William Bernhardt - Criminal intent

"Is this a relatively recent phenomenon?"

"Not remotely. After all, the Bible tells us that erotic rites were common in Canaan when God made His covenant with Abraham-the great Hebrew leader chosen by God, who would later prostitute his wife Sarah and have an adulterous fling with Hagar. The fertility goddess Asherah welcomed orgies in her temples; it was not until she was destroyed by the Hebrews that a new morality was established. For the early Hebrews, you must understand, reproduction was survival; hence, they disfavored or outlawed any form of nonreproductive sexual activity-masturbation, homosexuality, abortion, sex during menstruation. Sex outside marriage was similarly outlawed. This restrictive morality, formulated by primitives over four thousand years ago, would come to dominate the lives of the world's more than 2.3 billion Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

"Still and all, that isn't the whole world. According to a recent anthropological survey, even well into the twentieth century, 'extramateship liaison' was an approved custom in thirty-nine percent of all world cultures. Think of that-thirty-nine percent! And though it's kept a low profile, it's becoming increasingly common in this country, too. Through these lifestyle organizations, millions of married Americans are able to express their erotic fantasies, and in the process, strengthen their marriages."

Erotic fantasies. Somehow, Ben was willing to wager, the entire time she sweated through law school, Christina never envisioned that she would be standing in a courtroom talking about erotic fantasies. "I'm sure many people would imagine that these unusual practices would have just the opposite effect on a marriage. Would you please explain that last statement, Father?"

"Certainly. Lifestyle couples are firm believers in family values." He'd been coached not to look at the judge as he said it; that would just be too obvious. "We believe we live in a manner that melds responsible family values-like matrimony, children, and emotional monogamy-with the erotic cultivation of marriage through the practice of rites we find fun and natural. After all, the most important thing for a family is the marriage; how can anything that strengthens the marriage be bad?"

"I would imagine there are some people who would disagree with what you've said. Who would find these practices disturbing-or even sinful."

"And you would be right." Beale straightened, adopting an almost professorial pose. "Let's face it-the world is still plagued with morality squads, people who spend their lives running around passing judgment on the activities of others. But every psychological study on the subject has shown that lifestyle couples are quite normal, not at all deviant. Indeed, some have suggested that sexual monogamy may be the more deviant, more unnatural lifestyle."

Enough already. He'd either made his point or he never would. Time to move on to the nitty-gritty. "Father Beale, whether we agree or not, I think we understand your viewpoint now. What people may not yet understand yet, though, is-What does this have to do with a church?"

Beale nodded thoughtfully. "First and foremost, strengthening and preserving marriages is very much the business of a church. The problem is-people have twisted around what Christianity was about in the first place. The teachings of Christ are about love, about kindness to those around you. Not about sex. We have no reason to believe Jesus was a starched shirt. According to the gospels, Jesus lived with and was even supported by prostitutes. He publicly defended an adulteress. He even dined with tax collectors, for Pete's sake."

This time, to Ben's surprise, there actually was some laughter in the jury box. But did that mean they were with him, that they were buying any of this? Ben couldn't tell.

"Whatever else Jesus may have been, he was not a prude. He didn't pass judgment on other people, not based upon their sexual practices or anything else. And yet, to listen to some preachers today, you'd think that the word 'morals' refers to nothing but sex. It has come to absolutely dominate so-called morality. Why? Why is sexual denial always perceived as superior to sexual indulgence? Why is organized religion so determined to control our sex lives? Why do we feel the need to disenfranchise homosexuals and masturbaters and… and swingers? Jesus didn't prioritize these items. Why do they obsess us so?"

He was well spoken-Ben had to give him that. Whether the jury was buying it, whether in the long run it would even matter, he couldn't know.

"Still and all, Father," Christina said, "we know that some people in your church did not accept your arguments. They were… disturbed by all this."

"Yes. To my disappointment, that was true. Especially toward the end." His head bowed; he seemed sincerely regretful. "Of course, any time you introduce a radically different idea, you must expect objections. But there was more to it than that. Some people, whether due to their upbringing, lack of education, bad religious instruction, whatever, believe that if we are freed from society's oppressive sexual constraints and moral censure and are allowed to indulge ourselves naturally, we will become animals, slaves to our basest desires, incapable of ethical behavior. Others, I suspect, believe that if women were freed from the sexual stereotypes that restrict them, it would liberate them from the oppression by men that is still all too real an element of our society."

"Susan Marino was one of those people, wasn't she?"

"Yes." Tiny lines crept across his forehead. "I knew she was disturbed, that she was experiencing the guilt that male-dominated society told her she should… but I didn't realize how profoundly she felt it, how much it traumatized her. And I hold myself responsible for that. I feel the same way about Carol Mason. It's clear to me now that she simply can't live with what she has done, can't reconcile herself to it and, at least subconsciously, sees eliminating me as the only means of eradicating her guilt." He paused. "I can only wonder how many others at the church feel the same way."

"And Kate McGuire?"

"Much the same, I think. I didn't know it until the day of the wedding. The day she died. As others have reported, she met me in the corridor and told me how she felt. How upset she was. 'It's evil,' that's what she said. What we were doing was evil."

"Was that all she said?"

"No. She threatened to report what we were doing to the bishop."

"Would that be bad?"

Beale almost smiled. "Bishop Goodwin is a progressive man, and the Episcopal Convention is a progressive church. But not that progressive."

"So what did you do?"

"I'm afraid I lost my temper. I shouted and yelled and… threatened."

"What did you say?"

"To be honest, I don't remember. That often happens during these extreme flashes of temper. After they've subsided, I can't even recall what occurred. But I have no reason to think that the accounts we've heard of what I said are inaccurate."

"Did you plan to see her again?"

"I did. I remember that clearly. I knew we couldn't resolve this in the few minutes remaining before the wedding began, so I asked her to meet me afterward in my office."

"And did she?"

"I assume so. All I know is when I got there-she was dead."

"Who else knew she was meeting you in your office?"

"A lot of people, apparently. I didn't realize it at the time, but a good many overheard our disagreement."

"What did you do when you discovered the body?"

"At first-nothing. I was stunned. Immobile. I mean, there she was, sprawled across my desk, blood covering the side of her head. I didn't know what to do. And then, all of a sudden, it was as if an emotional dam inside me burst. I raced forward and ran to her side. I lifted her up and pressed her close to me. That's when I got her blood all over myself. It's probably when the hair got in the wound, too. I wanted her to know that she was loved, that I loved her. But of course, it was too late."