These spiritual deconstruction episodes are what brought me from being a casual GMM viewer to a die-hard mythical beast. I love that you do these updates once a year. Thank you for sharing this with us.

I love listening to Rhett talk about religion and philosophy. I think he approaches these concepts with both tact and a level of self-reflection not often seen. He expresses himself very articulately.

Does anyone else notice a renewed sense of love and relaxing energy between Rhett & Link lately? Both here and GMM there seems to be more compassion and support between them. There was a time last year that seemed very strained and I’m glad to see where they’re at now.

These are the only episodes I won't ever miss.

As a hardcore evangelical Christian who went to school for ministry & had a very bad childhood- my faith was my everything. The HARDEST journey I EVER went through was my religious deconstruction because ur faith is so integral to who u r, the way u think, feel, see the world etc. it’s been so insanely hard! I can’t tell u how much these videos have meant to me personally. I felt less alone in that deeply hard & dark place. I also agree I am a person of faith. I still hold to some tenets of Christianity but I am open to being wrong. I also choose to see things & step outside myself without seeing them as threats to my faith anymore. Sending u both love on ur journey! I just wish we as a human race could offer each other more grace, love & support in the process/journey. ❤

I am consistently proud of Rhett for being so transparent, and telling his story. As someone who grew up the same way, I can relate to literally everything he says. It is NOT an easy thing to process or deal with. I am a bit earlier in my journey than he and Link are, but I have so much respect for him and sharing his journey.

I was actually thinking about the first videos a few days ago. They were quite helpful in my own journey towards faith as a Muslim from Pakistan who grew up in similar structures where society and family are quite religious. Thank you for your open and honest conversations around something so personal to all of us.

The problem I have with how they talk about atheism is that they assume it is dogmatic. As an atheist, I have met at least one atheist that disagrees with me on everything.... except that we both don't believe God exists. Notice... I did not say, we were both convinced that God does not exist. The first is being unconvinced of the proposition "God exists". The second is being convinced of the proposition "God does not exist". Think of it like the difference between a Not Guilty verdict and being innocent.

Thank you both for this!!! As someone who also grew up evangelical Christian is as a scary journey having all of your beliefs shaken from the core! I’m glad to know that you all are on the same journey. Can’t wait for next year’s episode!

As someone that is still finding where I stand in faith, this podcast has definitely highlighted the challenges/questions I have been pondering on for a while.

I might just be projecting my own experience, but I feel like a lot of Mythical Beasts are/were also deconstructing when you first talked about it, so hearing about your deconstruction stories way back when was some of the most unexpected relief. I feel like the Mythical Beasts and Rhett and Link follow sort of a parallel path in one way or another (spiritually, personality, interests, hobbies, etc.) and that's why we've stuck around for so long, compared to other fanbases. A lot of us sort of gravitated towards each other and grew together with you guys.

I don't listen to Ear Biscuits regularly but when the first of these came out I was at the very beginning of my deconstruction journey and this episode came out the month I started estrogen. I really appreciate you both being open and honest about a very personal part of your lives, and something that effects so many people's lives 🧡

Literally searched Rhett and Link Deconstruction because I wanted to rewatch it and was suprised when this popped up. Had no idea there was another. These are my favourite videos from them!

As somebody who was raised completely without faith, this series has been really interesting to me as a window into your thought processes, especially Rhett's. [I think he'd be a great "guy at a party" you meet and have a three-hour conversation about existence with.] He and I approach things from a very similar way, where we want to dig and discover every aspect we can before truly making a judgement. Over the last few years, I've definitely gone on a similar journey into believing there's some kind of connection out there. I don't necessarily believe it's a spiritual or supernatural thing, but I think it's there. I don't really know what it is, and I've learned that I actively don't want to know. It's the ineffable humanity of our shared existence, and I don't think there's a fundamental difference if you call it God, human connection, synchronicity, the Universe, or even Mythicality. It's all the same thing at the core, so how it gets expressed to each person matters less than that it is expressed.

you have no clue how much i value these episodes and DEEPLY resonate with both of you, thank you for sharing

i love how link listens and doesnt interject his own opinions or values, just letting rhett share his beliefs

first time i've properly watched ear biscuits, love seeing this other more insightful side of rhett and link. their personalities are incredibly comforting and soothing to me, i've been watching them since i was a kid. GMM always puts a smile on my face, i watched while i was having a horrible time in the hospital and it cheered me up and made me feel less lonely cause i could laugh along with two familiar faces, and it's just always fun watching two great guys who are best friends have a silly time together. they just feel so safe, i can always trust that their content is going to make me feel less stressed. definitely going to watch more ear biscuits because hearing them speak more deeply about different topics is honestly what i've been missing :)

I love how respectful you are towards everyone else's faith/position/path. You don't push your stance which is very refreshing within the realm of religion/spirituality. I definitely agree that faith follows what one wants to believe is true.

