I was served a restraining order by the local sheriff from my Jw x -wife. I know without a doubt this is a small maneuver to block me from picketing at the Kingdom Hall and exposing her lies and bullcrap. While Nancy is in the hospital recovering, the other two girls are now completely indignant and ready to help take this thing head on. They are so pissed right now they could eat glass. I cannot post the actual restraining order, but I am posting my 15 page plus reply to the restraining order, for it tells a good portion of the story and this is what the judge will be reading before I stand before him to contest the restraining order.
I am a bit tired and will try to disguise last names, and if I miss one, mods feel free to edit.
Btw, the following is about have of what I will be writing in my petition to the court to gain soul custody of the girls.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9-2-04
Response To Accusation of Most Recent Abuse
On the morning of Monday, August 30, 2004, I drove my daughter, Nancy , age 15 years, to school. She had, for days, been manifesting signs of depression. A documented pattern that comes about after coming back home from a visit to her mother?s (Sara M) and stepfather?s (Mark M)home. An hour or so later, I received a call from the high school nurse?s office telling me that my daughter had attempted suicide. I immediately picked her up from school and took her to the hospital to receive medical and psychiatric care.
The day before, 8-29-04, I inquired of Nancy as to the degree of her depression, and if she felt suicidal. She told me she was not feeling suicidal. That night, after Nancy had gone to bed, around 9:45p.m., Sara telephoned with a tone of agitation and urgency, demanding to talk to Nancy. I told Sara that Nancy had gone to bed already and asked her to tell me what was so urgent. Sara would not disclose to me her reasons for the call and for the demand to wake Nancy up to come to the phone. I deemed Sara?s behavior to be irrational and told her I would not get Nancy up out of bed to come to the phone unless she gave me an explanation. She refused once again, but only demanded that I rouse Nancy and bring her to the phone. I again, declined unless she disclosed to me the urgency of the matter. She then began accusing me of abusing and damaging my daughters and said that she would call the police.
I was not aware at this point that Nancy had earlier in the day left a tearful, apparently distressed, message on her mother?s answering machine. Sara did not disclose to me that she was concerned about the tearful message, neither did she tell me of the tearful message. She only made unfounded accusations and absurd threats, therefore, I hung up the phone. Sara called once again and told me that Nancy had left a distressed message on her answering machine. I ended the phone conversation abruptly to go and confirm this with Nancy. I awakened her and asked her if she had called her mother while upset and crying, and Nancy said that she had only called to ask about some laundry she had left at her mother?s house during her last visit. She said she had not been upset, maybe just sounded sad or something.
The police arrived later that evening to check on the welfare of my daughter, Nancy. After waking her from sleep and talking to her, the police were satisfied that she was safe and not in any kind of danger.
The next morning, I took Nancy to school and later got the call.
My eldest daughter, Elese, accompanied Nancy and I to the hospital. While they were tending to Nancy, Sara called Elese on her cell phone. Elese was upset and guarded with her mother?s call do to an upsetting incident that took place at Sara?s and Mark?s home on Friday, August 27, 2004, in which the girls (Nancy Corvin and Elizabeth Corvin, age 12) had unwisely been left alone with Mark, their stepfather, who started an incident with them while Sara was absent.
When Sara called, she asked Elese how she and Nancy were doing. Elese said in an irritable tone that they were fine. Sara wanted to know what was going on. Elese then informed Sara of the suicide attempt. Sara?s response was, "What? Why?", as if she had not a clue that Nancy might have done such a thing to herself. Elese felt disgusted at her mother?s feigned ignorance of the situation, and hung up on her.
Mark has a documented history of alcoholism, domestic violence, verbal, mental and emotional abuse with my daughters and Sara. He is consistently antagonistic with them and it has been expressed by me and agreed to by Sara, that, the girls should not be left alone with their stepfather for those reasons. Mark, again, on this occasion, as is his pattern, picked an argument with Nancy and Elizabeth and began to berate them about not going to his religious meetings. He insisted that they should go and abandon all other friends who are not of their religion (they are Jehovah?s Witnesses).
