 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. This was my LIFE. Could it be that the cultural influences driving these deconstruction stories needs to be re-examined, rather than Christianity itself? avenge the attack on Scarlett that day. When I discovered that there were many other aisles in the supermarket that contained delicious spiritual food I was at first nervous and suspicious. And furthermore, who wants to embrace uncertainty? Every bit helps, and is greatly appreciated. Gone with the Wind as Bildungsroman or Why Did Rhett Butler Really Leave Scarlett O'Hara? They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. and Asian Christians, and Pacific Islander Christians you soon realize the He cohosts the award-winning television program Way of the Master, which airs in 190 countries. (Hold up, before anyone gets upset because I called Rhett and Link non-Christians, and am therefore judging them, these are their words. 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. This brings us to the salient question. She articulates her argument well as she did in a recent debate with Lisa Gungor, (and Im more in the Gungor camp) so Childers article became my on ramp into the deconstruction stories of these YouTube celebrities who seemingly had gone astray. Their response has been very interesting; they have lamented this by retorting something like . I never got a reply. If youre new to Godless In Dixie, be sure to check out The Beginners Guide for 200+ links categorized topically on a single page. They offer videos that present everything from video-game hacks to make-up tutorials to opinions about political and religious issues. Bingo! Yes, there is certainly a degree to which Rhett and Link's typical YEC background left them ill-prepared to think carefully about evolutionary arguments, setting them up for anger and. 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. As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. That tow-headed heartthrob took my breath away with every episode of the 1980s sitcom Silver Spoons. 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. And we as Christians shouldnt be surprised when this happens. 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? One element of his deconstruction story thats particularly compelling to young people is his seemingly exhaustive knowledge of Christian apologetics. 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 ). 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. 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. 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. As believers, we should take comfort to know its not new,he said. 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. Only the dates and names were changed. 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.. That the simple childlike answers of your youth which at one time gave such clarity and certainty no longer sufficed. Would. 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 Demas traded eternal hope for earthly treasure. 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. 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. 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. Why? I read books about it by people who didnt believe in it. 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. This led to him jumping ship. Because of his feelings. They acknowledge that Christianity, The apostle Paul identifies his friend Demas as a fellow worker who was with him while imprisoned in Rome (Philem. 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. They both felt a deep discomfort with biblical sexual ethics, which they perceived to oppress women and their LGBTQ+ friends. I suppose Im still partially sympathetic toward the people whose job it is to make sense of these things on behalf of the church. Thats humanism in a nutshell, and I feel the same way. 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. And as a guy who loves Jesus too I quickly found myself resonating with their stories. or that could they even still call . If youve been taught your whole life that They like to call themselves "Internetainers." Charles Lincoln Neal and Rhett McLaughlin first met on the first day of first grade in Buies Creek, North Carolina, when they were held in class during recess as punishment for writing profanity on their desks. They loved not the things of the world, but repented of their sin and put all their hope and trust in him. 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. Scarlett had befriended the very people who had destroyed the South. This insatiable need for certainty is something the still-faithful need to confront about themselves, not us. Co-founder of @mythical. Where does that come from? But I dont think its the actual arguments themselves people have found so persuasive. fear that if they stopped believing in this While their degrees and first jobs were in engineering, funny video production ultimately became their claim to fame. 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. Doubt always accompany faith. 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. What about the rest of the world? Then he skillfully planted a possible motive: money. ", "Until we meet againhttps://www.youtube.com/wat". 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. 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. 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. .What do you think happens after you die? Rhett says hes lost his appetite for certainty, and I know what he means. Receive weekly updates about fresh articles, videos, and audios, as well as new resources, special discounts, and upcoming events. As the logic goes, a God who is not on board with the LGBTQ agenda is not a God worth serving. 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. He suggested that if all these apologists and theologians were to recant their stories and change their opinions, their livelihoods would be at stake. It isnt the skeptics who crave constant assurances were on the right track. I was amazed at the providential coincidences that converged for me, personally, when I listened to these testimonies last week. be One in Christ. 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. If you believe in him and love him, he is supposed to be the most important thing you can speak about with anyone you meet. It gives you purpose. I shouldnt be afraid to poke and prod at any of this stuff, right? their home town version of Christianity placed on them. And, in reality, hes not living that way either. This is what Ive been teaching them. To some, it smells like beauty and life; to others, it smells like death. It was a relationship. Cotton Candy Randy is a Mythical character created by Rhett & Link on their daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Mark Spence, a Christian, discusses some controversial subjects with a couple, and they leave once he brings up one topic in particular. One of the metaphors I like to use for my own personal spiritual deconstruction and reconstruction is that of a supermarket. Confession: When I was a kid, I was in love with Ricky Schroder. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to trivialize this. Fast forward 35 years to a day replete with a global internet and smartphones, and Postmans words ring with the chill of prophetic accuracy. Christians today must be ready to provide a compelling defense for Christand even play some offenseas we demonstrate an alternative story to deconversion. Neil Carter is a high school teacher, a writer, a speaker, a father of four, and a skeptic living in the Bible Belt. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. 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. The LGBTQ agenda is the new master who takes no prisoners. Rhett and Link's collective spiritual deconstruction isn't ultimately a deconstruction of the Christian faith but of Christian subculture. you? But then I remember this is part of how they protect themselves, knowing too well the fragility of their own faith. The same goes for apologetics in general, doesnt it? Its the. My understanding of who Jesus is is not just based on my experience with him personally, but its also based on what the Bible has to say about him. How would it affect their revenue streams and net worth to remain faithful Christians in todays cultural climate? 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