I am so happy you are giving these updates. I had been out of the Mormon church for 6 years when you dropped the first set of episodes, and they helped me grapple with many of the feelings I was having at the time. You both played a big role in me leaving a lot of baggage and trauma in the past. Thank you.

These updates are so helpful and I'm happy to see you've overcome a rough patch in your friendship and are enjoying your friendship again.

I loved watching ya'll while growing up in a doomsday cult. Then when I started questioning my faith (and growing out my hair), Rhett and Link put out the most helpful videos I've ever watched. They still help me three years later. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart🖤

Every year I want to do this but I never do, so now I am. Thank you for sharing these. It's going to sounds nuts but it was you, Rhett and Link, with your original stories, that kickstarted my own deconstruction - or rather, you were saying all the things my brain had been trying to make me listen to for years, if that makes sense. Since then I've watched and read and listened to so many more deconstruction stories, and done so much of my own processing, but it's still a little nuts to me that it all started with two random guys whose main claim to fame is the insane shit they'll subject themselves to online, just talking about life, and me finding excuses to take long drives so I could hear the whole of both stories in peace. PS, deconstructing was a critical part of me feeling I was allowed to leave an abusive marriage, so you can take a heaping tablespoon of credit for helping end that disaster as well.

As a guy who was never brought up to believe any specific thing, it’s so interesting to see how people leave their church and come into their own understanding. It’s amazing to see and it’s great that this happens. We know there’s a lot of people who just hide it and don’t say anything but you guys are honest with yourself and the world, which is awesome.

listening to these podcast episodes is unlike anything else in the best way possible. No matter what it is they're talking about the fact that they're older and more experienced than essentially all the other content creators I personally consume is so insightful and provides me with perspectives that truly no other podcast does... No matter what the topic is I always seem to connect to what they're saying in some level and since I've been listening to these guys for literally all my teenage years until now, it feels like family advice and there's no other corner on the internet where I feel this level of safe and heard

Listening to rhett and link going through phases like this do help me alot. I come from a Buddhist family, my parents never really push religion thoughts to me but i do go to buddhist sunday school. At the same time my aunt brought me to Christian Sunday school, trying to convert me to Christian. Now that im in my mid 20s, going through some mid life crisis, trying to find faith, but i fail. But i end up finding faith in myself. Theres still a long process and i dont reject the idea of welcome those thoughts. But listening to you guys help me through what im going through and im grateful for it 😊 thank you Rhett and link for coming out with these podcast.

❤️ I’ve watched you guys since practically the beginning, I’ve seen almost everything you’ve done, and I can’t begin to explain to you how connected I feel to you, the crew and other mythical beasts. Or how many times you’ve gotten me through some of the worst moments of my entire life with my health or grief. If that’s not a kind of magic, then I don’t know what is ❤️ love to you all

fwiw, being able to hear about your journeys and how they’ve paralleled, diverged, and overlapped with my own deconstructions has been healing thanks guys

Beautiful fellas. Had to catch up from last year's deconstruction and I just love these conversations. Was so glad to see the new ones out this year! I absolutely have to say I've always felt a resonance with Rhett and his thinking, and I really felt it in this conversation. To me, he said a lot this episode without really saying a lot! Onto Link's new deconstruction!

Im 4 years into my deconstruction. Right now I identify as an agnostic theist and a secular humanist. Its a tough and hurtful journey. Letting go of so many things you thought true is like a grief. Idk what my faith will look like in the future but its interesting. Thank you for sharing ❤ this is very awesome to hear that one is not alone in their faith journey.

Thanks for uploading! This is going to be so interesting, I can already tell ❤

that was 3 years ago??? damn. time flies. can't wait for the update!

