Morgan and Paul Olliges are cute, Christian YouTubers who make videos, per their own words, addressing social and cultural issues from a Christian perspective.

But does the latter part of that sentence really hold any truth?.

They recently did a video reacting to some old videos, of which they pretend their opinions might have changed.

So let’s take a look at some of the topics they discuss, here and elsewhere.

Abortion

Morgan wrote an entire song on abortion.

I wonder if she donated all the money made from that video to places that support women going through unexpected pregnancies? When was the last time Morgan (and Paul) threw a baby shower for a single, expecting mother? Or voted for politicians that support paid maternity/paternity leave, paid sick leave, and universal healthcare? Why aren’t they fostering right now?

Pro-life Christians focus on the tree, not the root, because the tree is easier to cut (banning abortion) and requires minimal effort. Abortion is rooted in poor sex education, lack of access to healthcare/birth control, poverty, the list goes on. Merely banning abortion is the equivalent of putting a Band-Aid on gangrene. Like sure you might not see the problem anymore, but there’s still rotting, dying flesh beneath all that gauze. Discussing abortion while dismissing the criticisms of those who are pro-choice because they care about the quality of life too, be it the mother’s or the child’s, weakens the argument you’re all about life.

Christians should make as much of an effort to improve the lives of the born as we do to ensure they’re born in the first place. Our foster care system is already overrun and underfunded, why isn’t the church focusing on aiding those children?

Now, I’m pro-life. While the Bible doesn’t say anything about abortion, it does say, “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,” (Jeremiah something). Murder is also a big no, so we can reasonably assume God values the life of the unborn. That said, there are a host of other “sins” that also kill innocents (poverty, gun violence, war, domestic abuse, addiction, etc.). If life is what matters, why are folks like Morgan and Paul not trying to find solutions to these issues as well? Why not take to the streets marching for the life of these folks too? Do they think once a child is born, God no longer cares about them?

Simply put, they’re not really pro-life, they’re pro-whatever-they-can-hold-over-others-to feel-morally-superior-whilst-not-actually-doing-anything-to-help-anybody .

Birth Control

To modern Christians “birth control” seems to only mean the pill, when there exists other, natural methods of birth control that have been around for ages as well as birth control for men. Morgan and Paul are actually pretty okay here in that Morgan says it’s a personal conviction and you should ask God. In their reacting video, she admits she should’ve put a bit more thought into their first video on this topic.

Agreed.

God instructed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis), this was however before the Fall and also applies to more than just pumping out kids, but multiplying believers too. If God had a preference as to how many kids one should have, He would’ve mentioned it (or made us like capable or birthing litters). Unlike smart phones, which weren’t around back then, birth has been around since the beginning of time. Movements, like the quiverfull movement, are based off Biblical clownery rather than Biblical truth.

Politics

Morgan and Paul seem to think Christians can be political. Problem is, American political parties do not represent Biblical truths. The church cannot support parties containing ideologies that are antithetical to the teachings of Christ (Trumpism/conservativism) while claiming to have some sort of moral high-ground on issues like marriage and abortion. There is something to being in the world, but not of the world. But look at Christian’s support of Trump, a man who is prideful, dishonest, violent, prone to slander/gossip, an adulterer- all things the Bible condemns. It’s clear Christians cannot be in politics without also being of the world, because they aren’t willing to call out sin when it comes from someone they like.

I often see the argument of, “well God uses imperfect people to enact his will.” True. David was a man after God’s own heart. David also slept with Bathsheba under dubious circumstances in terms of consent, then arranged for her husband to be killed. However, folks act like David wasn’t punished, called out, and made to repent. Likewise,  the church should call out sin, regardless of whether or not we agree with the politics of that person. Since the duo are Trump supporters and have made few comments (if any) condemning the wrong things Trump has done, we know they’re not willing to call a spade a spade every time they see one.

Morgan and Paul also have some third-wheel here saying he won’t lose friendships over political views. It’s clear he’s not talking about people who’d be more than happy to genocide anyone who’s not like them here. Also, we know Jesus said to tie a stone around the neck of anyone who harms children and throw them in the ocean so like yeah, even from a Biblical perspective, there are some views/issues we should indeed cut people off for.

