The Handmaid's Tale (Series)

I'm of two minds about this show. Firstly, after watching the pilot episode I am very impressed with the acting, cinematography and storyline. The creators do a superb job of drawing in the watcher. Few shows are so gripping. Secondly, as with the book, the willful ignorance and misrepresentation of fundamentalist Christianity by the author is very disturbing. I fully realize that tons of artistic license was used; however, even in this comment section it can be seen how these misrepresentations influence people's opinions concerning current events. What is represented here as fundamentalism is in fact a cult that draws strongly from the attitudes of religions other than Christianity that are oppressive of women. It is important never to confuse what is practiced in a particular culture with what is a Bible teaching. Even using the label "fundamentalist" to do with anything in this story is erroneous and deceiving. Christian fundamentalism is an adherence to the fundamentals of the written contents of the Bible - not the strictures and traditions of a man-made religion. The Bible does not teach anything even remotely similar to what is depicted here - it does however, describe the lives of real people and the consequences (be they good or bad) of following (or not following) God's Word. One example of a misrepresentation in the show is the mention of Bilhah, the concubine that Rachel gave to her husband Jacob because she had not been able to have children herself. This (giving of a concubine) is not taught or sanctioned by God anywhere in the Bible - if anything we can see through the dysfunctional relationship between the wives, concubines and children how wrong a choice it was on the part of Rachel and Jacob. In the Garden of Eden God created one man and one woman not a man his wife and concubines. Another example of a misrepresentation is that women are discouraged from reading or thinking for themselves. The idea that fundamentalist Christianity teaches this shows a grave ignorance of the Bible. In the times of Jesus, the culture did not allow women to study - in fact one religious leader is recorded as stating that it was obscene and promiscuous to teach a woman to read or study the Torah (Old Testament). Jesus completely threw that teaching out the window - because it was not biblical or sanctioned by God. Jesus regularly included women in his teaching groups. His inner circle is speculated to have been 1/3 to 1/2 made up of women. In his teachings he used illustrations and examples taken from women's everyday lives - something totally unheard of being done by religious teachers. When a woman was brought before him and accused of adultery by the religious leaders, he did not join them in condemning her to the traditional death by stoning - rather he said that whoever among them was without sin should cast the first stone. He was not only referring to any secret sin in their lives but also to the glaringly unfair fact that they were bringing in the woman for judgment without bringing in the man who had also done wrong. These are just a few of many examples of the teachings for the fair and equal treatment of women within the Bible. Once again, do not judge fundamentalism by culturally motivated actions - they are very different things. I am a "fundamentalist" Christian woman who actually reads and studies the Bible, and I declare that what Margaret Atwood has depicted as fundamentalism to be in fact a damnable cult - I also condemn any such treatment of women anywhere in the world under the name of fundamentalist Christianity because it is not true fundamentalism.

The alternate world that the series and original book is based on is far fetched Season 2 the last episode was a huge let down. Turn the East Coast of the USA into a Religious police state, in which they hang shoot people in public for minor crimes, soldiers on every corner heavily armed and all rights including the rights to work, read/write, vote .... are taken away from women. In this Society the "Men?" forcefully rape Women to have children. Now I can not see any part of the USA turn into anything even close to this; why do the Women 50% of the population do no revolt, would not most Men fight back and would not the rest of the world stop this ? Ok it is Fantasy you role with it and watch in horror this society. Now the hero of the show..... HAD AN EXIT AND SHE WENT BACK !!!!! Out of everything I find this the hardest to reason, Free USA, Canada, UN, the world can not stop them..... What does she think she can do, but run back into slavery, maybe they will say finally enough is enough and execute her too. Looking forward to season 3 but they writer better have a good explanation. Lose a star for such a stupid season final-lie

I first read this book and 1990 when I was 15 years old . It was life-changing and was also my introduction to the writing of Margaret Atwood. All these years later it is not only just as relevant but even more plausible . the acting and writing are brilliant and Atwood"s hands-on involvement is evident in the choices they are making. If you look closely she is even in some scenes ! Reading the brand-new sequel now . Would highly recommend it for any devout fans of the show.