I came from a religious background not too dissimilar to the one you guys came from and have been relistening to all of the deconstruction episodes since this year's were released. I am so grateful for the vunerability you all have put out into the world as it has helped me to move forward in my journey and my own convictions. Thank you for being your mythical best.

Wow it doesn’t feel like it’s been three years! Congrats! Also, ear biscuits is such a cozy podcast for me 😊

These kinds of discussions are important to document. Learning how others resolve and rationalize internal conflict can help grow ourselves. I find the deconstructing and thought process map to be very fulfilling. There are many stops along the way.

I really enjoyed this. It doesn’t make you any less credible in my opinion. You’re not claiming to have all the answers, you’re just opening up a conversation about things that many people want to explore but are too scared.

Thank you for your openness with this subject. I believe in a lot of what you are trying to describe and have had some very similar experiences to your descriptions. It feels like tapping into something higher than ourselves and creativity being the link. I've listened to many affirmation videos and other speakers, some of which I have had to try to keep an open mind to their belief systems as sometimes it can feel a little too far out there. But like you, the more I have opened up myself to this possibility, the more it feels like I have tapped into something that is difficult to explain. What these people are referring to as Synchronicities. What a fantastic way to describe these moments. I try not to disect it too much, the thing that I feel the most is this is either something very spiritual and makes me feel like what I have always wanted is that this life is bigger than we can comprehend and at worse it's helping me to be positively creative. So, not a bad take away from this. Go with the flow. 😊

Got to hear this on a podcast app first and it's gotten me pretty interested in how Rhett and Link approach everything they do this year. I know last year Link seemed almost concerned about where Rhett was heading with getting a Bible around this time last year, but it's nice to know that direction he took practically failed at launch. Can't wait hear how Link's been doing next week. And Rhett, Link, Stevie, anyone on the Mythical crew reading this: please bring back the vlogs this year :(

This wonderful discussion brought three things to mind: Tolkien’s essay On Fairy-Story, simultaneous discoveries in math and science (like calculus), and convergent evolution (like crabs). Thanks for this inspiring stuff!

You guys are seriously an inspiration. In so many ways. Actually just started crying as I type this. It’s Overwhelming! Life really is a beautiful journey and I am really glad to have you two and the mythical crew around almost every day. I’m proud of guys. Thank you for sharing your truths with us. Incredibly powerful impact on our collective consciousness. ❤

i love the way you both articulate things!!! you are both so incredibly talented and intelligent. thank you for all that you do, even if you don’t read this comment just know you have made an immense impact on my deconstruction process. Peace and love❤️🤟🏽

I appreciate the fact that they're not 2D personalities. Their candid conversation here about faith and deconstruction is poignant. As are other conversations they have that pull the curtain back on the show and their lives. Thank you.

I’m going through something very similar to Rhett and Link so being able to hear their stories and experiences is very comforting

Using your platform to express this big life experience that you've had that's definitely very controversial is so important to support others who are going through this too. Thanks for continuing this conversation and being so transparent!

Probably my favorite content to listen to while driving now from the first episode. Please keep updating us with your philosophical journey! An interesting thing to note is that I feel like Link's largest fear is Rhett delving more into Christianity after the deconstruction. This is just an observation based on his comments and reactions from when Rhett got the bible, established his presence, and etc.

There’s something courageous about questioning your beliefs. I really respect how they analyze and search for the truth that aligns with them. This is fascinating to listen to especially how well educated they are, the books they read, the research they do on the subject. This podcast have opened my eyes to a new ground and made me feel more secure about my own faith (you should read journey of souls by Michael newton)

I feel the same, it makes sense to me. There’s something beyond us humans we can’t understand or prove. The experiences we have are more than coincidences. I had this exact conversation the other day. Thank you for being so open and honest.