As related to me by my daughters, Mark kept on, and the girls argued that their friends were actually good people and much more loving than the Jehovah?s Witness religion. They were respectfully trying to have a mature dialogue with Mark, according to them, trying to defend their choices and their beliefs. Mark referred to his daughter, Tera, as an example of someone who was happier than they due to the fact that she had only Jehovah?s Witnesses as close friends. Tera spoke up, and good for her, that Mark?s statement was not true, that the Jehovah?s Witnesses do not seem to like her and pointed out that they do very little to associate with her. Ultimately, Mark told them (Nancy and Elizabeth) that because of their choice in friends they were "bad association", a term used in their religion to "mark" or "label" anyone outside the organization who disagrees with their religious doctrine, or anyone inside the organization who manifests a "lack of faith" in the organization?s beliefs. To be marked as "bad association" is to be shunned and abandoned emotionally, physically and spiritually by everyone in the faith, this includes family members as well. Anyone who is outside of the organization of Jehovah?s Witnesses is under "Satan?s control". Anyone who was once one of Jehovah?s Witnesses and no longer believes their doctrines or even questions or doubts their doctrines is labeled "apostate", "evil" and "wicked". Sara has told the girls many times that I am evil and wicked.
Mark told Nancy and Elizabeth that because they were "bad association" and "becoming a bad influence on (his) daughter", they should not come over to his home anymore (which also implies that association with their mother would also cease as a result). To these children who were born and raised in the religion, this meant they would be treated as outcasts by even their own family, ignored and shunned in the church and on the street by life-long friends . . . for nothing more than disagreeing with one of their religious doctrines. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that such shunning practices, when implemented, are devastating to the child both emotionally and mentally. I was officially shunned, a practice called "disfellow-shipment" by the Jehovah?s Witnesses, when I was only 17. The shunning accompanied by the pressure to return to the organization by family members led me to a major breakdown and a suicide attempt. I took an entire bottle of pills in front of my mother to show her what kind of pain she was putting me through, that I could not take it anymore and I just wanted out. After taking the pills, she sneered at me with a very creepy expression of satisfaction on her face. I have never forgotten the pleasure she seemed to derive from my self-destruction. Upon trying to take my own life, not one Jehovah?s Witness came to me for comfort and support with the exception of one friend whose compassion and good heart managed to override the harsh rules of the organization. My two older brothers, Jim and Ron, were coerced into "dedicating their lives to the organization" of Jehovah?s Witnesses at the tender ages of 11 and 12. They were disfellowshipped by the time they were only 12 and 13 for nothing more than being children who did not realize who they were or what they wanted. Now as they are well into their 40?s and 50?s, my brothers still suffer from the residual effects of such a cruel religious policy. They too suffered the humiliation and heartbreak of being abandoned by every friend and family member they had ever known which lead the eldest to attempt suicide as well. They have never gotten over how our own mother did not protect them from such a thing. Yet, this was the implied threat Mark was putting across to the girls. I speak of these experiences because these are the same terrible ordeals Mark and Sara M[edit] are putting my daughters through.
When Sara returned home to discover the incident, she instructed the children to be quiet and not argue, to go along and respect what Mark says. By this, she implied to the girls that she supported the shunning tactics, or the implied threat thereof, now being employed at this juncture. The entire ordeal was very upsetting to the girls and Nancy called home to ask if we would come and get them. My wife Mary and I, immediately went over to pick them up.
Before we departed Mark and Sara?s home, I wanted to find out exactly what had happened. When my daughters emerged from the house they were in tears, as was Mark?s daughter, Tera, age 16, and they seemed very shaken.
We stepped off onto the sidewalk to talk. Present were myself, my wife Mary, Nancy, Elizabeth and Sara. The girls explained in detail what had occurred and I was naturally indignant at a grown man?s childish display and mental abuse on these young girls and I only wanted to have a word with Mark to say that he was out of line; which I believe, it is my right as their father to confront (in a non-violent or threatening way) anyone who deliberately and carelessly hurts my children. As Mark previously stated to Elizabeth, "I like arguing with you because I know you can?t win". It is my job, my responsibility, to protect them and stand up for them when they cannot stand up for themselves as in a situation like this. I calmly asked Sara to please get Mark so that I could "have a word with him". She refused, so I called to him. I told him I wanted to talk to him, "that instead of picking on little girls, he should come out here and pick on me, a grown man". The language I used was, "talk to me like a man" NOT, "come out and fight like a man". I have witnesses to verify the words and language I used.
