Pilot suggested passengers discuss Christianity during LA-to-New York flight

SFGate.com ^ | 2/7/04 | AP

[CoolGuyVic]

An American Airlines pilot flying passengers from Los Angeles to New York asked Christians on board to identify themselves and then suggested that non-Christian passengers discuss the faith with them, the airline confirmed Saturday.

The pilot, whose identity was not released, had been making flight announcements before he asked that the Christians on board raise their hands, said American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner.

[farmer18th]

Forgive me. I thought the reference would be more obvious, but Christians evangelize--whether you believe it or not--because we believe Jesus saves His followers from the physical and spiritual torments of hell. The allusion here is to spiritual emergency.

[Spiff]

In any case, his relationship with the passengers is purely business. I am sure the passengers did not pay for those tickets expecting a sermon.

It looks like you too were indoctrinated in government schools to believe that one's faith is a quaint little hobby that should be kept to oneself and is inappropriate to be mentioned or practiced in public. I was similarly indoctrinated and I still suffer the effects of that indoctrination and find it hard to share my faith with others or to be seen praying in public. Looks like the pilot had briefly overcome such programming. I'm sure that he'll be adequately re-educated.

[farmer18th]

Looks like the pilot had briefly overcome such programming...

I wonder if those offended by the pilot's message would have been offended by George Washington's general orders requiring soldiers to attend divine service?

[ISawIt]

"Howdy folks! This is Captain Ahab, here... ha ha just kidding."

"I'll be your pilot and captain today. To your Left, and to your Right, you will see two
Pratt and Whitney 400PCK Jet Engines. What you don't see is a third, right behind you.
Together, these engines suck in several hundred pounds of jet fuel per minute. One pound
of jet fuel would be enough to blow your 5000 sq ft. house into tiny splinters and smithereens,
but, see, the good engineers of Beoing and Pratt and Whitney have harnessed this incredibly
potent energy to launch 250 of you, like a rocket, into the air, fly you 2500 miles at 600
miles an hour at an altitude of 35000 feet, and slow down, STOP, and let you safely egress
from the aircraft without parachutes, jumping from the tarmack, etcetera. The only weak
point is the pilot, and how you stop... As we all discovered on 9-11, ha-ha-ha. Just a joke,
folks. Anyway, what I'm really here to do is not FLY THE F***ING PLANE but save your souls."

[Waiter? WAITER?!? Check, PLEASE?]

[Manic_Episode]

Amen Bro. This is one of the greatest things I have ever heard, and I am LMAO. The pilot was all fired up and couldn't hold back. He is out on the spiritual front lines kicking a$$ and I applaud him for it.

Mark 8:38
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.

Luke 8:16
No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood

[ISawIt]

That's nice.

But if a cop busts down your door, points a gun at you and
starts asking you questions about Thessolonians, and
you're at a loss...

I should think at that point you would be thinking first
"where are my kids? are they in the house?"

If you don't see the connection between a police officer
with a gun to your head, and a pilot of a 737 while you're
on it, you're a damn idiot.

Pilots are not preachers.

They are captains of the aircraft, and should exhibit
leadership -- and this includes not unneccessarily scaring
the shit out of their passengers.

If I was a pilot and started spouting the 72 virgins
speech, you wouldn't be as forgiving...

[spodefly]

Any pilot inclined to making PA announcements suggesting a topic of discussion for the passengers should have a psych profile run on him by the airlines flight physician.

He has a screw loose.

[Manic_Episode]

I am well armed and well able to defend myself, and I stay up all night. I feel very sorry for whoever decides to come thru my locked door.

If I was on a plane and a muslim opened a dialogue with me about his faith, I am well prepared and well able to defend my faith, and in fact live for such moments.

[expatguy]

Discussing religion in public is rude.

Since when?

Years of liberal indoctrination must have finally worn you down. You might want to reflect and take a long hard look at yourself and ask how you ended up thinking this.

This is not meant as a flame, so please dont take it that way and kindly hear me out.

There is nothing rude about discussing religion, it has only recently become considered rude by today's liberals and so-called secularists because it is not "politically correct" and the fear is that you might possibly "offend" someone.

This is what allowed to homosexuality to spread like wildfire in recent years ~ when people have been afraid to tell someone that what they do is wrong.

Im sorry but I don't subscribe to the mind numbing mantras of today's psuedo-elitists who keep preaching "tolerance" and "acceptance" like a herd of malfunctioning Stepford wives.

If they are free to proselytize their anti-religion then I should be free to preach mine. That is not only my freedom it is my constitutional right.

The truth is, that there really is no middle ground here. There is good and evil, right and wrong. and when I meet with someone who is on the wrong path I try to bring them back to the right path. That is love. True love of your fellow man.

Now as for the pilot, was he wrong? Yes and no. I would have been better had he tried to find a more subtle way to get his point across without being so direct, and by doing that, then he might not have caught the flak that he did.

[expatguy]

"...Hasn't this guy heard about the seperation of Church and state and the freedom from religion...[sic]"

lol

[Melas]

The government isn't investigating the pilot, the airline is investigating. And yes Sunshine, the airline does own the plane.

[Melas]

If you don't like it, fly another airline, Mr. Sensitive.

That's the problem he might. Other passengers might seek another airline as well.

As per usual the real story got lost here. It's not about the 1st Amendment, this guy's right to express his religous views or anyting remotely related.

It IS about an employ-employer relationship and who owes what to whom in that relationship.

As an employee, this guy unneccesisarly risked the patronage his employer relies upon. I have a feeling that those who're lauding the actions of the pilot haven't even begun to consider the ethical implications of hurting your employer's bottom line. If just one passenger was unnecessarily offended and will no longer fly that airline, then damage is done.

It doesn't even really matter of the offense is justified or not. The risk of offense is real, everyone knows its real, and the airline is in the biz of trying to attract all the flyers it can get, not losing them. Now, call me silly, but I think in addition to getting the plane up and down, I think the pilot (and all airline employees) have a secondary function of attracting and keeping customers. It's really a fairly a tried and true business concept.

If everyone could put their religious feelings aside for a moment, they could clearly see that this pilot's employer had every right to expect the pilot to refrain from this type of behavior.

[Tailgunner Joe]

What about the people who are offended by others' intolerance for their freedom of expression?

Screw Em?

[hope]

If your asking me if I believe that you will not go to heaven, no I don't believe that...

But, let's see what the Bible says...

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven

[hope]

Actually, I would know him to be a liar, because it is proven otherwise. I don't share the belief that a cult is a valid faith. I don't believe that it should be illegal to share your faith no matter what you believe.

[mrfixit514]

The Gospel of Christ is offensive to sinners. Some of you don't want to give up the sins in your life so you will arrogantly fight for your right to split Hell wide open when you die. From the responses on this thread it looks like there are many here who are rebelling against God. The pilot made a suggestion. No one was forced to comply.

[noah]

If some terrorists took over, an engine fell off or the electrical went out, there would be a whole lot of praying. Why not make God's acquaintance BEFOREHAND?