I really enjoyed and appreciated this. As a visual artist, it was very refreshing to hear your perspective on creativity, faith and the antenna thing, which I think is a great way of putting it. I would add to that a small (but relevant to me) detail which is the determination and devotion to the pursuit of being the best antenna that you can. And there's a sort of boring professionalism to that. The inspiration of the muses may always be around us, but if we were to only respond to the call to create when a magical moment happens, we would not become the great artists that we could be, at least in my opinion. Much like in sports, I feel like the successful tuning of our creative antennae is a matter of consistent training. The more often we train, the more likely it is for the magical moments to happen - and they get more frequent, too. The antenna is like a muscle - some of us may have been born with better predisposition, others have built it from scratch, in some others it may have atrophied. We create and build ourselves into the best antennae that we can in order to receive as fully and openly as possible. The way I see it, as fantastic as that sounds, the building of ourselves in this way is a result of a devoted showing up. Every day, as much as you can. Sounds great, right? It is. But sometimes you don't feel like having faith in your work. Sometimes you're tired. The point I'm trying to make is that the showing up, and showing up badly, showing up pissed and tired, showing up in any shape and form for your work is a witness of your faith in it. And along the way, the growing relationship of mutual trust and love between you and your work deepens and flourishes steadily.

I love this subject - but I’m so distracted by the white line down the middle! 😩 I prefer just watching you guys chat naturally - as if I was the 3rd person at the table 😁

i love these two dads,they’ve grown so so much.

Love these convos. As a lifelong non-religious person, there is a whole world of wonder out there that you can appreciate without the need to explain it. I think tapping into the well of creativity once you’ve shattered the lens you were told to view everything through opens an entirely new dimension of thought. You don’t have to define a thing or even believe in a specific thing to appreciate the symbiosis and coalescence of creative energy and how our shared empathy allows us to vibe with one another and create together. The most freeing phrase in the world is “I don’t know.”

I look forward to these videos! I have watched GMM for ~ 8 years but had never seen the podcast until the initial deconstruction videos. I was obsessed. I was raised catholic but knew from a very young age that it wasn’t for me. I just started this episode but I am excited to hear your perspective. I’ve always considered myself a spiritual person but not a religious person.

Interesting to watch y’all’s spiritual deconstruction. My faith has gotten stronger, but I love watching these.

38:08 @Rhett I am freaking out!!! I just bought this book today!!! But I need to back up - I started listening to this podcast yesterday and stopped before I got to this point in the show - today, after a rough morning, I found a bookstore I’d never been to before and happened upon and bought this book! There are many other threads of synchronicities here that I can’t even get into - but I actually have this book sitting in my lap and decided to finish the podcast before diving in. Let’s just stay that I’m shook! Freaking shook!!!

I love Rhett’s vulnerability here. He’s is a genuinely Great person (as is Link of course) and has my full respect.✌🏻☮️ These guys are *Good Mythical Greatness* 💯💪🏻

This single episode has opened up for me so many ideas and interesting conversations with friends. Love this content. Please keep doing these.

I literally just finished your other videos today~ your journeys are eerily similar to mine and my partner's

I’m surprised that there aren’t more comments about the video format! I’m my opinion, this format (side by side) is way better than last week’s, but still not as good as it used to be. For me, it’s distracting to always see both of them onscreen at once - but like I said, still way better than last week, so many thanks to the crew for listening to our feedback!

Coincidentally enough I rewatched the others just a few days ago and discovered “James and the Shame” a week ago, how aptly timed ☺️

I find it so interesting that I've landed in a similar place in terms of faith. I don't know what's out there or any of the why's but I can't shake the feeling that there is something beyond. Thanks for being so open.

I always look forward to these updates!

I love seeing you guys on the journey of faith you’ve been taking. Does having kids who are growing and heading towards college/freedom to experiment with religion affect your beliefs?

i am a new EB listener, and i just finished (days ago, literally) your lost years series that was followed up by your deconstruction talk. i had been wanting to dip my toes back into church and religion, and after i watched your videos, it made me come to a realization that i was craving structure and not necessarily religion. thank you for updating.

This is the first reconstruction ep that I've been here for. Gotta say, thank you.

I’ve been looking forward to these since your first update!

These videos are so helpful for me as college student who grew up in a Christian household and graduated from a conservative Christian high school. Before I graduated and since I’ve left home, I’ve done a lot of thinking and have come to some similar conclusions. There’s a lot of healing to do, but we’re on the way💪

This gets MORE interesting every year. It’s beautiful.

I thank Rhett and Link for their deconstruction episodes. I was struggling at the time with my faith and religion. Then when they put those episodes out 3 years ago it helped me with my spiritual deconstruction. So I left Christianity and returned to my indigenous, spiritual roots and have felt 100% better in my life.

