The Christian novel on battered wives

Bess writes: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord” (Ephesians: 22). One of the Bible's more controversial passages is now the subject of a new novel on domestic abuse and Christian marriage. "Behind the Hedge" is an account of an Iowa housewife, Yvette, living on a dairy farm with her husband Luke, who is never satisfied with her level of "submission." Yvette uses her faith as a guide to dealing with her difficult husband and disrespectful sons. The author, the curiously named Waneta Dawn, is a divorced former Mennonite raised - wait for it - on a dairy farm in Iowa. She says: “My aim in writing the book was to not only enlighten Christians, but also non-Christians about this seldom-mentioned side of domestic violence. It's amazing to discover how many men of all faiths believe that a woman is required, through various religious teachings, to submit to their demands". From her website it is clear Dawn is still a Christian. A piece on it titled "Biblical Marriage" says wives and husband should submit to each other, but strongly refutes the notion that man have a "God-given right to have things their way" based on the use of selected Bible passages. Quite right.

Comments

[Stuart Hartill]

The wives of some religious zealots may be lucky to emerge lightly battered from a bad marriage when many more appear to have their brains deep fried.

[Rick Beekman]

Bess;
This Woman doesnot the whole story or the scriptures which refute any sort of spouse abuse.

God put the man over the woman in marriage. Let's read what God said and why; Genesis 3 v 16; ".........and thy desire shall be to thy husband..and he shall rule over thee." This was because she listned to Satan (The serpent) over the word of God. God also gave Adam a perpetual chaisetisement. (Read v 17 To 19). Let us now read what Apostle said; I Corinthians 7 v 3 "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence; and likewise also the wife unto the husband."

Paul also wrote This; I Corinthians 11 v 8 & 9 "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man."

Also; "Ephesians 5 v 22 & 25 "Wives submit yourselves to your own husbansds as unto The Lord. Husbands Love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it."

There is no excuse for Spouse abuse. Anyone who claims they are a Christian and Abuses the wife or Husband is scriptually ignorant...