I have never heard Gilead speak of Jesus! Ever! Only God.

[u/ExtensionOwl739]

Thoughts?

[u/wearerofdinosocks]

They're more Old Testament focused

[u/ProfPieixoto → u/wearerofdinosocks]

The prosecutor in Emily's mock trial refers to Romans (New Testament) however.

[u/autumnlover1515 → u/wearerofdinosocks]

This is what i thought too

[u/alvvays_on → u/wearerofdinosocks]

That, but there are also many Christian traditions that, out of reverence, don't really throw around the name Jesus the way Evangelicals do.

Kind of like how Biden will not be called Joe in a formal setting, but rather "Mr. President". Same is true for Kings and Emperors. 

In most Christian traditions, it's more common to call him Lord, Messiah, Redeemer, Christ (which is not his last name, but rather a title similar to Messiah or Redeemer) or Son of God.

Consider the famous statue in Rio, "Christ the Redeemer".

Evangelicals are the odd ones by using Jesus' first name as they do.

[u/MPnut23 → u/alvvays_on]

Thank you for explaining that! I grew up Catholic and always refer to God or “the Lord” but saying Jesus on a first name basis always feels so awkward to me. I never knew why so this makes sense.

[u/starryvangogo]

The point of the story is that Gilead is this little cult somewhere out in the countryside. Cults aren't interested in anything like truth except for their own power. Notice that even most men aren't benefiting from the system? It's all about the one percent of men who get to have and enjoy everything. The Handmaid's Tale isn't really about feminism. It's really about cults.

[u/giraflor → u/starryvangogo]

Hegemonic masculinity on steroids.

[u/Bupperoni]

I always thought that was a choice the showrunners made to avoid criticism from religious groups. I think the closest they come to referring to Jesus is by saying “Lord” like when they say “May the Lord open.”

[u/Ryd-Mareridt → u/Bupperoni]

The book is like this too. It's from Old Testament, no one says God's actual name, just "Lord" (Adonai)

[u/Wermlander]

The Bible is not really explicitly referenced by name, I believe. They have their scriptures clearly heavily based on the old testament, but it seems to be more their own interpretation of the old testament. So no, no Jesus.

[u/smalltownbeatnik]

Their dogma is clearly based off the Old Testament.

[u/kritycat]

There's a reading from the New Testament at one point. Doesn't specifically refer to Jesus, but at least some part of Christian tradition was retained.

[u/gjrunner5]

Many churches now do this. There’s no room for Jesus in most churches except as an icon hanging on the wall to remind people of suffering.

Jesus never mentioned gay people, but I believe he would love them and defend them. I don’t think the topic comes up at all in the New Testament. He is compassionate to women, treating them like humans and defending the woman at the well.

You need angry, Old Testament God to strike fear into people. You need someone smiting left and right, not dying for all mankind’s sins.

Jesus would be flipping tables in Gilead, just like he would be furious at mega churches fleecing their flocks in the real world. He would be compassionate and urging people to forgiveness and love.

Sadly, most Christians despise Jesus. In Gilead the most religious people probably abhor him the most.

[u/Dumbiotch → u/gjrunner5]

I agree completely with your sentiments. It makes the Gnostic concept of the Old Testament god a “demiurge” or “trickster” god that’s not actually good, be not the one who sent Jesus and that Jesus was sent by the truly good, Supreme God of the universe. Gain even more traction though to me. Because of course those who don’t adhere to Jesus’s ways but the Old Testament god, would act evil as their god does.

Btw the New Testament does condemn homosexuality, but only in one section of Paul’s writings. Paul never knew Jesus nor heard him preach or anything. Plus his writings are anti-women. So they don’t really follow Jesus’s preaching either.

[u/Own-Ambassador-3537 → u/Dumbiotch]

I still like the Gnostic idea that God fucked up his relationship so badly with humanity by acting like King Dick of the universe in the Old Testament and had to halfassedly repair his relationship by sending Jesus to clean up his reputation. It becomes laughable if the Trinity doctrine is true due to God is Jesus and Jesus is god then he knew he messed up and had to sacrifice himself for his own mistakes🤪(this whole doctrine is a crazy mess and makes me wonder if God is just schizophrenic )

[u/solongjimmy93]

This exact question has been posed several dozen times.

[u/dalek_999]

Too many "Christians" today do the same thing.

[u/Buckeyes20022014]

Well they do turn the Washington Monument into a cross.

[u/catastrophicqueen]

They base the dogma off the old testament. That doesn't mean they're not christian, they are, but remember half the population is not allowed to read the bible, and econopeople probably don't have the time to be reading it closely. So the contradictions become less clear.

[u/misslouisee]

Yeah, they’re not christian and aren’t meant to represent any real, actual religion.

[u/ProfPieixoto]

Aunt Lydia's 'Blessed are the meek is a quote from the Sermon on the Mount. And in 3x01, Serena prays to 'Lord Jesus and his mighy angels' when setting fire.

[u/malkie0609]

Like most batshit insane Christian cults, most don't actually believe in the teachings of Christ.

[u/ProMedicineProAbort]

Interesting. The same could be said for Jesus.

[u/Shigeko_Kageyama]

Jesus doesn't feature in the old testament. Only the new.