Posted on 12/20/2005 4:08:06 PM PST by 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.
You've got a lot more important things to do (I am sure) than this.
I stand by my opinion that Osteen looks and sounds to me like a huckster.
Don't like it? Well, you're entitled to your own opinion. And so am I.
P.S. That guilt trip thing don't work with me. Its just a crutch used to beat people into line with.
What was that Jesse Ventura said a few years back?
"Organized religion is a crutch for the weak?"
Yup, it sure offended me back then. But it doesn't any more. Turns out Jesse was right.
I think Joel is the real deal but his wife is a phoney. Just my opinion.
*lololol*
For taste and more it's On-Cor!
Wait until you get further into the thread! ;-)
Joel Osteen has declined to take a salary (last reported at $200,000) from Lakewood, due to the success of his best selling book, "Your Best Life Now". (Rick Warren also does not take a salary from his church due to successful book sales.)
In all of this, my big problem is the reported behavior running down the aisle and all that.
And try as I might, Joel reminds me of that old country tune "would Jesus wear a Rolex on his television show?"
*LOL*
Hell no, it was $200 million! Here it is.
Oh, wait, that was Our Lady of Angels in LA. I'm SOOO embarassed!
Sounds to me like she is a b*tch!
EXACTLY!!! And if Joel wasn't such a wimp he'd have told her to sit down and shut her mouth. It's always been apparent who wears the pants in that family.
Way to many people.
The reason why I call his wife a phoney is because of the Larry King interview. She actually said she NEVER gets sexually tempted and would never EVER entertain a sexual fantasy about another man. Who is to say she'll never get challenged by someone else?
Some people are gifted to teach the Bible the way it was meant to be taught - literally, and word by word. Others as you say it, are hucksters...
Best,
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
That's the equivalent of saying 'Turns out Hitler was the real deal but Himmler was a phony'
Are you guys who are making excuses for the Osteens' thinking tonight????
Check out my 318, 329 and 330. I have no real use for Osteen, but I'm am feeling a tad mischevious. :-)
Victoria, think postively.
She needs to stay awake during church.
They ought to get their money back...
A tad?
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