Posted on 12/23/2005 4:39:24 AM PST by truthandlife
Victoria Osteen, the wife of Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen, said an incident that delayed a Continental Airlines flight for two hours earlier this week was "a minor misunderstanding."
Osteen posted a "Letter from Victoria" on the church's official Web site Wednesday, saying the Monday incident resulted from her choice "to remove myself from the situation."
Osteen left the plane, Continental Flight 1602, with her husband and their two children. The family took another flight to Vail, Colo., where they are taking a ski vacation.
A church spokesman said the family left the plane voluntarily.
However, FBI Special Agent Luz Garcia has said that the Osteens were asked to leave the jetliner after "an altercation."
Garcia also said that Victoria Osteen "failed to comply" with instructions from a flight attendant.
The FBI said the airline contacted the agency about the incident. The agency decided not to investigate.
Continental Airlines spokeswoman Julie King declined any further comment about the incident Thursday.
"There have been various accounts of an incident that occurred on one of our flights, and I have issued earlier statements about that," King said. "We can confirm that there are no remaining issues between Continental and those passengers. ... Both parties feel no further comment is necessary."
King declined to comment on Victoria Osteen's explanation of the incident.
In her letter, which can be read at at www.lakewood.cc, Osteen stated:
"Regardless of how some have portrayed the situation, please know that it was truly a minor misunderstanding and did not escalate into what you saw or read in the news. Contrary to those reports, it was my choice to remove myself from the situation. Nonetheless, it was a most unfortunate event and I truly regret that it happened."
Osteen's letter continued, "The last thing I would ever want to do is let any of you down. And I promise you that I did not act in any way that would cast a bad light on you, my family, Lakewood Church or our Lord Jesus Christ. I value the position that God has placed me in and I can assure you that I will always walk in love and integrity. While I am not perfect, I will always seek to be a peacemaker and seek the high road."
The incident apparently stemmed from a spilled liquid on Osteen's seat in the first class section of the airplane. A church spokesman said the spill was not cleaned up to Osteen's satisfaction, and the family left the plane voluntarily.
Joel Osteen is a nationally known author of self-help books, including the best-selling Your Best Life Now. He became pastor of Lakewood Church in 1999. The church, in the former Compaq Center, is one of the nation's largest with more than 30,000 weekly participants in church services.
Weekend Services with Marcos Witt
Lakewood Central
Weekend Services are held at the Lakewood Church Central Campus at 7:00 pm on Saturday and 8:30 & 11:00 am on Sunday Morning.
Due to the Christmas holiday, the Compass Groups will not meet this weekend.
Pastor Joel Osteen will not be ministering this weekend.
Start Date: Saturday, December 24, 2005
End Date: Sunday, December 25, 2005
This event does not require an RSVP.
"Pastor Joel Osteen will not be ministering this weekend.
"
Heck no! He's in Vail, skiing. I'm sure he'll be doing some heavy praying though, this Christmas day. I think he'd better.
Ticket - 10 bucks
Parking - 15 bucks (hey, it is a celebrity show after all)
Snake oil - PRICELESS
about $3.99 a bottle.... think i got ripped off?? : )
Exactly!
There will be communion at the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day services. "Pastor Joel Osteen will not be ministering" that weekend, either. The good doctor (MD) Paul, his brother, gets those chores.
You can't make this stuff up.
"There will be communion at the New Year's Eve and New Year's Day services. "Pastor Joel Osteen will not be ministering" that weekend, either. The good doctor (MD) Paul, his brother, gets those chores.
You can't make this stuff up.
"
Nope. You can't. But, you don't have to. This type of "pastor" will give you plenty of ammo.
He'll be "ministering," though, no doubt. Or would that be "administering" a few martinis and a little liniment for his weary legs from all that skiing.
Poor baby! I wonder if he's gone around Easter, too...perhaps "ministering" to the kids on spring break....
The station signed on in 1998 and is owned by the Osteen Family of Lakewood Church fame, although it airs very little in the way of religious programming each week. Most of its schedule consist of a general entertainment format focusing on classic TV.
KTBU-TV is a local independent station in the Houston, Texas, area.
The station signed on in 1998 and is owned by the Osteen Family of Lakewood Church fame, although it airs very little in the way of religious programming each week. Most of its schedule consist of a general entertainment format focusing on classic TV.
Doesn't matter really......there are enough sheeple who will speak up for him and will defend his spring break "ministering." If that's not enough, they'll throw in a few hundred dollars each as a donation to help him fight "anti-Christian" forces who dare to mention his/his wife's shenanigans.
No need to apologize....see post 221.
Why did the airlines delay the plane? Wouldn't you think if she didn't have a strong argument that the plane would have left with the baggage? Isn't that the way it usually works?
Almost certainly a "CYA" statement. But ultimately, it is the responsibility of the members of the church to pray for discernment on what actually happened, and take whatever action or inaction is apropriate.
Outside the airline and her church, this story is gossip. it isn't news.
Good catch. Hypocrites come in many forms, not just religious ones.
Girl, don't read through this thread. I don't think Snott Peterson was bashed this bad.
I'm going to have to start watching him for awhile. There is enough material on this thread for a 100 sermons:')
LOL....you have to wait a while though. The good preacher is not going to be conducting any services this Christmas!!
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