Quote:
Originally Posted by AmeliaG
Are you unaware The Handmaid's Tale was inspired by what actually happened in Iran in the 1970's and continues to this day?
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Yes, you're absolutely right that The Handmaid's Tale took inspiration from the Iranian revolution, and it’s fucked up to know that women in parts of the world still live under regimes where freedom is a distant dream. That kind of suffering is real, ongoing, and deserves every bit of attention it can get. The attitude towards rape in places like India is enough to make you throw up.
But I think what makes some of us turn up our noses at how her work is so praised...
Atwood’s story is NOT framed as a cautionary tale about religious extremism over there, but as a dire warning about Western, Christian-rooted societies here. But if you're like me, a porn dude who was raised Christian before I became a womanizing, alcholic, cocaine-snorting, Supra-driving fiend of Satan's spawn.... the truth is almost inverted.
In the West, huge warts and all... women have access to enormous legal, cultural, and personal freedom. Christian-based societies tend to offer something rare: second chances and social forgiveness. You can be super fucked up and Christian people will still generally be kind to you. Nothing a Christian loves more than a former whore or drug dealer turn babyface. I honestly believe I've had God directly intervene in my life and experienced true divine grace, and suffering is a great way to receive the heavenly wifi signal of God's love. Having said that, my understanding of Christianity is through the works of Saint Augustine, more so than the Bible, so I guess I'm not a "real" Christian in a lot of people's eyes. I couldn't say a prayer to save my life or quote a single bible verse.
Any quote that can capture Christianity in a nutshell:
"Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo"
"Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."
St. Augustine's Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 7, Section 17
Christianity understands sin and forgives it: Sme of the best people are the worst sinners, and they mostly turn a blind eye to people's behaviors as long as they aren't hurting others. Probably because a lot of Christians accept that God can't be forced on people and, sometimes, people have to fuck up and suffer before they can download that divine grace into their souls.
Meanwhile, some other cultures fully embrace honour-based violence, forced marriages, and deep-rooted misogyny. Other religions are openly committing genocide while the world watches. (Not taking a side here, both sides 100% guilty.) These aren't relics, they’re happening now, sometimes even in our own cities in Canada, and we tiptoe around naming them.
So while Atwood’s work carries literary weight for sure, the position that her work is in now... feels like a political "afterlife" hijacked by the woke agenda. It's performance over prophecy.
She was completely wrong about the west, probably spot-on about other places on Earth, and nobody will admit it.
