Pastor's (Joel Osteen's)wife involved in flight disturbance

ABC 13 ^ | 12-20-05 | Jessica Willey

[truthandlife]

A dispute that involved the wife of Houston's most famous pastor, Joel Osteen, and a Continental Airlines flight attendant ended up delaying a flight for hours Monday. And now, Victoria Osteen's actions on that flight are in the spotlight. Also on ABC13.com: Send us a news tip | RSS feeds | ABC13 E-lert | Info mentioned on air Statements from Lakewood and Continental Following the incident on Continental flight 1602 Monday, both Lakewood Church and Continental Airlines released these statements. The Osteens run the largest church in the nation, so passengers on a Continental flight were shocked Monday when Mrs. Osteen was removed from that flight after a disturbance.

Taking time off from the high profile hustle and bustle of running a mega-church, Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen and his family boarded Continental flight 1602 Monday morning at Houston's big airport. They were bound for the slopes in Colorado.

Their trip was delayed and so was the entire flight by almost two hours. Fellow passengers blame the popular Osteens, specifically Joel's wife, Victoria.

According to passenger accounts, the Osteens were sitting in first class. Soon after the plane's door was closed, the FBI says Victoria Osteen was removed following what Continental would call only a disturbance. The Osteens' spokesman confirms it involved a flight attendant, but that's all. However, one passenger tells Eyewitness News she was alerted to the front of the plane when she heard a commotion.

"She violently ran towards the cockpit, scaring everyone around her," said passenger Knicky Van Slyke. "Everyone was terrified about what was going on. And a bunch of flight attendants ran up and had to restrain her. She was banging on the door."

"Of the cockpit?" we asked.

"Yes."

Passengers say Victoria was removed first. Joel and the children followed. Meantime, everyone waited.

"They unloaded all the luggage to get their luggage and deplaned her, Joel, and the kids," said passenger Dawn Dixon.

Passenger Chad Clay said, "They kept telling us they were waiting on some passengers to find their luggage underneath in the plane, and it was going to be delayed for looking for that luggage."

According to the Transportation Security Administration, federal air marshals were never involved. Local authorities also know nothing of this event. Continental would not discuss details.

The Osteens' spokesman denies a physical altercation, denies Victoria ever banged on the cockpit door, and says she left on her own.

"The account of the event which has come to our attention is inaccurate and overblown. The misunderstanding was minor and was resolved when Victoria voluntarily removed herself from the situation," read the statement.

The FBI says it was not voluntary. Though agents are not investigating, they will review the incident as the Osteens enjoy their Colorado vacation.

The Osteens' spokesman says they took another flight to Colorado Monday.

Nobody has been charged. As for the FBI's involvement, we're told it's standard procedure for them to review all passenger removal incidents. According to Continental, this one is a closed case.

Pastor Joel Osteen preaches to an average of 40,000 people a week at Lakewood Church services. Lakewood opened in the former home of the Rockets, Compaq Center, back in July. It took $90 million and a year and a half of renovations. Osteen's ministry is taped and aired around the world.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"$1 ¼ million dollar home. "

So what? Whats wrong with it? The most devout Christian woman I know lives in a $15 million dollar home. She's a great person. They give gobs of money to charity. They have adopted four kids and they are happy as larks. I say more power to them. There's nothing sinful about having money and enjoying your station in life.

[Battle Hymn of the Republic]

posting something from the likes of adrian rogers really underscores the bottom line to this thread...

"Please know that the strength of this ministry was and is not Adrian Rogers."

adrian taught the bible well... now he will enjoy this Christmas with the Lord.

[billhilly]

If you overlook the fact that she and her former husband Jim Bakker (sp) ran a scam ministry, maybe she is a nice person. If she has cancer she is getting closer to the one who will judge.

My father told me that there were two things I should never argue about. Religion and politics. What am I doing here?

[Al Simmons]

"That's the thing. But instead others would rather trash the guy because he can go to Vail or he does have a large congregation. I mean there are probably 20 posts about HOW LARGE his congregation is.....this thread is just SILLY."

