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 $90 million and a year and a half of renovations. Osteen's ministry is taped and aired around the world.
So right, Right. See my post #405 for the long version.
Everyone who has ever been on an airplane has encountered problems before we finally sit down.
Trying to find space in the overhead - being seated next to a person and a half - in a broke seat, that will not recline the usual two inches.
Par for the course. I doubt that many people pick up their stuff and deplane off that.
I thought about the gay flight attendant possibility too, but read it differently...perhaps Victoria called for a cleanup and the sniffy atitude-filled gay flight attendant had a hissy fit and refused to comply. When people expect good service from those paid to serve them, certain employees can get their noses out of joint and accuse the customer of all kinds of "abuse." Often it's a gay thing.
What if it wasn't a woman?
Thank you for putting this into perspective. I too am disgusted at how quick freepers are to condemn the preacher and his wife, swallowing the AP "news" hook line and sinker. Who more than AP would rather bring a preacher down, especially a successful one who reaches millions of people.
Several years ago, a gay flight attendant sued that old preacher who has the Crystal Cathedral in SoCal...Robert Schuler--for putting the make on him. What Schuler had done was to leave his seat, go to the stew's station and ask for a glass of water, putting his arm around the shoulder of the steward as he did so. Schuler puts his arm around everyone. But the bitchy gay steward used this non-incident to drag the ROTTEN #@$)%(&#@ CHRISTIAN through the mud. Gay agenda stuff, which this Olsteen case may be too.
"you just described out local Baptists...." How sad, 76834:'(
Well, there it is. We got us an honest to God, full fledged, Holy Ghost, Fire Baptized miracle here. She has exceeded Jesus Christ; who was tempted, as all men; yet without sin.
How do these hucksters get over with such crap?
You left out Tilton - the Farting Preacher.
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.)
and Jim Kennedy
AP just made it all up? Sure they did. Go on with that.
Woe Nelly! That link ought to carry some kind of warning... it sucks you in and YOU CAN'T ESCAPE!!!
"Cute" ain't the word ;-)
Is this from Osteens site? On national television a few months ago what was his response to the question: Is Jesus Christ the only way to obtain salvation and eternal life?
But, but, but....megachurch, and 90 million dollar building, and heretic, and, and, and, ...... how dare you ask for more information! Pile on, darn it!!
/sarcasm :-)
LOL. Where do you get your info?
Trying to find space in the overhead - being seated next to a person and a half - in a broke seat, that will not recline the usual two inches
BUT you know that when you make reservations that is a possibility, it shows how much the airlines care (broken seats, etc.) - we all go through that. "IF" her seat was wet and she didn't want to sit in it and there was no other seat in FC, she has every right to get off the plane AND so would I - even when flying in coach!
Since 9/11, the airline attendants think they are god! They have taken on a bad attitude and lack common sense, imo. Not all attendants, but some.
Maybe if she was really cute you'd restrain yourself?
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