Bikinis/Modesty

Here, Paul and Blue Shirt Third Wheel talk about modesty.

Right away, they tell women to ask whether or not something they wear is a stumbling block for men. Mind you, they don’t ask if women should consider if what they’re wearing honors God or reflects the fact their bodies are a temple and that they’re treasured, daughters of Christ. Nope, it’s all about men. So already they’re approaching this topic from the wrong perspective (coddling men, rather than pleasing God). And they’re focused on superficial purity, rather than purity of the heart.

Adam and Eve were nude meaning the female body isn’t inherently sexual. Furthermore, in Christ we are born again and therefore capable of “being holy” as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15), meaning we can indeed overcome lust. The question here should be, “Should Christians be able to exhibit self-control?” Or “Should Christians who lust after girls in bikinis gouge their own eyes out in order to be holy?” Yes and yes.

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit and Jesus says they will know us by our fruits. That Christian men struggle the most with looking at knees, belly buttons, and shoulders indicates the church is doing something wrong. I shouldn’t feel more comfortable in a bikini waltzing around the beaches of LA than I would around my Christian brothers, yet that is always the case. I’d be more respected around non-Christian men in a bikini, than I would at a youth group pool party. Why is it that non-Christian men can exhibit more self-control and respect than Christian men? Because the church focuses on the appearance of holiness (2 Timothy 3:5), rather than true holiness from the heart. The focus should be less on being modesty, and more on cultivating self-control and condemning lust in all it’s forms. Modesty has a place, but it’s not limited to clothing and shouldn’t be the focus of purity talks.

In their reacting back video, Morgan in particular seems high-key confused as to why Christian women would get so offended over two men telling women how to dress. Given the church’s history of shifting the blame of sexual abuse entirely on the victim, yeah I really can’t imagine at all why anyone would be offended at such a shallow take on this topic.

Topics like modesty can’t be talked about without addressing the prevalence of sexual abuse in the church (The Duggar family admitted on television incest is normal among their circles. Imagine the reaction if Jim Bob had said abortions are normal). When you have literal children like Joy Duggar being molested by her brother, Josh Duggar, it’s clear the issue isn’t what women are wearing and thus the solution is not to cover up. But again it’s far easier to make women wear sackcloth and ashes, than it is to teach men to have self-control, to take responsibility for their own thoughts/actions, and that sexual feelings and desires are totally normal, and nothing to be ashamed of in the first place (doesn’t mean you have to act or dwell on them though – 2 Corinthians 10:5).

Really, if Paul ft. blue shirt third wheel just discussed this topic with some common sense, they likely wouldn’t get the amount of hate they do.

Stop Living In Sin

Morgan always sounds like she’s on the verge of tears.

Also, last I checked, pride is one of the seven deadly sins. Vanity too. Anyone, peeped Paul’s Instagram page? Nothing but pictures of the “self.” Timothy talks about being “lovers of self….” in 2 Timothy 3.

Anyway, this probably wouldn’t be a terrible video and they even admit to needing forgiveness except again… this is a very shallow take. Sin isn’t limited to sexual sin, like this video insinuates. Unfair wages God calls an abomination. God also hates exploitation of the poor *coughs in capitalism.* As does He hate worshipping idols like the American flag, nationalism, and Trump. Where is this energy for those things?

“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right—  if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel, ESV)

Morgan also calls what sounds like depression laziness, which ok?

Conclusion

So are Morgan and Paul really addressing social and cultural issues from a Christian worldview?

Sometimes, but mostly they’re just spouting off their personal opinions filtered through a conservative, right-leaning lens.

Morgan and Paul ought to take the time to study Scripture, maybe go to seminary (they don’t work so they have the time), taking all things into consideration before making a video. You simply can’t just read the Bible and fully understand what it’s saying without doing some research on the culture, context, etc. of which some of it was written, particularly if you want to teach others.

Since their whole schtick is being Christian social commentators, they should do so in a manner of excellence, “Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23, AMP). Not lazy and half-heartedly like they do now.

To end.

Agreed, brother. Agreed.

Morgan and Paul Show Rating: 6.3/10