Exclusive: Interview pilot who told Christian passengers to raise hands

[La_Serpiente]

Exclusive: Interview with American Airlines pilot who told Christian passengers to raise their hands
"If you have five minutes, I'll tell you why I did it," American Airlines captain Roger Findiesen told Advocate.com as Flight 34 had all but emptied out after its arrival at New York's JFK Airport, on Friday, February 6. "I felt that God was telling me to say something ."

Findiesen is the pilot about whom CNN and other media have been reporting since Saturday; even The New York Times ran a story about how an American Airlines pilot, using the P.A. system before takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning, requested that Christians on his flight identify themselves.

As the plane sat immobile, waiting for its slot to take off, Findiesen asked Christian passengers to raise their hands and said that "everyone else on board" might want to "make good use" of the flight. The implication was that non-Christians should learn about the Christian faith from the passengers who had raised their hands.

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Exclusive: Interview pilot who told Christian passengers to raise hands

[bluestateguy]

1. Oh! and what if a Muslim pilot asked Muslims to raise hands?

Can you imagine? Passengers would probably call Homeland Security from their cell phones. Then the Pentagon would probably get fighter planes to intercept the flight.

[eileen_d]

2. Have there been any "God Is My Co-Pilot" jokes about this yet?

:eyes:

I do not think an enclosed space that you cannot freely leave without falling thousands of feet is the appropriate place to proselytize. Maybe that's just me.

[ComerPerro]

3. LOL

That's good.

And that is the important point. Trapped on a plane with fundies that want to convert you...

[regnaD kciN]

4. As a Christian...

...I would have to say that my first reaction, if a pilot had asked if there were any Christians on-board, would have been "Oh, s**t! What's gone wrong with the aircraft?"

;-)

[soup]

6. Apparently, it was the braking system-

From the article-

"A minor problem with the plane's braking system had developed during final checks before takeoff, he said, a problem that might have grounded the aircraft, on which every seat was taken, in part because another American flight from Los Angeles to New York had been canceled that morning. But after a simple maneuver involving a power source, the braking problem inexplicably "disappeared," Findiesen said, and the plane was cleared for departure, and that's when he knew he had to use the P.A. system to talk about his Christian faith."

Personally, I think I would have completely freaked out.

[hlthe2b]

18. Absolutely... That would have scared the living Sh..T out of me!

Remember the Egyptian pilot, who apparently flew the plane into the ocean on behalf of his God? (though this has been disputed by the Egyptians, the evidence is pretty strong, apparently)...

Heavens, religious zealots of ANY stripe scare the hell out of me!

[Robin Hood]

5. As a city bus driver.

We do not allow others to preach or pass out religious pamphlets to other riders. It is not fair to the people on board who are stuck there traveling to their destination. It is predatory behavior, and shows a lack of judgement and boundaries.

Is it me or does anyone else think that fundie behavior is just immature?

[smirkymonkey]

15. No, it's not just you - fundie behavior

is immature. I could go on about spiritual immaturity, with links and writing to back it up, but I'm not really up for a fight with anyone today.

I think this behavior demonstrates clearly a lack of security within one's chosen spiritual beliefs. The whole recruiting thing smacks of a worldly agenda rather than a spiritual one.

[AlienGirl]

7. He felt God was telling him to say something?

Well, gee...what if he suddenly felt God was telling him to fly the plane into a mountain?

People who make sudden decisions based on what they feel God is telling them to do shouldn't be responsible for the safety of dozens of other people.

Tucker

[prolesunited]

10. Agreed

Usually we medicate people who hear voices in their heads. Why is it suddenly OK if you claim it's God? :shrug:

Has there been any disciplinary action taken against this guy for his inappropriate behavior?

[Vernunft II]

14. LOLOLOLOL

Good one :-)

[KansDem]

19. I think I might ask to be let off the plane...

after reading this:

The facts of the 1984 murders are not in dispute. Ron and Dan Lafferty had embraced the concept of polygamy and the notion that "one mighty and strong" would sometime come to redeem the faithful. Ron, the elder, was the leader; Dan his acolyte. Other brothers followed suit, including Allen Lafferty, whose wife, Brenda, rejected her husband's newfound zealotry.

Then Ron Lafferty told Dan he had had a revelation that Brenda, her child and two other people needed to be killed as an example to those who "fight against the true Saints of God."

On July 24, 1984, when their brother Allen was away, Dan killed Brenda and the baby, Erica, with a boning knife, and the brothers fled.

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jul/07042003/utah/utah.asp

Why take a chance?

[JohnyCanuck]

11. Exactly

The US has been following a president that makes his decisions based on what he thinks God is telling him to do. Look at the mess that has created. And that dimwitted screwball is responsible for the safety of the entire USA.

[smirkymonkey]

16. Actually, God told me not to pay

taxes anymore. Do you think they'd go for that excuse? It's worth a try! :)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. The punchline: it's a gay magazine! And the dweeb never knew!!! (nt)

[Lars39]

9. The guy needs his license yanked.

"A minor problem with the plane's braking system had developed during final checks before takeoff, he said, a problem that might have grounded the aircraft, on which every seat was taken, in part because another American flight from Los Angeles to New York had been canceled that morning. But after a simple maneuver involving a power source, the braking problem inexplicably "disappeared," Findiesen said, and the plane was cleared for departure, and that's when he knew he had to use the P.A. system to talk about his Christian faith."

If inexplicably "disappeared," = God talking to him, he is incapable of making rational decisions regarding the air craft. This goes way beyond bad judgement.

[JohnyCanuck]

13. You've got a point

Suppose the flight was running late and their was a line of thunderstorms ahead between this pilot and his destination and God told him not to worry, he'd take care of the problem like he fixed his brakes for him that day in LA. I could see this fundy nutcase plowing on come hell or high water because he had "God" for his copilot and God told him to continue on, whereas another more rational pilot would divert to an alternate airport or ask ATC for permission to route around the bad weather.

[salin]

12. So, immediately after the flight... the pilot is still completely clueless

He appologizes to the crew (they took the heat) - publically... but doesn't seem to "get" why they were taking some of that heat. Because they way he went about his 'witnessing' - was threatening .... he has these peoples' lives in his hands as a pilot... and gives a message that can be construed as "be saved while you can..." From his own words this does not sound like this message was the one he intended to send. It sounds as if he just wanted discussions... (given he spoke right at the end of the trip - I am prone to take him at his word.) Yet it strikes me that he is completely clueless about the perceived threat that some passengers read in his words. Otherwise his appologies would have been to the passengers and at the least he would have clarified his intent - while empathetically trying to provide comfort to those he had frightened. Completely clueless.

[Bandit]

17. Sounds like a threat to me

Thoise of you who aren't Christians better "make good use of your time" left?

[Skittles]

20. I don't like it when those sanctimonious f***ers show up on my front door

and I DAMN WELL do NOT want one of them FLYING COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT.

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. I hate captive audience witnessing

Remember the chaplain in Iraq who promised soldiers a chance to shower and eat...if they were baptized first????

As a Christian myself, I find that behavior reprehensible.

Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm