In the name of Religion.

I have not written anything for two months. I was waiting for something to change. For either Analyn to come to the conclusion she had made a mistake, or for Svea to decide she was nuts to hitch her wagon to our mules. But no such thing has happened. In fact, it is clear that Analyn is very much Bi and not pure lesbian. Analyn has asked twice, when does she get her ring? She could not be more clear about it.

It is also clear that Svea wants to stay in the Philippines, long after her UN job ends. She sees what she can do here and so do others who work with her. She has been told that it is wished there was a way she could stay longer. She has not mentioned the possibility to them that there may be such a way. But she is clearly telling me she wants to stay. So, on a motivational, professional level, it would seem that she has no desire to move on. On an emotional level, Svea has bedded everyone in the house and insisted on being in my bed so many times that Noime is rolling her eyes and suggesting that maybe they all need boob jobs.

Svea's activities have caused two things to happen. It has caused Joy2x a lot of discomfort. But it has also brought Joy2x to my bed more often, as her 'mate' is in many other beds. Secondly, Analyn has been with Svea and me together, more than half the times Svea has joined me. They have connected strongly, which is the other reason Joy2x is in a bit of turmoil.

Other things have happened. We have had a number of birthdays. The ones that seem most important to mention are: Analyn, 15; Moon, 15; Noime 13; Laarni, 12. I am aware that under Shari'a law, marriage is permitted at age 15. So Noime would have to wait only two more years! Rez is very close to her 15^th. Of course, that assumes all this isn't pure bullshit and not possible. I am beginning to really want it to be true, but the sensible part of me says, it cannot be.

Iay has been in my bed frequently too, though she doesn't come alone. She comes with anyone who allows her to come 'with,' so to speak. Iay insists on giving me a massage every day. I must admit, the daily massages are great. It is also true that I am with her via the massage and the bedding, more than anyone else here. She has become a constant companion. She isn't usurping power and is incredibly respectful to my privy council. But she is also carrying messages to them if she sees the need and I have not mentioned it to the others.

The last thing happened just yesterday and is probably the reason I have finally returned to writing. We have a new pregnancy. It is not one that makes me very happy in some ways and in another way, oh hell, how can I not rejoice when one of my girls is with child. So just a week or two before Lyla's baby is due, Analyn, yes now fifteen-year-old, Analyn is with child! And if there was any thought that she would be freaked out by this, well, no, the girl is ecstatic. We will have to pull her out of school, but Maricris seems OK with that. I offered to get her a tutor and no one, except Svea and me, seems to want that. So Analyn will stop the schooling soon unless I can change some minds here.

We know the sex of Lyla's baby. It's a girl and the child will, by prior agreement, carry the name Ann Lyla. We also know the sex of Angeli's baby, in waiting. It is another female. This one is Ann Angeli. So if you are taking note, we will have Ann, Ann Lyla and Ann Angeli. In the statistically unlikely case that Analyn's child is a girl, (and we all hope she can carry to term but it's so early in the pregnancy and she is so young,) by prior agreement she would be Ann Analyn. However there is mutinous talk of naming the child Ann Analyn Lynn. That is on the crazy side of things, but Filipinos do like to be playful with the names, so let's hope it's a boy!

The one thing that hasn't happened, is Svea asking for a ring. I am not sure what that might mean. Is she planning to leave? Her other messages do not suggest that but I do not know. I do not want to raise the subject. So rather than purchase two rings, I purchase one this morning. I figure that since Analyn is going to have my child, Analyn is one of mine, for sure. I will put the ring on her tonight at the supper table. This is quite a change from the girl, who had insisted, she had no interest in straight sex, or men, for that matter. She has joined the club of Lyla and Angeli. That fact seems to be a source of pride for her and a source of major frustration for Joy2x.

