Were So Spoiled. Our cultural moment is a cauldron of information and celebrity worship in which the cult of personality can ferment and grow. Did it also come from that pair of chromosomes? 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? 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. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:1416 that through his missionary work, Christ spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of himself. When I discovered that there were many other aisles in the supermarket that contained delicious spiritual food I was at first nervous and suspicious. Lauren Boebert And Marjorie Greene's Adult Christianity Was Never About Democracy, Anyway. 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. Its got a destination. News flash, these are all grounded in the Christian worldview that he is trying so hard to distance himself from. 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 . Should Christians Embrace Evolution? Watch the rest of their discussion in the video above, and read Goins-Phillips story on Rhett and Link here. That tow-headed heartthrob took my breath away with every episode of the 1980s sitcom Silver Spoons. 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. Demas traded eternal hope for earthly treasure. He even says that he understands the argument that you cant have a moral law without a moral law Giver But then he says, that he just doesnt know. 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. If I wouldve found out he was a former Christian now identifying as agnostic, it would have broken my heart. Mark Spence, a Christian, discusses some controversial subjects with a couple, and they leave once he brings up one topic in particular. Then the format changed. 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 same goes for apologetics in general, doesnt it? However, celebrity Christian deconversions, or celebrity conversions, actually do matter. Why? This is why growth is stunted, why people abandon the faith: our church is too shallow for roots to dig deep. With the YouTube-ification of our culture, though, consumers are connecting not with actors playing characters, but real people who allow them to peek behind the curtain of their lives. A Christians Response to the Deconstructed Faith of YouTubers Rhett and Link. He cohosts the award-winning television program Way of the Master, which airs in 190 countries. 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. 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. 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. I couldnt check his Instagram for updates every hour or tweet at him with the real possibility he might tweet back. Commercial Kings: With Rhett McLaughlin, Link Neal, Shayne Pax, Brandon Taylor. 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. How is my marriage going to stay together? This channel has made Rhett and Link the fourth highest-earning YouTube stars 3 while reaching audiences around the world. Home of #GMM, Rhett and Link, and everything else #Mythical @rhettmc @linkneal @mythicalstore @mythicalchef 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. 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. This implies that they are, in fact, deceiving people. It would appear that despite how destabilizing and difficult their deconstruction processes were, they no longer wanted Christianity to be true. 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. 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. Would. Norman C. Nevin, Theistic Evolution Edited by J.P. Moreland, Stephen C. Meyer, Ann K. Gauger, Wayne Grudem, & Christopher Shaw. 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. Let me help you out here. Could it be that the cultural influences driving these, Rhett was careful to say he doesnt think these apologists are intentionally deceiving anyone. 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. They were also Christians, former missionaries, and Campus Crusade (now, When they each recorded videos walking fans through their spiritual-deconstruction stories in February, it shot through the internet like a bolt of lightning. 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 Rhett and Link already know theyll be accused of being arrogant. Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. Thats a messy situation. But when evangelizing, is apologetics helpful or necessary? for a rude awakening when you travel. They offer videos that present everything from video-game hacks to make-up tutorials to opinions about political and religious issues. But it wouldnt have shaken my own faith. 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. Listening to both Rhetts and Links stories, you can feel how much pushback they anticipate encountering from people who love them. Watching people eat bugs and murderously hot peppers isnt really my thing, but its a different story for my kids. That was the key for all of us, wasnt it? Rhett is 0% left-handed. Rhett & Link are entertainers who primarily use the Internet to display their talents. But dont throw the tub out. The youth-group kids left flustered and agitated by doubt mightve been entirely unperturbed had they heard those arguments from another source. This is what Ive been teaching them. But as both Rhett and Link recounted, there was something brewing underneath the intellectual questions. Who will separate us from the Love of Christ? They decided to go get vasectomies together and filmed the experience for a video . Later in Pauls ministry, however, he writes that Demas ended up loving the present world more than the things of God and walked away (2 Tim. One main issue discussed by them is the problem with LGBTQ and church. Listening to their podcast you hear the Only the dates and names were changed. 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 was a relationship. It gives you something to hold on to. 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. How would it affect their revenue streams and net worth to remain faithful Christians in todays cultural climate? But I dont think its the actual, people have found so persuasive. 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. One can believe in a literal Adam OR that Adam is a metaphor and still follow Jesus. They no longer identify as Christians so it is not judgmental to refer to them this way.) ), 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? And, in reality, hes not living that way either. 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? Get resources, podcast episodes, and SWO updates sent directly to your inbox. And when I jumped ship, I didnt jump to another boat. It gives you purpose. 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. She Leaves Once This Christian Brings Up This Topic. By naming several apologists such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, Tim Keller, and Ravi Zacharias, he knocked the legs out from under their arguments. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. SUBSCRIBE to Faithwires (free) YouTube channel. As an evangelical Christian, you learn to tackle controversial subjects by reading only books by other evangelicals as they talk through their own rationalizations for their beliefs. 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. I dont blame them. 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. That the simple childlike answers of your youth which at one time gave such clarity and certainty no longer sufficed. That said, I sympathize even more with the ones who follow their own consciences out of the fold, in time being accused of every impure motive imaginable. We still believe the truth and the opinion of two YouTube comedians cannot change that. ), but he cant escape the fact that he is an image-bearer of God, living in Gods world. 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 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. As a creative team, Rhett and Link have consistently pushed their limits instead of sticking to their comfort zone, a fact that has helped them immensely. more Christ-like now that they no longer see themselves as Christians. 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. I cant help but notice the similarities. 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. This was so convenient because the gift card is digital and gets sent right to your email! Could it be that the cultural influences driving these deconstruction stories needs to be re-examined, rather than Christianity itself? As an apologist, my knee-jerk reaction was also to grab my computer and start typing refutations with the force of a thousand suns. And deal with them now, but dont exchange Christianity with doubts for an empty belief system made solely of doubts. Christy Neal: Link's wife. They were getting tired of doing GMM. 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. To put it bluntly. 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. 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. Heres the deal, we (at SWO) have gone back and forth on whether or not to address this. 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. What was scheduled as an hour-long chapel service last Wednesday has turned into a multi-day revival at Asbury University. I dont know. 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. Ill interact the most with Rhetts extimony as it covered the lions share of their reasons for leaving the faith. Neil Carter is a high school teacher, a writer, a speaker, a father of four, and a skeptic living in the Bible Belt. The answer many of us who deconstructed And thats no laughing matter. Why do Rhett and Link homeschool? It only even pretends to talk about how stuff became other stuff. Rhett and Links deconstruction journey frequently mentioned the struggle they felt as they began to hold long held beliefs to the fire. I mean we have little finite minds and we are trying to understand an infinite God. 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. But as Reformed Evangelicals these werent simply add on beliefs. 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