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.
"All men preach. She probably will hear nothing but private sermons this weekend."
Hmmmmmm. Not so sure about that. Joel seems a little wimpy to me. Otherwise he'd never have let this incident get out of hand the way it did. Betcha anything she wears the pants in that family.
All of our money is God's money and we should be good stewards.
Would you have had him back slap her and knock her in her chair?
Whatever went down on that plane, and barring the unlikely possibility that Mrs. Osteen was being asked to sit in life-threatening conditions, she apparently botched a splendid opportunity to model Christ-like humility to that 1C cabin. If she was being treated badly, and nothing more than pride was at stake, what might the witness have been to the surrounding passengers had she responded with grace and maybe "Bless you today"?
This situation is high profile enough that more details will emerge over time.
With so much as stake, just from a PR standpoint alone, you have to wonder what, if anything, the good pastor did in attempt to diffuse the situation. The situation does smack of some disordered leadership in their marriage.
Disagree.
About what?
"Would you have had him back slap her and knock her in her chair?"
Get real. If you wouldn't make statements like that people might think you were intelligent.
I quoted what you said that I disagreed with. I make a practice of quoting who I reply to, so they know what I'm talking about.
I saw. I was just wondering what you thought my post meant before I commented.:') Merry Christmas. Peace.
Next time you want to shell out money for a 1st class ticket, DON'T. I went first class last week cross country. I got a 1/2 of a turkey sandwich, a small salad and a bag of miniature lemon cookies. When I asked for the "other" half of the sandwich, my request was denied! 1st class is not what it used to be...not by a longshot. (I didn't pay, I used frequent flier miles...I consider it a big waste now).
He writes books...just saw one yesterday...I'm sure he makes plenty from that...and why shouldn't he?
Everybody is making a big deal about 1st class. We dont' know that they bought the tickets. They could have been a gift... OR... for those of us who travel on business a lot.. we know they could have been upgraded by Continental based on frequent flier miles.
I'll tell you a story. A friend and I were flying back from Miami at night on the red eye. They gave us our dinners, some kind of Chicken mess and my friends plate was broken. Whe he pointed it out they said they didnt have any more chicken crap so he would have to eat a steak they had left over from first class. So back then it wasnt so bad,.
Maybe they looked over your first class ticke and found you bought it with frequent flyer miles and gave you the turkey. One good thing its hard to screw up a turkey sandwich so it isnt fit to eat.
I checked first class prices once and it was three times the cost of the regular flight , I thought that was pretty high and decided not to go that way. By the way if you really want to get ripped off try buying a train ticket, then you will see why passenger service is dying in the US.
I don't care what he "bought." Sounds like the wife made a big deal about nothing (probably brought on by the unlimited booze they throw at you) and she had a DIVA moment. BIG FREAKIN DEAL.
If you fly continental frequently, and there are empty seats in first class... and you have the most miles of anybody on the plane... they upgrade you for the same cost as coach.
Yeah... I don't know what happened.. but it sounds like the seat was dirty... they stewardes told her to sit down and shut up.. and she argued about it. That's all it takes on a plane these days. You either do what they say when they say it... or you're subject to an ordeal.
No, eveyone got the turkey sandwich...it was a turkey sandwich or a turkey "wrap," meaning they had to have enough of each in case everyone wanted the same thing. I just think if you're paying an extra grand for a ticket, they can at least give you a whole sandwich. It's the principle. You know they don't even give you food in coach anymore, you have to buy it!
Negative-role model for Christians bump...
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