He remained in the backyard hiding in the dark and muttering incoherent utterances. I called to him once more and told him I would confront him the following Sunday at their church so that he could rightly answer to and for his threats to shun my children and also have them shunned by others. Why at the church? Because all matters, including domestic violence, child molestation, alcoholism, drug abuse and any other form of "sin" have traditionally been "handled" by the congregation elders. They will only hear a case when there are "two or more witnesses" who accuse the violator/sinner. In most cases, and in spite of the type of crime committed, the entire thing is contained within the organization, kept secret, and never gets reported to the proper authorities. When my daughters had gone to the elders for relief from their mother and stepfather?s problems, they did not stand a chance since their pleas for help and assistance were, by mom and step-dad, chalked up to rebelliousness and disobedience. Their cries for help fell upon deaf arrogant ears. Again, in this way, countless instances of child abuse are covered up and not reported to the proper authorities. Countless victims of mental and emotional abuse go unpunished as a result of the crimes being "handled" within the "organizational arrangement of things". This has always been the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society?s policy, and is only now slowly changing due to a mass exposure of the child molestation problem plaguing the religion.
If a church member who has suffered abuse at the hands of another member should go to outside authorities, that is, the police or the courts to resolve the issue, no matter what the crime may have been, that member is shunned or marked and most members will then disassociate themselves from the one going outside the arrangement. To a large extent, Jehovah?s Witnesses arrogantly believe that they do not have to be in complete subjection to the laws of the land, especially when they can reason that in any particular instance, God?s laws trump government laws. They find many loopholes to reason this way, and again, child abusers often remain in the congregation as recidivists and continue to victimize children, as in this case.
As also in this case, the elders that have been counseling Mark and Sara M[edit] with their domestic and spiritual challenges have known about the pattern of abuse for approximately eight years and have not once, to my knowledge, ever reported it to the proper agencies to be handled competently and professionally. In all instances reported to me by my children, the elders have instructed my children to "be obedient" to Mark and Sara and "go along with the organizational arrangement of things". The elders are represented to the children as unquestionable authority figures to whom they must subject themselves to and to do whatever it is they might be counseled to do. They are instructed on how THEY can contribute to peace and spirituality of the household while Mark and Sara get to take no responsibility for their actions. This sick pattern within the organizational structure of Jehovah?s Witnesses allows and encourages parents to pressure, coerce, threaten, brainwash and force their children to believe everything the Watchtower teaches as absolute truth and to just blindly accept it as the unquestionable word of God.
The process starts at birth where the child is conditioned to sit still and quiet for two-hour religious meetings where Watchtower publications are studied, and information from The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is disseminated. The ages of the children vary when most parents take their small toddlers into the Kingdom Hall bathrooms for vigorous spankings to "lovingly discipline" the child and get it to sit quiet for the meetings. As the child grows older they are taken from door to door to place WT literature at the homes of strangers. They are taught that anyone outside the organization, or not in good standing with the organization will suffer a terrible death at the hands of God at Armageddon, an event that is ALWAYS looming just around the corner. Before Armageddon comes, however, JW?s are taught that a "great tribulation" will befall them in which their own governments will turn against them, persecute them, torture them, kill them unless they denounce Jehovah as the one true God. If they make it through "the great tribulation" they are assured everlasting life in paradise right here on the earth. Still, as they pass through adolescence, other techniques are used to guilt and shame them into "staying close to Jehovah?s earthly organization".
Much fear is ingrained into their little psyches and when they are given over to the elders? authority since birth, they have a hard time speaking up about cases and instances of abuse in their home. Everything that goes on at home seems to be normal to them when in reality it is by proper standards, abusive.
