Bus driver holds passengers hostage for prayer

[moobu2]

Nov. 3, LeRoy Matthews, a driver for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), apparently decided that he and his passengers were in urgent need of prayer. So around 7:30 p.m., he pulled his bus over to the side of the road, stood up and blocked one passenger from leaving, and then asked them all to hold hands and join him in prayer.

4 or 5 minutes were spent in prayer before Matthews returned to his duty and allowed his passengers to return to theirs.

At least one filed a complaint with the transit authority.

Since Matthew's behavior was a violation of MARTA's policy, the 6 year veteran driver was placed on a 5 day suspension. Lyle V. Harris, a spokesman for MARTA, said that it was unclear what Matthews was praying about. He also said that it was unclear whether this kind of behavior has happened before.


+---LiNk---+

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. Great. Next time he may decide his passengers are in urgent need of veering into an oncoming semi.

[RKP5637]

2. Exactly!!! Having a vision that tells him to rescue them via death. n/t

[patrice]

12. This is completely consistent not only with "Christian" history, but also with their attitude toward

the MidEast, especially any oil bearing nations.

[valerief]

3. Bingo! nt

[ArbustoBuster]

15. I have to agree with you.

This guy broke MARTA regulations, probably broke the law (as others said below, I would have pulled out my phone and called 911 if this had happened to me), and quite possibly has some kind of mental problem that could lead to him actually harming his passengers in the future, if he thinks that this was a good idea.

[left coaster]

4. Suspension is not enough..

That guy needs to lose that job, but quick.. there are plenty of folks out there who know how to keep their religion private, who could use a job!

[snagglepuss]

7. +1

[hobbit709]

5. If he tried to block me from leaving the bus, there would be trouble.

The first thing I would to is call 911 on my cell and report an attempted kidnapping and/or a hostage situation.

[snagglepuss]

6. This is criminal behaviour, someone should have called police. nt

[RKP5637]

8. That is a smart idea! I had been sort of wondering what I would do. Your idea

is excellent... in fact, when someone crosses the line like this driver you have no idea what might be next, shoot the ones not participating or what, for example.

[noamnety]

14. I would have done the same

without hesitation, and I would have made damn sure he knew I was calling police to report a kidnapping - and I would have loudly encouraged others to do the same.

[TlalocW]

9. In Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa

There's a religious college called Rhema. At one time - I don't know if this still happens, but it happened to a friend of mine when she was in high school in the 90s - many of the students there are encouraged to get jobs as bus drivers for the local schools so they can potentially witness to high schoolers. My friend was riding to school and was sitting with friends when she looked out the window and saw a middle-aged, bald man in shades driving a convertible with the top down. She made a sarcastic comment about what a "god" that guy was and how much she wanted him. The Rhema-affiliated bus driver heard her and stopped her from exiting the bus to preach at her for calling someone else a god. My friend blew past him and went to school but then was called into the principal's office where the bus driver also was and who had been lying about her behavior on the bus. She got a few detentions because of it.

Rhema is an interested college. After Thanksgiving, they string the college in Christmas lights creating an incredible display that you can drive or walk through. My friend said that they did it to make up for pissing off everyone the other 11 months of the year. I also have a theory that the reason why there are so many churches in the Tulsa and surrounding areas is because Rhema (and to a lesser extent ORU since you can study something other than religion there) encourage their students to start gathering a flock while still in college and then intentionally bankrupt them by making them buy dozens of cheaply made, thin paperbacks written by the founder for their classes that cost $75 to $100 each. So then they both have a reason to stay in the area (flock) and couldn't move away if they wanted to (no money) so they grow their churches going from living room/basement to renting a space in an old strip mall to finally building a church, all the while sending donations to Rhema, encouraging parishioners to send their kids to Rhema, etc.

TlalocW

[patrice]

13. I'm pretty sure that idea had to do with more than just bus drivers in that area.

My impression of some of the teachers was that they were there to basically babysit and make the kids feel good about themselves while feeding them "Christian" social teachings, etc. Almost all of the kids were going to church anyway, so school was an opportunity to apply certain teachings and I'd bet money that mothers looking for a career were counseled by ministers to do "God's" work in public school classrooms.

There were religious posters in the hall ways, for extra-curricular clubs and organizations and regular "praying around the flagpole".

Nobody seemed to know how to be a Christian in their own private mind and heart, everything had to be a public display.

[snagglepuss]

20. Interesting story. What a glimpse into a different mindset. Thanks for posting.

[Meshuga]

10. It is funny how these guys try to sell their religion so hard

That they go so far as being extremely creepy. Can't they see that people would just get frightened and turned off by this kind of behavior?

[ZombieHorde]

11. Does anyone think his actions were not religiously motivated? nt

[laconicsax]

18. I doubt it.

If it had to do with religion, then all bus drivers everywhere would be doing this. :eyes:

[tblue37]

16. I am not a litigious person, but I would sue if someone held me prisoner

so he could act out his religious delusions.

[snagglepuss]

21. +1

[Odin2005]

17. This guy needs to loose his job.

[skepticscott]

19. Unless it was a safety question, if he physically prevented

passengers from leaving the bus when they wanted to, for ANY reason, his action was criminal and he should have been arrested. It's scary that apparently everyone on the bus just went along meekly with this. If he had blocked me from leaving, screw calling 911...I would have rammed my cell phone down his throat and beaten the crap out of him, knowing that I was entirely within my rights as a victim of false imprisonment.

[struggle4progress]

22. ... Christopher James was one of those passengers. James said, initially, he thought something was

wrong when he rang the bell to get off the bus and the door didn’t open ... James said the bus driver asked him and three other passengers to join hands in prayer. James said the driver prayed with the group for about four minutes ... James, who isn’t against prayer, said he felt compelled to join in although the request confused him ... “I don't want to pray to get off MARTA, you know,” said James.
Driver Forces Passengers To Pray On MARTA Bus
Posted: 5:09 pm EST November 6, 2009
Updated: 9:36 am EST November 7, 2009
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/21544521/detail.html

... Matthews behavior violated MARTA's policy, said Lyle V. Harris, MARTA spokesman ... What they prayed for or about is unclear, said Harris ...
MARTA bus driver suspended for insisting passengers pray
By Mashaun D. Simon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://www.ajc.com/news/marta-bus-driver-suspended-188965.html

I expect widespread agreement that such behavior is strange and inappropriate

[DeSwiss]

23. Maybe he'd feel safer on this bus. The idiot!

[PVnRT]

24. He was suspended? WHY DOES MARTA HATE CHRISTIANS???!?

The oppression of Christians must end! Forced prayer and baptisms for all!

[sakabatou]

25. And the only channel on TV is Fox News