Maricris suggested yesterday that I send Joy2x to a clinic to see if there is anything that can be done. I disagreed. I do not seem too fertile, based on the number of these girls I have left seed in, and the number who have become pregnant. In fact Joy2x is on the side of the many, and the ones who are pregnant, the side of the exception. I say as much to Joy2x, but it seems little solace to her. She reminds me that when Ann was still alive, I said I might have to get fertility pills for her. Now she calls me unfair, in denying her what she needs. I remind her that she has not been back in my bed for very long and the others, with the exception of Analyn took a long time before they got pregnant. I ask her to wait. She is pissed. When I explain all this it to Maricris she calls me something I will not bother to translate! It's an obscenity, so what's the point.

§ § §

I have been researching the Shari'a laws in this country¹ and they do affect both the age of consent and the age of marriage. If we are under Shari'a law I can marry all but two of them, in just six weeks, that giving Rez time to turn 15. Noime and Laarni are both technically old enough to request parental and Shari'a court permission to married, but that is pushing it. Still it remains unclear to me if I could be placed under Shari'a law and if I really want to be so ruled. Do I want to proceed? It would make all the children legitimate. And, in the event that Svea is staying, it provides her the 13A visa. Neither are a small things here. Maybe I need to meet this Datu.

§ § §

The supper table is a festive affair with lots of gentle kidding towards Analyn, who is enjoying the attention and celebrity. As the general hilarity dies down, I go over to her chair, kneel down and ask her if she will accept this ring from me. There are tears in her eyes as she accepts. She then reaches out to give me a real tonsil tickling kiss. That elicits cries of, Hala! from the rest as well as applause.

Damn, is that what it takes to get a ring around here? OK, well I was going to keep quiet another month, but damn it, I am pregnant too! Do I get a ring?

Svea! Wow! As per the ring, that depends on when you get divorced. But girl, that means you are here for the long term and that makes us all very happy. To that last sentiment, all, except Joy2x, signal their agreement as they huddle around the blonde to give her hugs and kisses.

Lewis, I am already divorced! In Sweden, when there are no children and both parties agree to the divorce, there is no reconsideration period required. Lars and I filed immediately after the split and were granted the divorce two weeks ago. So when do I get a ring?

Are you sure you want this?

Lewis, I am carrying your child. Yes, I am damned sure.

OK, so Joy2x is now totally hysterical and runs from the room. Maricris running after her and looking over her shoulder, in effect saying, 'See this is why you have to send her to the clinic,' to which I also silently nod my head in acceptance. This clearly is what happens to a girl who desperately wants to get pregnant and can't, while both her bed mates are with child. The scene is chastening all us and takes some of the levity from the room.

I ask, When are you due, Svea?

Same time as Analyn, Stud. And Stud, I will resign my position when I am six months along. So you had better get something done soon, to normalize my position, because I do not want to give birth as a tourist, and I want to be able to work after the child is born!

Angeli, ever the household manager, in Maricris's absence, points out that we need another room or three. We are full up and there are now four more kids on the way. I had Manny do the last addition, but I doubt he will do this as his circumstances have changed. But maybe things are not as good now as they were when I saw him last time. I mean, how long can he make money from Coraline and the dogs? He is no longer a relative, as Ann has passed away. But I will see what's up with him as a start.

§ § §

Maricris did settle Joy2x down, last night. I am told some rhum was used. Joy2x looks like shit this morning and refuses to talk to me before she leaves the house.

Today is Saturday and Maricris has taken Joy2x to the OB/Gyn clinic. Who knows, if that will help her get pregnant, but it buys time, before the next breakdown.

I have gone out this morning, to purchase another ring, and arrive back home, just in time, to meet the Datu. He's a nice guy and evidently an old friend of Maricris's family from her childhood. He's a little older than I am, well educated, and has a very proper bearing. In short, the guy's impressive. We talk over the legal issues.

He really sees no problem with me marrying under Shari'a law in the Philippines, as the Philippine law references Christians and Muslims only. So I am, in a way of speaking a 'free agent' and can choose under which law I want to be married. However, he brings up an interesting, and possible, show stopping point. The problem is that the girls are all Christian. The Philippine code says that Sharia law cannot be used when the individual is Christian. Each of the girls would have to convert from Christianity, but to what? To my religion, or must they become Muslim?

