"Simon." My father addressed me in the same authoritative voice that he addressed everyone in this place. I have come to expect nothing less. "I would like you to meet Rebekkah Cateness, she will, in the fullness of time become your wife."
Wow, way to drop it on me. Of course, when making this statement he did not expect that I would argue with him, it's just that I didn't expect this, after all, I have only just turned eighteen and had not given any thought to marriage. Don't get me wrong, I have thought about girls, but in this place, there are limited opportunities for any one on one relationships. Everything was ordained by my father, and the people here knew better than to challenge his authority, after all, it was gifted to him by none other than God Himself.
My father, Simeon Monceux, is the charismatic leader of the ultra-strict Heaven's Gate Christian Church, the headquarters of which he has established in a gated enclave at the top of a fertile valley, many kilometres from any major town in rural Australia. My mother, Rachel, has been with him on his life's journey. My sister Sarah recently married and moved into a new house with her husband, Ryan. They seldom visit, something that has Mother concerned.
In this place his word is law, and obedience is mandatory. If any person defies him, he and his family are shunned, that is stripped of their possessions and driven to the gate to find their own way to search for a new home, for they no longer exist in the eyes of the rest of the community, and no attempt would be made to help them in any way shape or form.
His church is based on community, hard work and devotion to God. His followers meet each evening in the community meeting room before supper for prayer. In these prayers, the world at large does not exist outside this community and the satellite churches that have been 'birthed' around the country. There are no prayers in support of any political leader or government, no prayers are offered up as a solution to any problem concerning refugees and the domestic homeless, or those suffering mental illnesses, because such people are an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.
Prayers are offered up for the healing of the sick, for successful crops, for families, and for a long and happy marriage for any newly-wed couples. This is a given, because divorce does not exist in this community. Death is the only end to a marriage.
I held out my hand to this girl, she had just turned fourteen a week ago, and had reached the age when her future partner was chosen. "I'm very pleased to meet you." This was a part of the formality of this process.
"I am pleased to meet you too." She bobbed a quick curtsy, also a part of the ritual of introduction. She lowered her eyes and blushed. As she slowly raised her head I was given the opportunity to take a closer look at her. I'll give my father this, she is very pretty in a young girl kind of way.
"Now that you have been formally introduced as future marriage partners, you will be allowed to meet each other, in the presence of a chaperone, so that you can get to know each other. But I must warn you that any meeting without your chaperone is forbidden. The temptation for young people to engage in sexual activity prior to marriage is great and, as you are both young, you are not yet ready to resist such temptation, therefore any such meeting is strictly forbidden." This instruction is given, as prescribed by the Laws of the community, to all couples at this time in their relationship. "Any breach of this rule will result in you, both of you, being shunned. Is that understood?"
"Yes Master." We responded. In these matters, he was to be referred to as 'Master', even by me.
The first change, as the children in this place were home-schooled, she was as decreed, to join our family home school consisting of myself as the older sibling, my sister Mary, and my brother John. My mother was our teacher, and as well as the three 'R's she taught the Bible. We had to learn scripture passages by rote, and be able to quickly refer to passages that support whatever we were discussing. The Bible, we were told, was the final answer to all problems.
Mother spent some time with Rebekkah on her first morning at class, I couldn't hear what was being spoken of, but during luncheon, Mother asked me if I would like to be her Tutor in Religious Study. I caught a faint smile on Rebekkah's face when I agreed to do this. This was to be the beginning of troubled times for me.
"I have been thinking." She began one day, I have come to know that this meant trouble for me. "I know that your father preaches all about the love of God and how we are to love our fellow man, but......" She paused to make sure that she had correctly phrased the question. "What happens to those people that are shunned, do you stop loving them?"
"They have transgressed God's Law and are no longer of God, to us they cease to exist." I realised as soon as I said that she would ask more questions.
"But, if God loves everyone, shouldn't we also love them?"
"When my father hands down this, God's punishment on them for their transgression, he is doing God's work."
"Sort of like a policeman for God?"
"You could say that. Look, God wants only those who are pure of heart, so we also only want those who are pure of heart. If a person lacks that purity of heart then that person must suffer the wrath of God."
"So what you are saying is that if your father decides that someone has transgressed, then God has also decided that person should be punished by being shunned?"
"Yes."
"So that means that God is doing your father's bidding."
"No. If a person transgresses, it is against God's Law. Father is administering punishment for an infraction against God's Law."
"What if the transgression is something that is not written in the Bible, how can that be against God's Law?"
"Just as, throughout the Bible, there have been new Laws introduced, God has continued to reveal new Laws to his earthly servants, who write them down in statute so that they come into Law."
"So you cannot challenge these new Laws?"
"No, because they are from God and are of God."
"What if I were to tell you that I do not want to marry you?"
"God has decreed that we are to wed."
"But what if I don't love you?"
"We are to love all people, to not love is against God's Law."
"What if I were to love another?"
"You may love another but not as a wife, that would be adultery and that is a sin. Do you love another?"
"No, at least I do not think so, but what if, in the future, I should fall in love with another as his wife?"
"You would be breaking God's Law."
"And I shall be shunned?"
"Yes, it is God's Law."
"Then I shall have to put my wishes to one side and learn to love you."
"As I will learn to love you." I replied. Even as I made this promise I realised that I was heading in a dangerous direction. Here was my bride to be questioning my father's authority. If I were to mention this conversation to my mother she would have to relay it to my father who would, in all probability, have Rebekkah and her family shunned. "I also make this promise, I will be open to discussions such as this with you in private, in public, the law states that you must agree with me on all things. We must have no secrets from each other, you are free to express your opinion, as am I. What we discuss between ourselves must remain between ourselves. Do you agree?"
A smile brightened her face. "Yes." She kissed me, in a chaste manner that is expected between marriage partners, just not before marriage. There was that smile again. "I love you."
"Oh dear," I looked into her eyes. "I do not know how I'll withstand the temptations that you are putting on me."
"Then don't. I will make you this promise, while in private I will allow, encourage, mutual demonstrations of affection to pass between us. In public, I will behave in a subservient manner as proscribed by your father." She put her arms around me. "Hold me."
"I think we should be getting back to our studies, don't you?" I opened my bible to the passage we were to study. Rebekkah sat close to me and her hand reached to my thigh under the table. I should have moved it, but it felt good, more than good.
