Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should: My Take On Sinners the Movie

Earlier today, I was watching a YouTube podcast episode featuring Priscilla Shirer and one of her sons.

They were discussing the Sinners movie—starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, and a few other actors I didn’t recognize. What struck me was how their conversation revealed two distinct perspectives within the Christian community: her son, who had watched the movie, and Priscilla, who chose not to.

I found myself aligning with Priscilla Shirer’s perspective and her reasoning for not watching the movie. I also appreciated how she challenged her son’s reasoning, even while listening to him explain the storyline and the motives behind why many people, especially younger believers (he’s about 20 or 21), are choosing to watch it.

His reasons? Curiosity, cautious exploration, and the absence of conviction.

He said the Lord didn’t tell him he couldn’t see it, and even after watching it, he didn’t feel any kind of conviction. He left the theater thinking, “Wow, that was a great movie.” He also noted that others were defending their choice to watch it, claiming the film contained biblical elements—like starting in a church and using the Lord’s Prayer to cast out demons or vampires. According to them, it sparked spiritual conversations and served as a tool for identifying good and evil.

Click to watch video.

But when Priscilla asked her son, “If a mother asked whether her 16-year-old should see this film, what would you say?”—he responded, “I’m not sure. I’d tell her to pray about it.” And that’s when she said something I deeply agree with: “Do we really need to pray about things that are black and white?”

That hit me. Her point was that Sinners is overtly anti-Christ.

Yes, there’s a lot of secular media that isn’t aligned with Christ—and in those areas, there’s nuance. But some things are very clear. It’s not always about conviction or how “strong” you feel in your faith. Some things are just plainly not of God.

For me, this highlighted how loose and casual our reasoning can get—especially among the younger generation or new believers. It’s not always about whether people believe in Christ, but whether they use wisdom in their decision-making. The Sadducees come to mind—religious, but spiritually off.

Here’s what alarms me: people’s willingness to expose themselves to overtly anti-Christ content—for the sake of entertainment, cinematography, curiosity, or conversation—is deeply unsettling. Why do we need this movie to appreciate good production? Or to think deeply? Or to spark a spiritual conversation? We have plenty of options that don’t involve dabbling in darkness. Why choose the one that’s rooted in witchcraft and demonic symbolism?

I think many defend their decision by saying things like, “It was a good story,” or “I just wanted to see the artistic aspect.”

While I understand the intent, the justification feels a bit then. What’s really motivating that choice? Why are we so comfortable saying, “Well, the Lord knows I still love Him” as if that automatically justifies all of our actions?

It’s not about whether you’re going to hell for watching a movie. The deeper question is: How precious is your relationship with the Lord? What does your freedom in Christ actually free you to do? Are you using that freedom to honor Him—or to indulge your curiosity under the guise of liberty?

I think sometimes we say, “The Lord didn’t tell me not to,” but do we really need Him to say it outright when something is already obvious? When something is overtly demonic or rooted in sorcery—do I need the Holy Spirit to give me a verbal warning not to watch it?

I’ve learned that I can be curious and still say no. Just because I want to do something doesn’t mean I should.

There are things I’ve been curious about that cost me dearly when I acted on them. We must stop using “lack of conviction” as proof that something is okay. Sometimes, we’re just desensitized. Sometimes we’ve talked ourselves out of conviction entirely. And sometimes the cost doesn’t show up right away.

We keep trying to color in what God has already drawn in black and white. We say things like, “Well, it’s not that bad,” and add pinks and blues to it until it feels palatable. But I don’t want to normalize what should never have been normalized in the first place. I don’t want to make myself confused by indulging in things that blur spiritual lines.

Yes, the world is full of gray areas, and not everything is explicitly good or evil. But this? This is obvious. And it’s not about fear or legalism—it’s about wisdom, reverence, and honoring the Holy Spirit who lives within me.

So for me, it’s not even about whether watching Sinners is right or wrong.

The deeper question is this:

What are you using your freedom in Christ to do?

That’s where it all comes down for me.

At the end of the day, it’s not about what we can do—but what we choose to do, simply because we treasure the One who lives within us.