“Getting paid for killing white people ? What’s not to like ?”
Quote from Django Unchained.
Context, my friend, context. You have to look at the quote in context. You’ve got to be analytical and critical about most everything that’s thrown at you, but if you haven’t seen the movie, here’s why you should:
It was great to see a positive portrayal of black masculinity; great to see a black man “swimming across shark-infested waters to get his woman a glass of lemonade” or in this case, to plain get his woman.
Django was prepared to die for his wife. He did not just let things happen to him, but went after what he wanted. He was a man of action. In a sense, it really showed that God helps those who help themselves. Too often, we Christians can be passive, believing that all we have to do is pray and everything will be alright, so we don’t act; we don’t co-operate with the graces we receive from the prayers. We don’t fight for what is right.
I hate Roots and all the other “slave” movies (Glory, Driving Ms Daisy, The Help etc, etc) because they only show passive, 2-dimensional, noble, suffering and smiling, emasculated, men, whom everyone sanctions as a model for Christianity; as a model for Christ.
Yes, Jesus was humble and gentle, but I think we do Him and the religion He founded a disservice by only portraying Him in that light. I think He was all that, plus, a revolutionary. He stood up for Himself and His Father (When He overturned the tables in the Temple, for example). This is why I liked Mel Gibson’s Jesus, because, it showed a very masculine Jesus, but one who was also gentle, especially with His Mom, kids etc.
And yes, vulgar language is used in the movie, but people are vulgar and sometimes, an artist has to show the filth and vulgarity, so that the good message at the end is all that much sweeter.
I came away from the movie a less passive person, inspired to do better with my God-given talents and if that isn’t spiritually uplifting, I don’t know what is.
Peace out, y’all.