The Datu says it must be my religion. They could not be Muslin and marry me without other complications. It is going to be a real problem and the promise I made to Svea that she would not have to convert appears to be one I will have to break. How will she react to that?

The Datu and I talk about my girls and how things work. He tells me that if I were married, to them I would be acting well within Shari'a strictures, but living without the benefit of marriage is a problem. He urges me to fix that immediately including to Noime and Laarni, which his court will give approval to marry, so long as the parents do not object.

By the time he leaves, I am scratching my head. This is more information than I had anticipating on receiving. We have a lot to discuss here as a family.

I am now profoundly happy that I had not allowed little Ann to be baptized, which makes the claim that this is not a Christian home, more weighty. I must make sure that Ann Lyla does not get baptized.

§ § §

OK, I have skirted this for some time. But I had to talk to the Datu about it. It could have been a real problem for him, dealing with me, or so I thought.

I am a Sadducee Jew. The Sadducees believe: There is no fate; Man has free will; There is no immortal soul; there is no afterlife; there is no 'oral' law; and (wait for it) there is polygamy. A Sadducee Jew rejects later entries into the religion from the Pharisee version of Judaism, such as the the Haftorah and the rulings of latter day Rabbi's, all of whom are, by definition, members of the Pharisees.

The rulings of the Pharisee rabbis are not only, not binding, they have no import at all. So the Rabbinic law, such as the tenth century Rabbinic ruling against Polygamy for a specific period of time, (which has already technically expired anyway,) is not considered valid or in any way meaningful. Judaism in Israel is Pharisee Judaism and is, therefore, meaningless to me. While I do not claim to be particularly observant, that's what I am. It is the way I was raised by my family and the reason I never felt comfortable in temples, shuls, synagogues, whatever you want to call them, when growing up in the US. That version of the religion is at real odds with what we learned at home. I know the books say that the Sadducees are 'extinct,' but how can it be extinct as those are the values that I was taught as a child, and, as there is no such thing as an organized Jewish religion anyway, ^{2 3 4 5} I stand firm on the position that if I say I am a Sadducee, that's what I am. As there are no other Sadducee here to challenge my stated membership, I am secure in this position.

The Datu was totally OK with this. He thinks it's cool. Go figure.

I have not explained any of this to the girls. I am not sure they want to know it, but if they want to marry me, they have will to convert to my religion.

Well, no time like tonight. Shit, I am not looking forward to this.

§ § §

I don't really want to go into the entire discussion we have had. Among my Filipinas, there was great discomfort that they would have to profess a belief that there was no afterlife and no savior. They have known all along that that is my belief, but, for them to say they believe that, well it's hard.

But they are all painfully aware that Maricris had clearly missed an important element, when she said I could marry many girls. It meant only that I could marry non-Christians and since they had been born of Christian parents and had all been baptized, and had all said they all believe in Jesus Christ, getting the government to consider them anything other than Christian, requires they convert, formally.

How bad do they want to marry me? That is the question for each of them. If they all choose not to do so, then I will wait another five years for Noime. But what if Noime chooses not to do so, and some of them do? Then I have to deny them, to marry my little one. I am more than a little uncomfortable.

The other issue is Svea who had made a big thing of not wanting to convert. She desperately wants her 13A, but unless Noime is OK with converting and she is as well, no dice.

Svea, had thought I was either Baha’i or Buddhist, and she had no use for that. When she finds what I am, she is both a little shocked and way happy, she says, OK, I can sign up for that! What she didn't want was any afterlife or reincarnation mumbo jumbo. So the one I thought was the hardest, is one of the easiest. Iay, Moon and Noime are equally easy. They just say, If that's what you are, then that's what we are. Done deal and end of discussion. Well, that ends my real panic. I am now able to marry Noime and Svea. I am also pleased about Moon and Iay.

