Cinema, at its best, is an art form that entertains, educates, and provokes thought. But what happens when it crosses the line, distorting faith and sacred beliefs under the guise of storytelling? The recent controversy surrounding the movie Empuraan raises troubling questions—ones that demand more than just a passive shrug from the Christian community.
A Sinful Reference?
A particular dialogue from Empuraan states:
“When the Son of God sins, God sends a black angel.”
Now, in Christian belief, the “Son of God” is none other than Jesus Christ, the Messiah who bore the sins of the world and ascended the cross to redeem humanity. So, what “sin” did Christ commit according to the writer of Empuraan? Who is this “black angel” that God supposedly sent? And more importantly, in which Christian scripture does this idea exist?
If the statement was merely a plot device within the film’s fictional universe, then it still raises a more profound concern. It doesn’t just cast shadows over Christ but also undermines Jehovah Himself. What Empuraan seems to do—whether intentionally or not—is place Lucifer, Satan, and other infernal entities in the limelight while distorting the very essence of Christianity.
To drive the point home, consider this: The line is delivered in front of a ruined church. Lucifer himself declares that God resurrected him because of the Son of God’s sin. Think about that—this directly contradicts the very foundation of Christianity. The entire world knows that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, but here, in this narrative, God chooses to raise Satan instead? What, then, becomes of God’s omnipotence? If Lucifer is revived to counteract the Son of God, does that not suggest that God is powerless, weakened, and rendered irrelevant?
A Thought Experiment
Let’s ask ourselves a simple question: What if a filmmaker had applied this same creative license to Islam? What if a movie dared to fabricate such audacious claims about the Quran, Allah, or the Prophet? The uproar would be deafening. Protests would erupt worldwide. Yet, when it comes to Christianity, there seems to be an eerie silence.
The lack of response from the Christian community is puzzling, if not outright disturbing. Is it indifference? Apathy? Or a misplaced sense of tolerance?
More than Just a Coincidence?
There’s another striking instance in the film—one that goes beyond a mere script choice and enters the realm of deliberate messaging. The movie references Qaragosh, the only Christian town in Iraq, which was ravaged by ISIS. The city witnessed brutal massacres, where Christian men, women, and even innocent children were slaughtered in the name of jihad. Churches were reduced to rubble.
And yet, where does Empuraan choose to stage a pivotal scene? Right inside a church in Qaragosh. In this very church, Lucifer arranges a “compromise meeting” to take down an African drug cartel lord. Why? Of all the locations in the world, why choose a church in a city that was once a symbol of Christian suffering under Islamic extremism?
Inside that ruined church, Lucifer executes justice. And who aids him? A character named Sayyid Masood. Yes, a name that unmistakably carries Islamic connotations. It is Masood who ensures that justice is served within the broken walls of a Christian place of worship. And as the scene climaxes, a crucifix from the shattered church collapses, breaking into fragments, leaving only the letter “L” standing—a clear nod to Lucifer. The camera zooms out, showing the devastated church from an aerial view, closing the scene with a haunting message.
A Wake-Up Call for Christians
Is all this mere coincidence? Or is there a deeper agenda at play? When filmmakers have the creative freedom to choose from endless locations and narratives, why construct such a specific—and potentially inflammatory—sequence?
If this were purely artistic liberty, would the same courtesy be extended to other religions? If a film portrayed the Prophet or an Islamic scholar in a similarly contentious manner, would it pass unchallenged? The reality is clear: Christianity is seen as an easy target, precisely because its followers remain passive.
Art is powerful. Cinema shapes perceptions. And if the Christian community continues to remain silent, they must ask themselves: At what cost?