The average Jehovah?s Witness child feels trapped, especially when going through adolescence and they usually lead a double life to escape the rigidity and unyielding dogma of the organization. In my eldest daughter?s (Elese, now 17 years old) case, she felt extremely trapped with no where to go, too afraid to move as it were, and she came to the conclusion, when she was only 13 years old, that the only escape for her was suicide. This incident was also covered up by Mark and Sara to avoid any responsibility for pushing Elese to the brink. The elders, who I KNOW were notified, never reported the suicide attempt. How many other cases are there of attempted suicide and abuse that get covered over? I was once part of this organization since birth and I have seen and heard all of these things first hand.
When Sara first arrived at the hospital (8-30-04), Elese met her in the lobby of the ER. Elese took Sara aside to explain what she knew about what had happened with Nancy and her attempted suicide. Sara then specifically told Elese that Nancy on two recent occasions (the more recent being Friday, August 27, 2004, the same day of the latest incident with their step-father), that Nancy had disclosed her suicidal thoughts and intentions and even spoke of a specific plan to accomplish her aim.
Elese became appalled and indignant at her mother and asked, "you mean to tell me that you KNEW Nancy was in trouble and didn?t even pick up the phone to warn anyone about it? What the hell is wrong with you?", she screamed at her mother.
Sara shrugged it off and gave Elese a disgusted and unconcerned look, rolled her eyes, and then walked arrogantly away back into the ER lobby. God! The head games!
I had been inside with Nancy during this incident between Elese and her mother. I was coming outside to the lobby to let in a visiting friend to see Nancy when I saw Sara approaching the ER security door I was emerging from. To protect my daughter and considering Sara?s irrational and inexplicable behavior the night before on the telephone, I had instructed the front desk and nurses station that when Sara arrived that they should not let her in to see Nancy before I could have a dialogue about the situation and discover her frame of mind. I did not want Sara?s emotional state to adversely affect Nancy. After Elese confronted her mother about not intervening, she also went to the ER front desk and asked them not to let her mother in to see Nancy until I had a chance to speak with her.
Before she entered, I only wanted a rational word with her in order to explain the incident, as I understood it. She appeared agitated and angry, NOT shaken or in shock with the news of her daughter?s attempted suicide. She started making a scene and refused to listen to me saying that she has the right to see her daughter. The nurse(s) tried for a moment to sort the disturbance out, but saw the need to call security to sort it out. I agreed that she did have the right to see her daughter, that she was going to see her daughter in just a moment, and I again, attempted to explain my reasons for hindering her visit at this point. I did manage to advise that she should only go in to see Nancy when she was calm and not so eruptive. My voice at this point remained calm and even, but firm. After talking to a security guard, it agreed that in light of Sara?s agitated state, that the initial visit with Nancy be supervised by a security guard.
While Sara was in with Nancy, Elese approached me and explained how her mother KNEW that Nancy was suicidal and had a plan to commit the act as recent as last Friday (8-27-04)but did not say or do anything to stop it. I put two and two together and realized why Sara had acted the way she did on the phone the night before and why she had called the police to check on Nancy?s welfare. What I could not understand was why, HOW Sara could know this and do ANYTHING to intervene in such a crisis, knowing all too well that Elese had attempted the same fate only four years ago. I became very indignant and distressed that someone so irresponsible was sitting bedside to the victim at that very moment. I remained as calm as I could and proceeded to the nurse?s station to urgently ask for them to call a CPS worker to the hospital. I was plainly distressed and the nurse(s), as I recall, contacted the Crisis Intervention worker at the hospital to talk to me.
I explained to the worker what I knew, and I do not know if was she that contacted CPS or not, but a CPS worker, Jennifer Paasch, did arrive at my home today (9-1-04) to interview all of the family about the suicide attempt.
I went for a short walk to cool off. I saw Sara sitting at a table outside with a Jehovah?s Witness friend, Ellen [edit]. I approached and cursed Sara and asked her why she did not do anything to intervene, having KNOWN what Nancy was considering. She then denied that she had any foreknowledge of Nancy?s state of mind, and then began accusing me of abusing our daughters in front of Ellen. She called me "evil" and "demon possessed". We now walked along, her accusing, me defending. She then blurted out loud, in front of Ellen and a large public crowd, without any provocation or reason like a twisted unconnected maxim, that she KNEW that I was sexually molesting ALL of my daughters and that was why Nancy tried to kill herself. I was speechless and dumbfounded. I could have died from such a disgusting accusation. I responded that she should ask all of them.