The other girls huddle in a group, in another room, for a good half an hour, before coming back to the rest of us. Maricris is the spokesperson for all of them, standing in front of them, her pronouncement is evidently final. We are now Jewesses, that is correct word, yes? Lewis, Datu tell me we need to build a temple. And rabbi, that Datu check with, say you need to get us a Torah. Is that right, Torah? you need to get us a Torah. Is that right, Torah? So evidently, she has called the Datu and he called a rabbi. Good for her and them. Maricris is a smart one. Well, it's not exactly right. I can't have a Temple… But I have have a place to house a Torah. I won't try to explain that to them, but finding the right name for it will come later.

Yes, Maricris, you have it mostly correct. And the rest is of not big deal!

Sir, what is a Torah?

It is the Jewish holy writings, and it contains the laws of the Jews. It is in a long scroll, instead of a book. It will be kept in the something that the Datu's Rabbi friend calls a Temple. (I did not get into the weeds about it can't be a temple as that can only be built in Jerusalem. Call it what you will... Temple is an English word and the word it refers to is Hebrew, does it even matter?)

I text the Datu that I need to know how to show legal conversion from Christianity, as my girls had all been baptized. He texts back that he will provide sample forms and I will need to modify them to conform to our religion. Further he texts, Shall we schedule the wedding?

I am in the middle of writing an answer, when Lyla yells, My water broke! We make a dash down to the lying-in clinic.⁶

§ § §

When Ann Lyla is born, eighteen hours later, the paperwork shows her religion as Sadducee Jew. Go prove she isn't!

§ § §

I return once again to this writing following weeks of efforts to file documents, at the LCR,⁷ and other places, to formalize the conversion with the formal channels, and then with the help of the Datu, get the marriage licenses. We have them. For a while I doubted that we would, but we got them yesterday.

I found a 'pre-owned' torah for sale and purchased it. The thing was not inexpensive! It arrived attached to a rabbi, who hand carried the thing all the way to the Philippines! We took delivery and but are unable to place it in the 'Temple' as it has not been completed yet.

When the rabbi learned 'the rest of the story,' about why we need the torah, he was a little bit more than initially horrified. I had to sit him down and explain what I was taught as a child. We talked about my heritage and how it was possible that such teachings could have made it through the many centuries to me. I have no way to explain it. It was never a topic within the family. But he has come to believe that my beliefs are authentic.

That barrier being breached, he asks if he might have the honor of staying for the wedding. So he's here staying in the same apartelle that Svea had stayed in. He's also at our place for meals which are made kosher for the guy. We went out with him and purchased some new pots, dishes and utensils just for him. He is eating mostly vegetarian with the exception of fish, he purchases live from vendors, and chickens. We have the chickens delivered live to the house, so he can see them slaughtered properly. He is having a ball from what I can see.

A government official discovered he was here and asked to meet with him over the issue of polygamy. According to the rabbi, the official started with the statement, I understand that polygamy is not accepted by Jews! To my everlasting appreciation, the rabbi answered, Well, Sir, if you are referring to Rabbinic Judaism, you are correct, but Sir Lewis is not a member of Rabbinic Judaism. He is a Sadducee Jew and that branch of the religion does and always has practiced polygamy. And so what might have wrecked our plans, ended in an official government endorsement.

The temple and the extension to the extension, which are one and the same, are under construction. Manny is my contractor. He is, as I suspected, normally disinterested in such projects. In fact, he is still making money with Coraline and the dogs, but he figures he owes me for the good fortune he has had. This construction project is pretty simple and we will have it done in a month! The wedding will be under a large tent with a small huppah inside it, in front of the new temple. The reception will be in the house and first extension. For those who want it, we will provide monitored access to the temple.

On a separate note, I should also mention that the OB/Gyn clinic has given Joy2x some pills. They didn't bother to test me as I have been producing off-spring with others. We will see if it helps Joy2x.

I feel like I am in a caucus race. Eventually everyone will be a winner, but I see no end in sight. I am busy every moment of the day. By evening, I am exhausted. No time to write.

§ § §

§ § §

Chapter 55