Sinners

*Disclaimer: This post contains spoilers.

When I first heard about The Sinners film, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I wanted to see the film because I'm a big fan of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan films (plus Michael is FINE! lol). On the other hand, I was questioning whether I should watch it as a Christian, especially with a title called "Sinners". I saw a lot of discourse about the film online, some Christians watched it and loved it and others said it was demonic and were against it. We even had a discussion in church about it and people's opinions were split. Ultimately, whether to watch the film or not is down to one's own personal conviction. I ended up watching Sinners with my family and we enjoyed it. Is it a pro-Christian film? Nope, but there are elements of the film I believe are in alignment with Biblical principles which I am going to explore.

In the film, the vampires could only enter the jukejoint if they were invited inside. I see this as a powerful analogy: the devil can only gain access to our lives if we open the door to him. We don't have to explicitly invite him in but our actions, choices, and sinful behaviour can serve as an open door. When we sin, we create spiritual entry points that give the enemy room to operate in our lives. This is why repentance is important, to close these doors and reaffirm our alignment with God.

Another significant element is the character of Remmick, the head vampire, who I believe represents Satan. His goal was to turn everyone into vampires to build a community that reflects his values and submits to his control. In the same way, Satan seeks to lead people away from God and into his own kingdom. Remmick tempts others with the promise of a better life as a vampire—offering freedom, immortality, and community. This mirrors how the devil entices us with the temporary pleasures of the world. This reminds me of Matthew 4:8-9 when Satan tried to tempt Jesus: "the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me". Stack is an example of someone who gave in to temptation and ended up becoming a vampire. The main lesson I took from this is to resist temptation otherwise, in the end it will only lead to your downfall.

Another powerful scene is when Sammy recites the Lord's prayer—and Remmick recites it alongside him. I found this to be a key moment in the film. It serves as a reminder that the devil knows Scripture too. During Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, Satan quoted Scripture in an attempt to deceive Him (see Matthew 4:6). This moment highlights a vital truth: being a Christian isn’t just about knowing Bible verses. Head knowledge alone doesn’t equate to true faith. There are people who aren’t followers of Christ who can quote Scripture front to back—but that doesn’t make them Christians. True Christianity goes beyond information; it’s about transformation. It means having a personal relationship with God through Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, purifying our hearts, renewing our minds, and guiding our lives. Though Sammy was a Preacher's son, his actions show that he didn't have the Holy Spirit in him as his god was his guitar, which he chose over his faith.

Music is a major element in the film. I’ve often spoken out about the music industry and the kinds of messages it promotes. In the movie, Sammy uses music to summon spirits from both the past and the future—including Remmick himself. We know that Satan was an Angel of music before his fall from heaven. That’s why I believe music is spiritually powerful—it can influence atmospheres and even open doors to the unseen realm. There are stories of artists who engage in rituals, smoke, or drink before creating music, sometimes claiming it enhances their “creativity.” One of the members of the Backstreet Boys did an interview and said that there are witches at record labels who demonically pray over albums before their release. Music isn’t just entertainment—it carries frequency, emotion, and intention. It can be used to uplift, worship, and heal, but it can also be used to manipulate, deceive, and invite spiritual influence. That’s why it’s crucial to guard your ear gates and be mindful of what you’re allowing into your spirit through sound. As believers, we should exercise our discernment when choosing the music we listen to.

The film also incorporates elements of Hoodoo, a traditional African American spiritual practice deeply rooted in African ancestral wisdom and nature-based rituals. In the film, Annie uses it to protect her husband, Smoke. She does not use it for evil. Her character is portrayed as wise and discerning, and her spiritual knowledge proves instrumental in the fight against the vampires. This can be interpreted as being pro-Hoodoo. As someone who has previously researched different African spiritual systems, I wasn't offended by this. Watching films or shows about vampires and the supernatural doesn't phase me, as I grew up watching Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Nollywood films that have voodoo in them (as Christians, still use your discernment). There are many spiritual belief systems/religions on this earth that millions of people believe in. As a Christian, I believe that none of them can touch Christianity. In the Bible, there are many instances of people worshipping different gods yet time and again, God shows himself to be more powerful than all of them.

Overall, I think Sinners is a great film and presents a layered narrative that intertwines spirituality, culture, and the unseen battle between good and evil. While it contains controversial elements, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on how faith, identity, and discernment play out in the real world. It raises important questions about how we engage with the world as Christians. Ultimately, it reminds us to stay spiritually aware, guard our hearts and minds, and seek God’s truth above all.

The Revolution will be Televised!

I never thought that in my lifetime I would witness an African leader capable of uniting not only Africans on the continent but those in the diaspora. I never thought I would witness an African leader who could defy the West and survive numerous assassination attempts. The Pan-African in me is screaming with joy!! This is all due to Captain Ibrahim Traore, the young President of Burkina Faso, who is changing the narrative.

As history shows, any African leader who defied the West and prioritised developing their own country and uplifting their people often paid with their lives. An example of this is Patrice Lumumba of Congo. Another example is Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, who achieved a remarkable amount despite his limited time in office. He increased the literacy rate from 13% to 73%,  promoted self-reliance and rejected foreign aid, and focused on building schools, health centres, water reservoirs, infrastructure projects, and many other accomplishments. Like the West typically does (in this case, France), they used a black person close to Sankara to assassinate him, his own childhood best friend, Blaise Compaoré.

Many people see Ibrahim Traore as Thomas Sankara reincarnated. During his short time as president, Traore kicked out the French, paid off Burkina Faso's debts, increased the GDP from $18.8 billion to $22.1 billion, made education free, invested in agriculture, and is currently constructing roads and factories, building a new airport, plus more. Like Sankara, he is pushing for self-sufficiency. Many of us have never seen a leader like Traore; the support for him is worldwide. On 30 April 2025, there were worldwide protests—from London to New York, Jamaica, and across Africa—as people came out to show their solidarity with Traore after American General Langley accused Traore of using his country's gold for his protection. We also know from history that this is another tactic of the West, creating false narratives of leaders. In this age of social media, I don't think this will work.

Even if Ibrahim did use his country's gold for protection, it is justified. His actions have made him a target, and there have been 19 assassination attempts on his life. One of his close bodyguards was paid $5 million to kill him, but the bodyguard took the money and then informed Traore (talk about integrity!). I believe France is scared. Traore's actions could set a precedent for other African nations to follow. Their grip on Africa is weakening, Niger and Mali already kicked them out. France has been receiving $500 billion annually in colonial taxes from Francophone African countries, and the way things are going, this is not going to last. Former President of France, Jacques Chirac, even said that France would become a third-world country without Africa.

What I believe has helped is Burkina Faso's alliance with Russia. I have seen some discourse online about people who are sceptical about this relationship, due to the history of foreigners exploiting Africa, which is understandable. To be honest, Russia does not have a history of exploiting Africa, and every country needs allies. Look at BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa & others). Russia's intelligence was able to help foil multiple assassination attempts against Traore, so I'm not against it. 

I believe there is a shift in consciousness in Africa; the people have had enough. How much suffering and exploitation can a continent continue to endure? There are only so many times you can poke the bear before it reacts. The average age of an African is 19 years old, the population is rapidly increasing, most Africans have access to the internet and can see what is happening in the world. Traore is a beacon of hope across the continent and the world. All of these factors are great conditions for radical change. I believe we are currently and finally starting to witness the rise of Africa.