Posted on 12/21/2005 6:53:14 AM PST by truthandlife
A dispute involving the wife of Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen delayed holiday travel plans for a planeload of passengers, but few details were released Tuesday.
At least some people aboard the Continental Airlines flight were less than pleased after waiting about two hours at Bush Intercontinental Airport while the Osteens left the plane and their luggage was removed, said a woman who witnessed the incident.
"She was just abusive," said Sheila Steele, who said she was sitting behind Victoria Osteen. "She was just like one of those divas."
A church spokesman said the couple and their children left the plane voluntarily after the incident Monday and took another flight to Vail, Colo.
However, FBI Special Agent Luz Garcia said the Osteens were asked to leave the jetliner after an "altercation." She said Victoria Osteen "failed to comply" with instructions from the flight attendant. She added that no one was detained.
The incident occurred in the first class section on Flight 1602. Continental spokeswoman Julie King declined to give details.
The Osteens could not be reached for comment, and the Chronicle was unable to contact other passengers to corroborate Steele's version of events. However, the Vail Daily newspaper reported similar accounts of the incident from other first-class passengers.
Passenger Barbara Griffith told the Colorado paper that Joel Osteen was "very calm, very professional."
Lakewood Church spokesman Donald Iloff said Victoria Osteen contacted a flight attendant after noticing that a liquid had been spilled on her seat. The spill apparently was not cleaned up to her satisfaction, Iloff said. The family left the plane voluntarily and took another flight, Iloff said.
The airline issued a statement saying corporate policy forbids identifying passengers.
"There have been various accounts regarding events that occurred on one of our flights," the statement added. "We can confirm that there are no remaining issues between (Continental Airlines) and those passengers, and therefore, both parties feel no further comment is necessary."
Steele said Victoria Osteen was upset about liquid on her pull-down tray and asked a flight attendant to have it cleaned. When the attendant, who was carrying paperwork to the cockpit, told her she couldn't do it immediately, Osteen replied, "Fine, get me a stewardess who can," Steele said.
She said Victoria Osteen pushed a flight attendant and tried to get into the cockpit. Passengers quoted in the Colorado paper did not address those details.
Soon after, authorities were called to the plane, she said, although it was not clear Tuesday whether they were airline officials.
Garcia said Continental officials contacted the FBI about the incident. The agency decided not to investigate.
"It was quickly resolved between the airline and the Osteens," Garcia said.
Steele said she and other passengers were upset that they had to wait about two hours while the Osteens' baggage was removed from the plane.
Joel Osteen is a nationally known author of self-help books.
He became pastor of Lakewood Church in October 1999, building it into what some observers say is the largest church in the U.S.
Victoria Osteen also preaches and plays a significant role at the church.
The congregation in July moved into the 16,000-seat Compaq Center.
A preacher shuns his brother
Cause his bride’s a different color
And this is not acceptable
His papa taught him so
It was love that he’d been preaching
But this was overreaching
The boundaries stretchin’ further
Than his heart would choose to go
Like an angel with no wings
Like a kingdom with no king
What have we become?
A self indulgent people
What have we become?
Tell me where are the righteous ones?
What have we become?
In a world degenerating
What have we become?
(wispered in the background...)
Speak your mind, look out for yourself
The answer to it all is a life of wealth
Grab all you can cause you live just once
You got the right to do whatever you want
Don’t worry about others or where you came from
It ain’t what you were, it’s what you have become
Mom and dad are fightin’
As rosie lies there crying
For once again she’s overheard
Regrets of their mistake
With christmas bells a-ringing
Little rosie’d leave them grieving
the gift she’d give her family
Would be the pills she’d take
An inconvenient child
She wasn’t worth their while
What have we become?
A self indulgent people
What have we become?
Tell me where are the righteous ones?
What have we become?
In a world degenerating
What have we become?
(wispered in the background...)
Speak your mind, look out for yourself
The answer to it all is a life of wealth
Grab all you can cause you live just once
You got the right to do whatever you want
Don’t worry about others or where you came from
It ain’t what you were, it’s what you have become
What about love?
What about god?
What about holiness?
What about mercy, compassion and selflessness?
You know it’s true
He is there for me and you
Doesn’t matter what you do
What have we become?
A self indulgent people
What have we become?
Tell me where are the righteous ones?
What have we become?
