Megachurch pastor's wife asked to leave Vail-bound plane By The Associated Press December 20, 2005 HOUSTON -- The wife of the pastor of the nation's largest church was asked to leave a plane after she failed to comply with a flight attendant's instructions, the FBI said Tuesday. Houston Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen, his wife Victoria Osteen, and their two children boarded a flight from Houston to Vail, Colo., Monday. The plane's door had been closed when Victoria Osteen and a flight attendant had a verbal disagreement. "She failed to comply with the flight attendant's instructions, and they were asked to leave the flight," FBI spokeswoman Luz Garcia said. The flight was delayed for more than an hour while the Osteens' luggage was retrieved, Garcia said. The Osteens took another flight to Colorado, where church spokesman Don Iloff said the family was skiing Tuesday. Iloff said Victoria Osteen stepped into the jetway to talk with the flight's pilot and other personnel while her husband and children remained seated in first class. Joel Osteen and the children later left the plane to join Victoria Osteen, who suggested the family take another flight. The pilot agreed, and Continental booked the family on another flight, Iloff said. "In semantics, they might have been asked to be removed," he said. "Really, it was more of a mutual thing." Iloff called the disagreement between Victoria Osteen and the flight attendant "minor" but would not say what happened. The FBI, which has three agents at Bush Intercontinental Airport, was not called to the plane, but reviewed a report from Continental Airlines after the incident, Garcia said. There was no illegal activity and no charges will be filed, Garcia said. Continental spokeswoman Julie King would not discuss the disagreement but said in a statement that the situation was resolved. Osteen took over his father's church in 1999 and has since increased its following to more than 30,000 worshippers weekly. The congregation meets in a renovated sports arena where the Houston Rockets once played. Lakewood Church, which began in an abandoned feed store in 1959, spent more than 15 months and $75 million to turn the former arena into a church, complete with a bookstore, cafe, family life center and classrooms. Osteen's sermons are also broadcast in cities throughout the country and his book "Your Best Life Now" has become a best seller. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3537525.html Airline incident delays Osteens' Vail vacation By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA and HARVEY RICE Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen and his family are vacationing in Vail, Colo., today after being delayed because of an incident involving his wife on their original flight from Houston, a church spokesman said. Few details were being disclosed about the incident, which apparently involved a dispute Monday with a Continental Airlines flight attendant after Victoria Osteen found that a drink had been spilled in her seat. An FBI agent said today that Continental Airlines contacted the FBI about an altercation between Victoria Osteen and the flight attendant, but the agency decided not to investigate. "The airline notified the FBI and it was pretty quickly determined that it was not something we had to get involved in," Special Agent Luz Garcia said. "It was quickly resolved between the airline and the Osteens." She added that federal air marshals were not involved. Continental spokeswoman Julie King declined to say when the incident occurred or on what flight, or give any details. The airline issued the following statement: ''As a matter of corporate policy, and in respect to the privacy of our customers, we don't identify any of our passengers. ''There have been various accounts regarding events that occurred on one of our flights yesterday. We can confirm that there are no remaining issues between CO (Continental Airlines) and those passengers and therefore both parties feel no further comment is necessary. Church spokesman Donald Iloff said the Osteens and their children had boarded Flight 1602 and were preparing to settle into the first-class section when Victoria Osteen noticed liquid in her seat. She contacted a flight attendant, Iloff said, but the spill apparently was not cleaned up to Victoria Osteen's satisfaction. The couple and their children left the plane voluntarily and took a later Continental flight, Iloff said. He noted that no one was detained in connection with the incident. Joel Osteen is the pastor of Houston's largest church, which has a huge weekly TV audience and moved into the former Compaq Center on the Southwest Freeway in July.
So she didn't want to sit in a wet seat? Who can blame her? She is already married to a wet blanket. Just kidding, Joel is a friend of mine..... DD
They're good Christian people, so it's okay. Good thing they weren't Muslim or middle eastern, because that liquid could have been anything, including some type of liquid explosive. Wait, Vail, Colorado? Maybe that is Kobe Bryant's stain mark after bending over Katelyn Faber. (continue to stir at high heat)
A humble preacher's wife can't be expected to endure moisture on her first class seat. This gets 3 rolleyes: Way to emulate Christ.
