Husbands Use Scripture to Whip Wives in ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Christian Society

The latest episode of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale comes up with a new way to twist the words of the Bible into their own depraved interpretation. This time, they justify violence against women at their hands of their own husbands. It just goes to show, never trust Hollywood to quote Scripture.

The June 6 episode “Women’s Work” has handmaid June/Offred (Elizabeth Moss) and head of house Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) working together to help an ailing baby. When doctors are unable to diagnose the baby’s illness, the two forge Serena’s husband, Commander Waterford’s (Joseph Fiennes), signature to request help from a woman who use to work as a doctor before being subjugated for her gender.

Despite their good intentions, Waterford ultimately punishes his wife for “disobeying” him, justifying himself with Ephesians 5:22.

 

 

Fred: Wives, submit yourselves onto your own husbands as unto the Lord and ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge. Giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel.

Serena: Fred, please-

Fred: But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. Serena. Forgive me, darling.

[Serena cries out in pain]

Fred: Offred. Stay.

[exclaims in pain]

So, new this season, we’ve learned not only does this Christian society marry off child brides, it apparently also condones marital abuse. I guess The Handmaid’s Tale is again mixing up their ideas of extreme religions. Strangely, I still doubt we’ll be hearing the characters praise Allah any time soon.

Funny how when liberals denounce the “wives submit to your husbands” verse as indicative of misogyny they come up short in finding a Bible verse that actually condones husbands harming their wives. They also conveniently forget the lines directly after. Ephesians 5:25-28 reads: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

In my mind, love “as their own bodies” doesn’t translate to torture. Only someone truly contemptible can think that in any way excuses violence, but it just seems on par with this latest season. It truly has gone downhill.