9:13 hi yes, this is my husband. He is currently rereading lotr and going through all of the feelings of what he remembered and how he interprets things now as an adult. Obvi not his religion but still an interesting perspective. We’ve had a lot of fun conversations about it. Also yes, we do constantly put on lotr extended editions as background noise and sometimes the soundtrack too.

Man... This is good stuff. Thank you Rhett.

Rhett's new spiritual bridge at the 52 minute area resonates with me a lot. I wont say what my belief system is, because it doesn't matter, but his new experiences are in line enough with my own and of those in my community that i hope he can make the most of the these tethers if he is meant to do so. Regardless i always look forward to these follow ups, thank you for sharing.

I Literally just listened to the first one of rhetts deconstruction yesterday... and it gave me alot of insight and changed how i see religion as a whole. Like i already felt like religion was not great but this changed it on a whole new level, thank you guys! I dont think that its a coincidence that this was posted the other day and idecided to watch the other ones that same day

I appreciate you sharing this - as someone who grew up similarly in VA and has religious trauma… Your growth and journey is comforting and affirming to my own. ❤

Those synchronicities/coincidences happen all the time in my friend group and even in my family, we're all pretty tightly knit. If we say what the other is thinking, have a tune stuck in our head from no where, come up with the same idea, knowing what the other person is about to do, etc, we just sum it up to be in the "collective conscious" of our group of people. Saying "must've been in the collective" to write it off half-jokingly. Whether or not we all believe it to actually be a real thing remains to be seen, but it's fun to think about.

So deeply relatable and insightful as always, thank you.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I had never watched anything involving these two. I recently started binge watching both GMM shows. It’s so interesting to get to know the two of them on a different level. Getting to know what’s beneath all the jokes and competition and production. I had no idea they were both heavily religious and finding this out and following the journey has been fascinating. I did not grow up with any religious background so to me hearing this is it’s hard to relate. Regardless I still teared up during some of what Rhett had to say. He’s is so incredibly well spoken and I’m happy he’s able to safely, slowly, comfortably find his footing in the world through his personal life, beliefs, relationships and work. ❤

5 years into deconstruction and I chose to just not believe in any of it. I admire and learn different concepts along the way and I take information or insight from different sources. But In my opinion we can’t even begin to grasp the reality of this existence or what is true. We may never know honestly! Knowing that, I just decided to take things less seriously, have fun, treat people well and just experience what ever this is haha. I would love more content like this from you guys.

I always look forward to these episodes! My Mormon deconstruction has a lot of similarities. Thank you!

Something that I think goes REALLY well with what you’re talking about Rhett, is the overlap that so many of our lives have formed. There is a book called Determined about how we don’t really have the free will to make choices that are free from our prior experiences or upbringing. Our lives are constantly pushed down a small selection of choices and what choices we had were determined by others. We have distinct interests but only limited ways to express and interact with those interests. This causes more homogeneous experiences within our communities and can make more general observations feel incredibly personal. That’s not to say that those experiences aren’t incredibly personal, but it can skew our minds to be bias towards more general interactions and become convinced the experience was more personal or unique. You were very vague about the story for your own reasons obviously so I can’t know for certain if this is pertinent to the conversation fully, I just thought it was a good addition to the conversation about how we can be biased to believe in the things we want to be true and how there are cold readers who can fake psychic sight into your life through these mundane but telling details about ourselves, since we have limited choices to delineate from each other.

I love you guys. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. ❤

I think that one of the large aspects that keeps people locked in faith is the community aspect. For a lot of people their religious community is their ONLY community and how could they ever let that go for a mayyybee belief change. And then i wonder if your guys broader connection to a community at large due to being internet personalities creates the community you needed to support you through a spiritual transition.

It's interesting that Rhett keeps going back to what he wants to be true. I find myself in the opposite boat. I am an atheist, but I am very jealous of those with faith. I want to believe in an afterlife and I want to think everything happens for a reason, but I struggle to. I think that I, as a person, need proof in order to believe, and I haven't found it. I don't actively look for faith, but I am always in awe of people that can just believe without proof.

Thank you for continuing to do this series

I never thought we’d get another one of these videos but I’m so not complaining!