I know you're not talking about me, because I never raised any of those points...

this is the most fun I've had on a FR thread in some time...

few things in life are as much fun as popping the balloon of a pompous hypocrite...

Osteen and his Mrs. are like those upper-crust stuffed shirts who were so famously lampooned by the Three Stooges in so many of their skits...

[MikefromOhio]

Neither did Joel Osteen the last time I read the story.

Maybe it changed?

It's funny how you judge him because of where he vacations. I find that HILARIOUS...

[Jedidah]

Ridiculous and uncalled-for comment. Shame on you.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"We got to drive to the Adirondacks and pitch a leaky tent on Campsite #10."

Are you bragging or complaining?

[MikefromOhio]

I hadn't been, but that last sentence put you in there...

YOu admitted yourself you DON'T know him. So why don't you TRY to not JUDGE him either? Is that beyond you?


HMMMMMM?

[Al Simmons]

If someone posts something that makes a statement without further comment, the only reasonable conclusion is that he is making that statement for himself.

Hence my comment was appropriately directed.

[SittinYonder]

Don't you have an immigration thread to go troll on or something?

Does every thread have to be about illegal immigration?

[Dane]

It's funny how you judge him because of where he vacations. I find that HILARIOUS..

Well what else am I supposed to do, just stay blind to the truth that Vail and Aspen are the winter playgrounds of the hollywood jet set and find it odd that a preacher would go there, especially during the Christmas season.

[Riverman94610]

Yeah,I hear ya!Some of the Athens party people really overdid it and the Dacula trp probably saved a lot of lives.
I'm talking 1971-1972 era Georgia.Man,this Cali boy could not BELIEVE the ubiquitousness of the part spirit at UGA back then.

[kcvl]

The most devout Christian woman I know lives in a $15 million dollar home.

I bet she didn't beg for it from other people either claiming to help the church.

[presently no screen name]

Maybe a drink spilled on her seat and the attendant asked Victoria to sit down - we are ready to take off - and she didn't want to.

Great post, btw!

[SamAdams76]

It's a shame that Joel and Victoria's vacation got off to such a poor start. Even though it's going to bust the family holiday budget, I'm sending off another $500 donation to Paster Joel. Maybe he can take Victoria to a nice five-star restaurant with that money and this should take their minds off being hassled by Continental Airlines.

I told my wife that this might mean no Christmas presents for the kids this year and certainly no Christmas turkey dinner. But we have some Oncor Salibury Steaks (see accompanying photo) that have been in the back of the freezer for quite some time and this should avail us of the opportunity to finally make good use of it. As Pastor Joel would attest, maybe this is God's way of teaching us not to be wasteful and to appreciate what we do have.

Also, this will give us a good opportunity to teach the kids that Christmas is all about giving and the fact that we are helping to make Joel and Victoria's ski vacation in Vail, Colorado a little more tolerable should put rosy glow on all our cheeks Christmas morning as we sit down to the holiday feast of our Oncor Salisbury Steaks and some instant mashed potato with "all the trimmings."

I hope that my fellow Freepers will also be extra generous to Pastor Joel and his lovely wife Victoria this year. They deserve it. Especially after what they just went through.

[AZ_Cowboy]

Interesting. Thanks for the ping.

[MamaDearest]

correction: Sorry capitalization missing - should be "Christ's teachings."

[Larry Lucido]

He preaches to FORTY THOUSAND per week?

Catholics in Harris County: 600,000

Baptists in Harris County: 450,000

Methodists in Harris County: 200,000

Osteen: 40,000

Maybe they are going by actual church attendance (butts in pews) to arrive at the definition of "mega."

[WestSylvanian]

"...doing God's work for cash."

I heard Joel's mother's response to a suggestion his preaching was simply feel-good pablum without much substance. Her reaction: "It's what sells!"

Who buys this junk?

[MikefromOhio]

who said anything about staying blind to it?

But what kind of hypocrite (and yes I said that word for you) judges based on a vacation destination?

I mean if he goes to Reno for some gambling, that's one thing. But since when is SKIING a sin?


And you have a fixation on the Hollywood jet set (whatever that means) and you need to get over it. Not everyone to who goes to Vail is enamored with those people.....