Like if you paid for, or were even provided, a first class ticket you'd sit in a wet seat? I doubt you'd do that in coach. There are people paid to clean the planes you know.... BTW- before anyone further insinuates that the Osteens are spolied, or are "too rich" -the Osteens give every bit of their annual salary BACK to the church each year... up front. This means they recieve in essence ZERO from the church to be the pastors there. Would you do that? That would emulate Christ. And if I had to guess, I'd say the church sent them on this trip as a Christmas gift, which is meager in comparisoin to the spending power they could abuse if they were that way. Seriously, a flight to a ski trip is peanuts compared to what some business pay for year end bonuses and vacations. Furthermore to head off any other "detractor" - the Osteens also give at least 10% of their income from book and tape/cd sales... something that no one could have ever dreamed would sell so well - and which no one is forced to buy. If money comes in from selling books, then so be it. It is a blessing. I love it how people assume that a Christian can't, or shouldn't be treated as any other passenger would be on an airline... or assume that the incident here happened because of selfishness. Christian, or pastor's wife, or not... If it were your wife would you expect her to shut her mouth in "humility" and sit in a wet seat for multiple hours? Would you do it, oh manly men? That's not "humble." That would be "unnecessary." And even further so if it were a first class seat. As I asked, There are people paid to clean the planes you know.... Most of you would complain at McDonald's if the seat was wet... a much lesser cost... The funny thing here is that the FBI was notified over a drink spill, and that the article was bolded for emphasis to imply that the Osteens were delaying everyone because of massive amounts of luggage... Have you even been to a baggage claim for a family of 4 (or more)? It may take more than 30 mins just to finally see every piece unloaded, and that's in no particular order. It's not like the baggage handlers carefully place each piece of a family's luggage all in an alphabetical arrangement so they can just go to the "Osteen" bin in 5 minutes and get it. They definitely had to dig through the luggage to find every piece. Reality check for all non-flying individuals... Furthermore to insinuate that someone is a snob for flying in first class, well, you just haven't flown much. There is really not that much difference, really in pricing (if they even paid for it) or room. You're all still in a flying tube at 30,000 feet that happens to be mostly the same diameter on the interior of the passenger areas anyway. The reason you even have an option of first class is to ease the cramped feeling. But it is still cramped. It's not like you can get up and go for a stroll... you're in that seat for the 2+ hours minimum, and that's just air time. Perhaps you may get up for the restroom, but then back to the seat. Hopefully a dry one. Really. Which of you would sit in water, or any liquid on a plane ride? From the beginning, before take-off, it is an objection they actually ask you to inform them of. Much better than causing an emergency landing after you've spilled your own drink, wouldn't you say? I'm sure this was a case of miscommunication. And... hello?.. she's a mom. She may have had a hand in picking out where they were going, and thus, being a mom, expected the trip to be perfect... and a getaway. Never seen a mom freak out over a small detail? Do you not have a mom? Moms are great, but all of them I know personally have a taste for the dramatic. I think it's natural. But even moreso, there is this... the consumer has a right to object to a product or service if it is not to their liking. Again, would you knowingly sit in a puddle on a seat at the start of a multiple hour flight that costs enough to ensure a dry seat? I doubt any of you would. And I know to be smart about it, someone will post the obligatory, "I would" response. Stop making it a Christian issue, too. How silly. Jesus said, "turn the other cheek." Not "put your cheeks in a wet seat, and pay for it." Common sense tells you that based on the response of the airline, it's officials, the new flight arrangements, etc. that the "verbal disagreement" or "incident" as it were, was not news worthy because of the Osteens. It was news worthy because the FBI was called in to investigate "Wet-Seat Gate." Quick! Get the Air Marshalls! Someone spilled a drink in first class! The incident is that someone called the FBI over nothing, it got noticed because it involved a high profile family from one of America's largest cities, and add to it that they are a Christian... instant story! Boy howdy!
Beavis, settle. There haven't even been that many negative comments. You seem awfully sensitive to the subject.
I'd ask for a napkin, not get moved to another flight. If I were another passenger on that plane I would have offered to switch seats. I certainly wouldn't hold up a planeful of people for an hour because there was a drink spilled on my seat. Also, according to a quick search of continentals website using a sample flight of SFO to HOU (they don't publish prices for HOU to Vail (EDE, IIRC) ) a first class ticket costs more than double an economy ticket, that can hardly be considered not much of a difference in pricing. It is fine with me if you want to defend her actions, but to me it seems she is clearly out of touch with the common man and in this case acted not at all in a Christian manner.
Was this a vacation paid for by your hard earned tax dollars or something? I just don't get it. She was probably told she had to sit away from her family. Something I also cannot blame her for not wanting to do. How is this so wrong? Also, do you have a wife? Children? Just wondering, because I think the obvious is missed here. She was "asked to leave" according to the article(s)... mutual or not, I think I'd get up with my wife and kids and get on a different plane too. The point is, because of that request -the delay took place- not because, solely, she did not like the wet seat. Can we not see that?
