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.
Clearly there weren't enough deposits made into her "Emotional Bank Account".
Ping.
I'm not gonna judge 'em but I'll say that I don't care for them but, Osteen is not a TV evangelist.
That's not how Lakewood got that big.
More than sin, more than heaven, more than hell. Jesus has more discussions of money, and its PROPER use, than on ANY OTHER TOPIC. Count the verses.
Although He did, for a while, drive a Dodge Colt, but later He'll have a Triumph :)
My in-laws attend a Baptist church in Northen Ga. The minister is well known and loved by his congregation. His wife is a head case. She's really messed up. She's dying for attention. She feels caged in by her "role."
If this story is true, I wonder if some factors of the above are in play.
Almost all of the women that I've come to know closely in my life suffer from (L) A.D.D. That's (Lackof) Attention Deficit Disorder. That includes my mom and sister. Sad.
In other words, If they ain't gettin' it, they'll FIND a way to get it!
You want to hear some powerful preachers of Old .. Go here.. http://www.therevivalweneed.com i also recomend listening to The revival hymn compilation on that site .
I found leonard ravenhill a while back and his sermons are so powerful. We need men Of God like this in 2005 who dare to speak the truth at any cost
Maybe they would sit in coach if they were allowed to "pass the plate".
I agree 100%.
He is just a Poor Country Preacher on his way to help to destitute of Aspen, Colorado.
Paul, you have issues?????
His church was a sports arena. There's big money in Jesus.
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