1) Could this be the biggest gift that @chadwickboseman left for humanity -especially the African American community?
Hey guys! Last night I finally saw “Da 5 Bloods” on the flix. And I saw something really powerful towards the end that got me thinking of black people. #Thread
Hey guys! Last night I finally saw “Da 5 Bloods” on the flix. And I saw something really powerful towards the end that got me thinking of black people. #Thread
I’ll try not to spoil it by sticking to one character. Paul.
Paul enters the picture as a disturbed Vietnam vet. He has trust issues, anger issues and difficulty showing love to his son.
One of 5 friends. Chadwick (Norm) is dead. Died in the war.
Paul enters the picture as a disturbed Vietnam vet. He has trust issues, anger issues and difficulty showing love to his son.
One of 5 friends. Chadwick (Norm) is dead. Died in the war.
Paul’s been seeing Norm (Chadwick) in his sleep every night since the war.
Everybody had come to accept Paul’s longstanding crazy and temperamental grief. They just got along with him as best as they could.
After all, they were d 5 bloods, right?
Okay skip to the end.
Everybody had come to accept Paul’s longstanding crazy and temperamental grief. They just got along with him as best as they could.
After all, they were d 5 bloods, right?
Okay skip to the end.
In the end, Paul disagrees with everyone and stalks off alone in the jungle. He gets bitten by a snake and gets delirious.
His mind goes back to the day Norm died in the Vietnam war. Watch.
His mind goes back to the day Norm died in the Vietnam war. Watch.
Then scene cuts back to the present. Norm (Chadwick) suddenly appears to Paul.
He opens his shirt to reveal the bullet wound that killed him.
It had been fired by Paul.
Now pay attention...
He opens his shirt to reveal the bullet wound that killed him.
It had been fired by Paul.
Now pay attention...
Turns out this is what had been haunting Paul all these years. But he kept it to himself.
But that’s not the point here. Stay with me.
But that’s not the point here. Stay with me.
Paul doesn’t apologize. He’s just speechless.
It is Norm who walks up to him, embraces him and says “It’s okay. I forgive you.”
It is Norm who walks up to him, embraces him and says “It’s okay. I forgive you.”
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
Those words didn’t just give Paul closure. They gave him healing. They helped HIM #forgive himself.
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
Those words didn’t just give Paul closure. They gave him healing. They helped HIM #forgive himself.
Today, we have so much demand for reparations from the black community for the cruelty they survived during the slavery era.
Look, I don’t even want to start a debate that it was a TRADE and it was blacks who sold blacks in Africa. I am African. I know.
But, focus please.
Look, I don’t even want to start a debate that it was a TRADE and it was blacks who sold blacks in Africa. I am African. I know.
But, focus please.
We have seen ridiculous videos of Caucasian folks kneeling and begging forgiveness (for what their ancestors did).
But is this the cure? Has this solved anything?
But is this the cure? Has this solved anything?
If we were to take a cue from Norm’s role in Da 5 Bloods, it would be African Americans who stand to make bigger impact by reaching out and saying those words...
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
It’s Good Friday today, and we remember the sacrifice of Jesus for humanity.
It wasn’t man’s idea that he come to die for our sins. It was God’s idea.
It was the Person who was offended that reached out.
It wasn’t man’s idea that he come to die for our sins. It was God’s idea.
It was the Person who was offended that reached out.
And this is why some of us say Christianity is NOT a religion.
Religion is man’s effort at making amends for sins.
Salvation is God’s executive action settling and finalizing all blame for sin.
Religion is man’s effort at making amends for sins.
Salvation is God’s executive action settling and finalizing all blame for sin.
It is God reaching out to man saying...
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
Now 2000 years after, look at how this message is helping mankind.
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
Now 2000 years after, look at how this message is helping mankind.
Back to the topic...
Religion...the futility of man’s effort...is white shame.
It is kneeling down to apologize for an evil you didn’t commit but feel guilty for.
It is planning reparations that won’t heal pains or being back George Floyd and the many others.
Religion...the futility of man’s effort...is white shame.
It is kneeling down to apologize for an evil you didn’t commit but feel guilty for.
It is planning reparations that won’t heal pains or being back George Floyd and the many others.
Salvation will be blacks everywhere reaching out and hugging a white person and saying...
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
Call it wishful thinking, but I try to imagine if this could happen. How much healing it would bring to both sides.
Any racists remaining alive today are simply powered by the identity of guilt.
But someone says or does something racially wrong to you, what do you say?
Any racists remaining alive today are simply powered by the identity of guilt.
But someone says or does something racially wrong to you, what do you say?
“It was an accident” (It truly was. No sane person intentionally harms another because of skin color)
“Ain’t no thing, Blood” (Let’s not let past hurts control us, so we don’t bleed on who didn’t hurt us)
“I forgive you” (I release you from the burden of guilt PERMANENTLY)
“Ain’t no thing, Blood” (Let’s not let past hurts control us, so we don’t bleed on who didn’t hurt us)
“I forgive you” (I release you from the burden of guilt PERMANENTLY)
Just imagine...
No. Imagine with me. Seriously.
Close your eyes if you have to.
Will it change things? Absolutely!
No. Imagine with me. Seriously.
Close your eyes if you have to.
Will it change things? Absolutely!
For one, it sucks the air out of the racially-charged bonfires and the matter dies a quiet death.
This is why Jesus advocated praying for those who “despitefully use you”. (Matthew 5:44)
It removes the need for vengeance or “justice” which always has collateral damage.
This is why Jesus advocated praying for those who “despitefully use you”. (Matthew 5:44)
It removes the need for vengeance or “justice” which always has collateral damage.
“It was an accident”
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
I urge all black leaders, clergymen and women everywhere to read this, watch the movie and seek ways to intentionally implement this with their audiences.
Happy Easter Holidays to believer. Peace to mankind.
“Ain’t no thing, Blood”
“I forgive you”
I urge all black leaders, clergymen and women everywhere to read this, watch the movie and seek ways to intentionally implement this with their audiences.
Happy Easter Holidays to believer. Peace to mankind.
Would be nice to see your thoughts on this, @ShamanOfThe @Pat_Stedman @Matt_S_Stephens @TrungTPhan
Thank you.
Thank you.
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