She had just attacked me and accused me of the most repulsive accusation a father could be accused of, not just privately, but publicly. On that note she was smugly and arrogantly on her way back into the ER unit to see Nancy once again. I went to the ER front desk and pleaded with them to stop Sara from going back into the ER unit to see Nancy. I could not stand that such a person, one that would sit on her hands while her daughter was moving toward a life threatening action, one that would falsely, shamelessly and publicly accuse a father of molesting his own daughter, could have any unsupervised contact with such an innocent fragile child. As Sara moved inside the ER security doors I again begged for the staff to stop her. Security was again called and they escorted Sara back into Nancy?s room.
Shortly thereafter, not having had any more contact with Sara, I watched the security guard escort Sara to her car.
I never once threatened or assaulted Sara M[edit] that day, not even when pressed by her attacks beyond what I thought I could bear. I am swearing unequivocally and categorically that the statements made in Sara M[edit]?s restraining order are false and entirely misleading to cover up the continued abuse and lies perpetrated upon my family and my daughters.
Response to the 2 nd Most Recent Abuse
The efforts to thwart and undermine the recovery, progress, health and safety of Elese, Nancy and Elizabeth Corvin under my care, and to also coerce and emotionally blackmail them into returning to the Jehovah?s Witness religion, the most recent incident involving Mark and Sara M[edit] and my daughters (8-27-04 see as describe above) was the basis for a lawful demonstration/protest staged near but off the property of their place of worship. If a mother and stepfather who are supposed to be loving Christians can employ such detestable tactics that harm and confuse impressionable young children, I can certainly protest expose their practice of hurtful shunning (as also described above), and the covering up child abuse in an organization that is trying to claim my children as three of their victims and potential casualties, as documented evidence to be presented will reveal. So, in a show of strength and fearlessness, in a gesture of protecting the rights and healing of my children and other Jehovah?s Witness children who may be going through the same thing, I did conduct a lawful and peaceful protest across from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah?s Witnesses on Sunday, August 29, 2004.
I did employ the use of large signs exposing the abuse cover up and only ASKING those arriving at their place of worship, which is MY former place of worship, if they knew of the ongoing child abuse being covered up in the congregation by the elders and Mark and Sara M[edit].
Please note that many of those arriving at the Kingdom Hall were common "friends" that Sara, Mark and I once shared. They know me, have known me for years. They have known my children since birth and have been close to the our families both when Sara and I were together, and now while Mark and Sara are together. I was not addressing or harassing strangers as it were. These were common friends who now shun me for standing up for my children and trying to protect them. They all now view me as a "demon possessed apostate" who has turned away from "the True God, Jehovah", and according to Watchtower policy they must "hate" me.
I did not molest or hinder any of the worshipers from their activity. I did not trespass or threaten anyone, their person or their property. I did also employ a video camera to document the demonstration so that no false accusations could rightly be made to stand regarding my conduct that day. Accompanying me, was Susanne ______, a former Jehovah?s Witness, who like myself and my kids, were raised in the religion and suffered untold abuse and injustice at the hands of the "elders" and parents who were brainwashed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. Susanne brought her three daughters in support of this peaceful demonstration, one of which (Sammy) is my daughter Elizabeth?s best friend. Sammy was given the same cold shunning treatment by Mark and Sara when first introduced simply because she was not a Jehovah?s Witness and disagreed with a Scriptural point. She was marked from that day forward by Mark and Sara. Sammy willingly, conscientiously and of her own accord asked to come and show her support for her best friend who she has seen go through some terrible times over the religion and the child abuse it promotes.