"For most of history you just believed what your parents believed and what your community believed and what the people in your culture believed. That's why religions are centered regionally," Rhett, as he talks about Christianity and/or organized religion in general. Meanwhile, he leaves Christianity to adopt what, the Hinduism of those around him? No, to adopt the secularism of 97% of the people living around him. He's the exact thing that he claims to be critiquing.

I've been thinking about this episode a lot since Monday. My work is also creative, and sometimes the inspiration just comes out of the blue, and those moments are kinda spiritual. Same with when the beauty of the surrounding nature moves me to tears. I don't believe in a higher power, but I do believe all living creatures are connected, and the bigger purpose of human existence for me is in living a life which is good for me, other creatures and the nature. Instead of something above, I believe in something within us all, like a need for harmony and kindness.

I enjoy these videos so much It's a very intetesting topic..that is part of maaany people's life at some point in time Doubt, change, memories, new types of lifestyle, new points of view..lots of autoanalysis. It's a life long process 💟 Be always strong, open-minded, coerent and curious..it's the only way to evolve and become the best version of ourselves! Don't let others' opinions dictate how to live your life

Really enjoy these episodes, my personal deconstruction and connection with spirituality is similar to Rhett's. And Rick rubins book inspired me as well!

Regular video format please.

I went through a deconstruction of my faith as well. However I did eventually reconstruct over time. I always find it interesting that, I myself included when someone is deconstructing there’s often still a desire for a higher power yet no desire to be accountable to it or to any authority over us. Which is what I feel Rhett is explaining in 1:00:00. In my personal journey I had to choose to let that go and allow faith to be what guided me through the areas of my heart that didn’t want to be accountable to a God. So much so that I’m now being propelled into ministry when I thought I would NEVER go back into that space. ❤ I just want to encourage anyone listening that if you have deconstructed and are in a place of not knowing where or what to turn to, remember that your faith can be something you can turn back to & trust in again. ♥️ It takes rebuilding but it’s possible. My prayer after having gone through this myself is that love would come and fill the spaces in our hearts that are calloused to the world and to what our interpretations have made God to be.

My spiritual journey get richer every year. The more I open to the universe unfolding in the present the more I grow spiritually. Not always easy ,often challenging

I deconstructed from Islam. I'm still dealing with trauma but this freedom of not being bogged down by religion is amazing still waiting for my whole brain to catch up.

Haven't started yet but Link's jacket is awesome. Is it true vintage or just retro? Love it. Eta: it's modern retro and I need to get it for hubby. (It's a Marine Layer Puffer Jacket for anyone like me who needs to know this stuff, lol.)

You can use faith to believe anything. It isn't a reliable way to come to true conclusions.

This was a fascinating conversation! As children, we definitely count on our elders to teach us how to survive in the world, which is why most people share their parents' views throughout much, if not all, of their childhoods. We are predisposed to trust adults unless experience teaches us that the adults in our lives are untrustworthy.

Unsure if this comment will be read by Rhett and Link. However, I will give it a shot, I also have been deconstructing since last November, with much research and reading nonstop, and I'm coming up on a year now. I've been a bible believing Christian up until last year. I'm currently between Agnostic and Athiest, I am writing my first book pointing out the "inerrancy" of scripture from contradictions, absurdities, and morality. I don't think most Christians really know what's in the bible at full. I would love to have a foreword written by you both. I can send over access to the book. It's on Google Drive right now, and it's incomplete as of right now, currently at around 20k words. None the less, thankful for your impact and courage to be forward about this process and transition phase of your life.

There's something between people where you literally connect on a certain wavelength. It's a truly *mythical* experience.

I was brought up fundamental independent Baptist. I'm still deconstructing at age 43.

i was raised mormon and 2 serpeaste years in my young life i tried to believe and follow it and i was always more miserable. i don’t believe in god and i know there’s nothing wrong with that because i’m happy and overall a good person……all of our journeys are and should be different because we are not all the same person, i fully support you and link with whatever definition of the world and spirituality keeps you a happy/good person🖤🖤 love your truth always

You can definitely still see the DNA in Rhet''s evangelical history. A lot of his mannerisms and the way he speaks remind me vividly of a lot of church sermons.

Speaking of circumstances and regionality, I know people who are from one sect but change sects simply because it's the closest church to your house. Such trivial reasons made me start to question faith.