Zoe's Spiritual Deconstruction - Inspired by Ear Biscuits
I've been watching Rhett and Link's content on YouTube since at least 2013. I wish I could remember exactly when I first discovered an episode of their daily YouTube show, "Good Mythical Morning" because it has since become a major part of my life. Their podcast, "Ear Biscuits", also became part of my weekly routine.
All of their content has inspired me on a daily basis to be creative and curious. "Good Mythical Morning" and the "Rhett and Link" channel became a way to escape the reality of my depression and/or anxiety; to delight in the absurd. "Ear Biscuits" became a way to get out of my own head and focus on my priorities. When mental health is something you struggle with, laughter can be the greatest gift.
There was a period in Rhett and Link's lives that they had never discussed publicly. In case you don't know, they met on the first day of first grade and have been best friends ever since, now running their company Mythical Entertainment together. Part of their history their fans have always known was how they studied engineering in college, then pursued engineering careers before pursuing"internetainment" instead. There was a large section of their lives left out though - their Evangelical Christian faith.
Recently on "Ear Biscuits", Rhett and Link made the decision to share their "lost years" with us, particularly focusing on their faith journeys and filling the gaps in their timeline. While I assumed (due to their growing up in North Carolina) that Christianity played a role in at least their younger years, I was surprised to hear about their desire to become missionaries, and exactly how big a role Christianity had in their lives overall.
Their four-part series - "Our Lost Years", "Our Years As Missionaries", "Rhett's Spiritual Deconstruction", and "Link's Spiritual Deconstruction" - inspired me to do something I've wanted to do for a long time and share my own faith story, mainly for the sake of my own self-therapy - but also to fill in the gaps for the people that know me.
There are many similarities between Rhett and Link's stories and my own, which is why I feel encouraged to share it. If you haven't had a long-time religious experience, or never had a spiritual system integrate itself into your life so intimately, then it's probably difficult to understand why a) this even matters and b) why it's so hard to talk about.
I think the biggest obstacle is the fear of judgement from others, and the fear of disappointing the people who matter to you. The judgement can be harsh, can be cruel, and can be painful, and nobody wants to invite it. The religious world is bursting with opinions, conspiracies, theologies, and passion - the perfect combo for a terrifying barrier between keeping your story to yourself or being honest.
A challenge of mine is to free myself from fearing the judgement and disappointment of others. As I will explain later, the truth has always been my biggest motivation, and the truth wants to come out despite the backlash it could incite. Rhett and Link making themselves vulnerable enough to share their extremely personal faith journeys was the last push I needed to discuss my own.
So, this post is merely an introduction and an explanation. Just like with their "Ear Biscuits" episodes, it's impossible to fit a story so personal and so intertwined with your life into one video or blog post. I wouldn't even know how to condense it. For your sake, my story will be separated into parts so that you don't feel beholden to read an entire novel in one sitting. I do warn you though - I don't know how many parts it will be! I've never intimately shared this side of my life with anyone, and certainly not in written form; and I have no game plan. The fingers will type and we'll see what happens.
If you're curious about Rhett and Link, you can look up their channels I mentioned above on YouTube. While "Ear Biscuits" is also its own YouTube channel with the video versions of the podcast, the audio-only version of the podcast is available wherever you typically find yourself listening to podcasts.
I only ask that, if you decide to read my story, that you approach it with an open mind and an open heart. And I ask the same if you introduce yourself to any Rhett and Link content - because, I'll warn you: it gets absurd!
Is it possession, or just printer ink?
All of their content has inspired me on a daily basis to be creative and curious. "Good Mythical Morning" and the "Rhett and Link" channel became a way to escape the reality of my depression and/or anxiety; to delight in the absurd. "Ear Biscuits" became a way to get out of my own head and focus on my priorities. When mental health is something you struggle with, laughter can be the greatest gift.
There was a period in Rhett and Link's lives that they had never discussed publicly. In case you don't know, they met on the first day of first grade and have been best friends ever since, now running their company Mythical Entertainment together. Part of their history their fans have always known was how they studied engineering in college, then pursued engineering careers before pursuing"internetainment" instead. There was a large section of their lives left out though - their Evangelical Christian faith.
Recently on "Ear Biscuits", Rhett and Link made the decision to share their "lost years" with us, particularly focusing on their faith journeys and filling the gaps in their timeline. While I assumed (due to their growing up in North Carolina) that Christianity played a role in at least their younger years, I was surprised to hear about their desire to become missionaries, and exactly how big a role Christianity had in their lives overall.
Their four-part series - "Our Lost Years", "Our Years As Missionaries", "Rhett's Spiritual Deconstruction", and "Link's Spiritual Deconstruction" - inspired me to do something I've wanted to do for a long time and share my own faith story, mainly for the sake of my own self-therapy - but also to fill in the gaps for the people that know me.
There are many similarities between Rhett and Link's stories and my own, which is why I feel encouraged to share it. If you haven't had a long-time religious experience, or never had a spiritual system integrate itself into your life so intimately, then it's probably difficult to understand why a) this even matters and b) why it's so hard to talk about.
I think the biggest obstacle is the fear of judgement from others, and the fear of disappointing the people who matter to you. The judgement can be harsh, can be cruel, and can be painful, and nobody wants to invite it. The religious world is bursting with opinions, conspiracies, theologies, and passion - the perfect combo for a terrifying barrier between keeping your story to yourself or being honest.
A challenge of mine is to free myself from fearing the judgement and disappointment of others. As I will explain later, the truth has always been my biggest motivation, and the truth wants to come out despite the backlash it could incite. Rhett and Link making themselves vulnerable enough to share their extremely personal faith journeys was the last push I needed to discuss my own.
So, this post is merely an introduction and an explanation. Just like with their "Ear Biscuits" episodes, it's impossible to fit a story so personal and so intertwined with your life into one video or blog post. I wouldn't even know how to condense it. For your sake, my story will be separated into parts so that you don't feel beholden to read an entire novel in one sitting. I do warn you though - I don't know how many parts it will be! I've never intimately shared this side of my life with anyone, and certainly not in written form; and I have no game plan. The fingers will type and we'll see what happens.
If you're curious about Rhett and Link, you can look up their channels I mentioned above on YouTube. While "Ear Biscuits" is also its own YouTube channel with the video versions of the podcast, the audio-only version of the podcast is available wherever you typically find yourself listening to podcasts.
I only ask that, if you decide to read my story, that you approach it with an open mind and an open heart. And I ask the same if you introduce yourself to any Rhett and Link content - because, I'll warn you: it gets absurd!
Comments
Post a Comment