In a world degenerating
What have we become?
What have we become?
Have we come undone?
(louder - wispered in the background...)
Speak your mind, look out for yourself
The answer to it all is a life of wealth
Grab all you can cause you live just once
You got the right to do whatever you want
Don’t worry about others or where you came from
It ain’t what you were, it’s what you have become
Selfish... ? ? ?
With selfish... ? ? ?
Selfish people
When you gonna learn?
Everyone of us
Gathered ’round in trust
What have we become?
People who hate the O'Steens (he isn't my favorite), especially Christians, LOVE this stuff, because it seems to bolster their own little denominational views.
I would remind all Christians of Gamaliel's advice when it came to Paul and the early Christians: (Acts 5:33-39), when he said basically if someone is not of God, it will be clear enough, and their work will come to nothing, but if they are of God, "You cannot overthrow it---lest you even be found to fight against God."
If a particular minister/ministry's style isn't your cup of tea, SHUT UP and go somewhere else. God has all sorts of different ministers and ministry gifts, because people are different, and the people who like quiet kneeling are not going to be reached by people who like shouting and praise; and those who like music won't be reached by those who like contemplation.
I agree. There is no self-help for fallen humanity. If there was, then we didn't need a savior, and Christ came and died in vain.
I pray Joel Osteen comes back to the Cross of Christ, where God provided all the Help we will ever need.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
I have no problem with this guy or his style or ministry. I was making the point that Christianity is full of people who regularly need grace and forgiveness...
BTW, the world is also full of people needing grace and forgiveness, but not receiving it...
Very true. I'm driving home for the holidays, even though it's a very long way, because I'm not going to enter the secure transportation corridor unless absolutely necessary. Anything can happen there. At best I get my "pehpehs" scrutinized and have to partially disrobe (shoes). At worst, I can get shot to death. Personally, I believe that since the TSA has demonstrated that they cannot handle the volume of passengers without abusing the customers, it's our patriotic duty to stay out of there unless we have to be there, in order to minimize the number of people they have to observe. Of course, that flies in the face of what we are told by the feds, who want us to keep forking over the jack, and do what we're told. I don't like to hand my money over in order to be treated like an animal or a criminal. Oh, and as far as the Osteens, there is an ongoing conflict between airline employees and the flying public. They say we are unruly, we say they suck. I don't always believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but in this case I think it does.
Join a church that's perfect, and as soon as you get there it won't be perfect anymore.
A classic Steve Taylor lyric (referring to Christians):
"They're hypocrits, they're such a bore
Well come on in, there's room for one more"
Oh, I think Joel is OK. Not my cuppa, but I watch him on TV sometimes. Sure his messages have some self-help stuff in them, but it's always rooted in scripture. I do get a chuckle out of the little confession they say every service:
"This is my Bible.
I am what it says I am.
I have what it says I have.
I can do what it says I can do.
Today I will be taught the Word of God.
I boldly confess.
My mind is alert.
My heart is receptive.
I will never be the same. Never, never, never.
In Jesus’ name."
Great- another hypocrite for the nonbelieving world to point to as an example of how all of us christians are poseurs. *sigh*
Got to admit, Joel has been drawing the people to Christ. The church has like quadrupled membership since his daddy died, and it wasn't small to begin with, or I should say at that time.
I like that. We should always remember that "Church is a Hospital for Sinners, Not A Hotel For Saints."
There is an underlying message in much of DC Talk's stuff that condemns the "other bad Christians".
Guess I'm a hypocrite too. I think it's like with the liberals and President Bush. They'll always find something to bash us with. We don't know what happened. It could have been something sticky and nasty and the FAs refused to clean it up. That would tee anybody off. Especially if it was on the seat, as one account stated.
This is nothing like Tammy Faye...she never conducted herself in any such manner. I also have my doubts about Victoria acting like an A ...
Does that mean Heaven
gets its IS equipment
from Hewlett Packard?
I have trouble believing that part of this woman's story. If she actually tried to do that, they wouldn't be dismissive of the act, the FBI would have questioned her, and the airline wouldn't have said this was a lot about nothing.
I would be interested in knowing more about Shiela Steele -- does she have any reason to want to put the Osteen's in a bad light?
Steele seems to be the only person quoted who says Victoria got abusive. Other passengers said Joel was professional, and did not corraberate the statements of Steele.
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