My youngest daughter, Elizabeth, volunteered to go and take part in the demonstration. Her reasoning and purpose was to expose the lies told by her mother and stepfather, and to HAVE A VOICE in her new life and to say all the truths she was not permitted to say when she was trapped hopelessly in the Jehovah?s Witness religion. She was happy to be there, boldly stood up for her rights and said silently with her own handmade sign what she needed to tell a group of "friends" who simply would not listen to her in times past while she was experiencing the depths of dark tumbledown. She stood shoulder to shoulder with a small courageous group of former victims of abuse and brainwashing to exercise her right to freedom of speech and say what she really needed to say. She was testifying to a group of "friends" to confirm that she was hurt and abused by her mother and stepfather, that it was covered up, and she still suffers every time she is made to go over to her mother?s home and be subjected to religious persecution. It is simply false when Sara says that Elizabeth was upset and crying behind her sign at the supposed scene I was making. It is a total fabrication and fantasy on the part of Elizabeth?s mother. This was a total therapeutic experience for Elizabeth and it has made her stronger and more confident in herself. She has also been suicidal in the past grieving over the threats of abandonment for not believing as the Jehovah?s Witnesses believe.
I do not understand why Sara would object to her daughter standing up for the truth unless there were things to hide and suppress. Sara has no objection to dragging Elizabeth from door to door on a Saturday morning (when most kids are watching cartoons and being kids) telling strangers that if they do not believe what they believe, God will destroy them very very soon. Some of the householders might even be schoolmates. How do you tell someone you know from school that you are at their door to tell them you think you are righteous and they are not, that you will be saved at the battle of Armageddon while they will be destroyed for their wickedness? Sara has no objection to instructing Elizabeth and the other girls to not salute the flag, to stand firm and not participate in any holiday activity that will gain them Jehovah?s disapproval and ultimate destruction. Sara has no problem with teaching Elizabeth to hate those who are not Jehovah?s Witnesses and to even shun "spiritually weak" individuals in their own faith. HYPOCRISY and LIES.
I did cause a "commotion". I confronted two elders in the congregation who were off property as to why they did not report the child abuse in the M[edit] home when they knew it was going on for years. I asked them why they did not call me, their father, when they were going through crisis. I followed each one as far as their vehicles to confront them about my eldest daughter?s suicide attempt four years ago. I asked them why they did nothing to protect the children of the "flock" they are entrusted to shepherd. Why did I choose to confront them in public? Because that is my right. I chose to confront them and question them publicly because I am considered an "evil apostate" to them, and they are required by Watchtower policy to avoid me like the plague. Because of my status, they do not feel obligated in any way to talk to me as the father of the children they "counseled" for 7 years while living with Mark and Sara. I don?t remember giving them the right to do or say whatever they want to my kids without my consent or knowledge, and I don?t think any information they have about my children is privileged when it comes to abuse. Whenever I have tried to begin a dialogue with them concerning my kids, long before I lost complete trust and faith in the organization and resorted to these methods of exposing them, they would only tell me that they were "handling matters" (because I was disfellowshipped, i.e., officially shunned). They stonewall anyone who inquires of their methods or procedures.
What?s more, the allegations and grounds presented for this restraining order are bogus and unfounded as neither Mark nor Sara M[edit] were in attendance at the religious meeting that day, and they are in no position to say what transpired. I have videotaped evidence of the demonstration that will show Sara?s accusations to be false and unreliable.
Response to Describe Any Injuries
I do not see the relevance of bringing up the stated prior act of battery that hardly presents any kind of pattern of violence or abuse since it was 13 years ago, and there have not been any instances of that kind of behavior since then. On the other hand, it is a matter of public record that Mark M[edit] more recently has been charged with domestic violence, undergone incarceration, fines, an anger management course and mandatory AA meetings. He has shown himself to be a recidivist and unremorseful of his actions and chances are good that he will offend again. In my opinion, it would be more prudent that Sara file for a restraining order against her current husband to protect her children from abuse rather than going after someone who is actually showing love and concern for the welfare of her children.
Finally, I am outrage at all of these unfounded, malicious, slanderous accusations being hurled at me. They are lies and there is absolutely no proof whatsoever of these allegations. These lies serve only to undermine the safety and wellbeing of my children.
I have witnesses who will present truthful and honest testimony to establish my innocence in this matter.
