“Sinners” continues to make headlines as one of the top-rated movies this year — though the film is a non-starter for many people struggling with its religious themes. The topic has started quite the ruckus with folks who believe the film is “anti-Christ.”
Social media is at odds with folks believing that the film is spiritually harmful, while others refute the backlash, claiming the movie artistically captured —and challenged— the deeply rooted societal and religious norms within the Black community.
As previously reported by The Root, Christian artist LeCrae, shared his thoughts about the film. While the “I’ll Find You” singer praised director Ryan Coogler for his visual creativity, he was bothered by the “anti-Christ propaganda” that was depicted during the film.
“In this movie, Christianity is either irrelevant or oppressive, and power is found in African spiritual practices,” he posted. “Hoodoo, not the Holy Spirit, is the weapon of choice.” Online forums have echoed these sentiments while expressing their views of the film’s treatment of religious themes.
“That Sinners movie was demonic. Period,” Christian rapper, Bryson Gray shared in a X post. “Not because of vampires. Not because of the stuff about race. It’s because of the stuff about race. “I’s because the main message was “witchcraft is better for black people than the Bible.”
But not everyone agrees with the anti-Christian sentiment.
“The discourse around Sinner is making something abundantly clear. A lot of Black folks are ignorant of their own heritage AND how the oppressor’s belief systems reinforce that ignorance,” wrote popular social media figure, Tripp Fontane.
The blockbuster hit movie follows the lives of twin brothers, Smoke and Stack — played by Michael B. Jordan in a dual role — who return to their rural Mississippi hometown, seeking to restart their lives after years of being away, only to face an Their first evening home goes bad when they have to fight off evil spirits in the form of vampires.
Under Ryan Coogler’s direction, “Sinners” delivered a nail-biting story with a gripping, thought-provoking exploration of who gets to define morality while analyzing societal trauma that Blacks have endured for generations, including racism and religion.
Since the release, people are dissecting key scenes, particularly around Sammie, the younger cousin of the twins. The very last scene before the credits, in particular, left viewers puzzled: Sammie had to choose between music and the church, which captured the film’s core theory: the struggle of embracing faith that has been used to empower individuals and revealing the consequences of choosing personal freedom over religious practices. This scene suggests that a single decision can have spiritual consequences.
While the discourse of thought doesn’t seem to be dying anytime soon, one Thread commenter shared a very thought provoking observation: “Ryan Coogler wants y’all to know that those DEMONs y’all be fighting everyday…YOU.INVITED.THEM.IN.”