Preachy pilot needs new flight plan- Paynter, Seattle PI

[question everything]

The separation of church and flight hit another air pocket last week when the pilot of an American Airlines 767, an apparently fervent fellow with God as his co-pilot, followed his weather/altitude spiel by asking all Christians aboard to raise their hands.

(snip)

But surely, in the nervous and multiculturally touchy time since Sept. 11, you've got to wonder if pilot Rodger Findiesen's brain didn't experience a sudden loss of cabin pressure during takeoff from Los Angeles Friday.

(snip)

It wouldn't have been appropriate even before we started eyeing each other's turbans and yarmulke's warily across the aisles. And it sure isn't appropriate now.

(snip)

This is a time when, even unspoken, those little biblical prayer cards that Alaska Airlines slips in with the plastic silverware tend to polarize the frequent fliers who praise reverence among the condiments from those who resent getting a prayer like a Cracker Jack prize.

(snip)

If Capt. Findiesen believes he is on a mission from God, amen to that. Let him go forth and plant the seeds of understanding where the ears have the choice of whether to listen. And where the guy telling people to put their hands up isn't flying tons of combustible metal through the clouds.

(snip)

Paynter can be reached via e-mail at [e-mail].


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/thu/opinion/news_mz4e12paynte.html

[DarkPhenyx]

1. *rofl* n/t

[skippysmom]

2. Alaska Airlines hands out prayer cards?

:wtf:

[mike1963]

3. Might not be a bad idea if they haven't started inspecting those pesky

horizontal stabilizer jackscrews. Vertical dives into the Pacific Ocean tend to spoil one's day.
:eyes:

[mike1963]

4. His name is frighteningly close to "Fundieson"

:eyes:
edit, sp.