A short video did what sermons, synods, and public statements have often failed to do—it sparked a national conversation about Christianity, power, and selective outrage in Nigeria.

In the clip, actress and filmmaker Ini Edo is seen in tears, pleading with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) not to pull down her film, Dirty Christmas. The video is uncomfortable to watch—not because a religious body objects to what it deems offensive, but because an artist is publicly prostrated before an institution that has no statutory authority over creative expression.

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When a Movie Title Becomes a Crisis

CAN has the right to challenge content it finds derogatory to Christianity. Faith communities are entitled to defend their symbols, traditions, and seasons. The problem is not criticism itself—it’s what we choose to defend and what we consistently ignore.

Ini Edo insists that Dirty Christmas does not mock Christianity. She argues the film reflects real societal stories and contradictions, set against a Christmas backdrop, and has invited critics to point out any disrespectful content. Yet the controversy focuses on the title rather than the substance.

Should CAN be policing art when Nigeria already has regulatory bodies for films? When religious institutions dictate what creative works may exist, intimidation replaces regulation, and public shaming overrides due process.

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Misplaced Outrage

This controversy highlights selective moral energy in defending Christianity. If titles truly defile the faith, CAN’s concern might seem justified. But if actions matter more than semantics, silence on graver issues is harder to defend.

Nothing damages Christianity’s credibility like deception within its own ranks: fake miracles, staged wheelchairs, testimonies that collapse under scrutiny. Where is CAN when self-styled prophets exploit the desperate, weaponize scripture, or profit from fear?

Even doctrinal incoherence often goes unchecked. Churches rejecting foundational concepts, like the Trinity or Christmas itself, operate freely without challenge or dialogue. Yet a movie title triggers urgent mobilisation.

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True Threats to Faith

Christianity is not dirtied by art that reflects human complexity. It is harmed when exploitation flourishes in its name, when fraud goes unchallenged, and when moral authority is wielded against artists but withheld from profiteers of faith.

The Bible speaks of justice, mercy, truth, and integrity. A faith that roars at symbolism but whispers at corruption has lost proportion. Moral courage should confront internal failings, not just perceived insults. If CAN is to defend Christianity, it should protect people, not institutions.

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A Call for Consistency

Symbols are easy to defend. Integrity is not. A movie title is a mirror; exploitation and deception are the rot. Today it’s a film title, tomorrow it could be thought or dialogue. A faith confident in itself does not panic at reflection.

True Christianity is measured by action, not performative outrage. Silence in the face of harm, or selective rebuke, weakens moral authority far more than any controversial film title ever could.

If CAN must raise its voice, let it be loudest where the damage is deepest: exploited widows, desperate sick people, manipulated faith. Let the focus shift from defending words to defending lives.