Few know the true meaning of "turn the other cheek" ~ this is a literal translation from the bible taken from the last supper. The waitress spilled some wine on Jesus' seat leaving half his chair soaking wet -- Jesus said, "I shall use only one cheek." This meaning of course that Jesus sat on only one ass cheek during dinner -- thus he 'turned the other cheek". Is it too much to ask a preacher's wife to follow the teachings of Jesus?
Lakewood fanboy? I know the family, but I don't attend there. I've certainly been to the Compaq Center, and I honestly wish they had stayed at the last location. I do find Joel and his wife to be encouraging individuals, and do not see them as unreasonable by any means. So to villify his wife on this issue seems a little strong to me. I understand that you and I have never met. And I've stated my occupation several times on this BBS... so perhaps that would shed light on why I would come to a Christian defense. No, I wasn't there... but I'm also just reading the same story you all are, and it seems I can't just accept that everything was her fault, or that she acted so "un-Christian." No "turn the other cheek" has nothing to do with a posterior. It does however mean the opposite of being passive, or wimpy and silent (like most people think). Turning the other cheek means, stand in, in the moment of conflict and let the aggressor do what they will, "offer them the other cheek." It means be tough enough, or have backbone enough to take the hit, and again if necessary to make the point that you are no wimp, that you'll stand for what you believe. It was also a foreshadow of exactly what Jesus would suffer while taking stripes on his back, and during the repeated beatings to his face that made him unrecognizable... very, very tough indeed. More than a man. Any time someone punches you and you let it slide, and offer the other side, you have proved to be stronger than your attacker. To respond not with violence, but with fortitude is what the phrase means. But then context and setting has been a misinterpreted thing for ages now, hasn't it? It's a law of sowing and reaping, King Cheetah. If I were to deprecate you and any belief you had, I'd expect it from you in return right? Only before you'd return it, you'd let me do it again... and then without retort. Funny thing is, Jesus never said to stop offering the other cheek... which is mainly why so many Christian believers never respond in kind to personal attacks, or attempts at attacks on their views. Attempting to derive my "fanboy" status from the defense of a common principle known as "consumer's rights" is a little less than I'd expect from someone who usually at least attempts to let a funny googled image speak for them. Nice try though. BTW - you can do it again, not that I won't mind, I just won't belittle your belief system if you choose to belittle mine. Once more... this IMHO is more about the procedure involved in calling the FBI - what makes this an FBI moment? That she's a Christian? No, I doubt it. That she got upset? Which by the way Christ Himself did too. I doubt that's it. I imagine it was a power trip on the part of the flight attendant that knew she could use it... Now if it were a person of different religious or ethnic background, as I believe Kam suggested... I feel there would have more people defending her actions, and not acting like it was her fault for the delay. Most would probably saying, "I'd be mad at the airline if I was on that plane" instead implying vitriol for her. I believe the story clearly shows the delay was a result of the request for her departure. Which did come indirectly as a result of her upsetness. Why is this material worthy of a slam on Christ or His words, or a Christian? I'm still not sure, as it seems to have been reported as it happened from both sides as a misunderstanding. Christians are not allowed that luxury in some circles, I understand. But funny... God forgives mistakes, or did I miss the whole redemption/salvation/forgiveness thing? I'm sure I didn't. Oh right, Christians can't be human anymore. I forgot. And, it's not like we don't already know we'll be jabbed with a pointy stick for professing Christ... But wait! Again, this wasn't about her getting up and shouting how everyone needed Jesus, it was about disasitfaction over a wet seat, and the ensuing disagreement that couldn't be resolved on the same aircraft, but was on another flight. But all of you are better Christians than Osteen's wife... and me. I'm not sorry however for presenting an arguement based on the principal that IMHO is the basis of the conflict here. This was not an attack on her faith. Rather an indication to us all that the FBI is one wet seat away from a call, aka "Shut up and be wet. It's the Christian thing to do." Still not finding the correlation. If anyone can seriously help me see what the big deal is here, without just trying to blast Christians, I'm open for it. Educate me. But merely making pot shots at the Christian here, and how "un-Christian" or whatever this incident was (which is akin to easy humor, i.e. fart jokes -it's lazy minded drivel) is not, to me at least, a discussion. And btw, Jesus had no "waitress" at the last supper. He served the disciples, also a foreshadow of things to come. He sat at the servant's seat in the middle, yet again a symbolic act. But I know some of you are not interseted in those semantics. If someone is, you can email me for everything I know on the topic if you'd like.
The flight to Colorado is 2 hrs, I would be bullsh1t if I was on that flight and that dbag delayed the flight for an hour. Nothing burns me more than to see children in first class. They haven't paid their dues.
You know it was her fault and not the attendants? They don't have to pay any dues if their parent pays the money. Should you be happy instead that their parents paid more for their kids ... to help keep your ticket price down? Do you feel the same when you see kids in a nice car, or nice house? Is that logical?
