Christian airline passengers: Was I wrong to scold a passenger for committing the sin of gluttony?

Question

I recently had an encounter with an insanely obese passenger on a November flight from O'Hare Intl. to Stockholm, Sweden. An enormous man (400 pounds plus?) boarded the plane and literally had to wedge himself into a seat in the First Class cabin. The passenger next him, a pretty young lady, had to lean noticeably to one side in her seat just to accommodate her neighbor's massive girth. (All the seats in First Class were full that flight so she was unable to be reseated.)

An hour into the flight I always make it a point to stroll through First Class to see how the flight attendants are faring and to lend a quick hand if needed. Sometimes I'll even get a passenger a glass of water. Anyway, one of our veteran attendants, Janet, mentioned to me she had been on a low carb diet and had lost 20 pounds. As I congratulated her, I fixed my gaze coolly on the overweight passenger in First Class. He seemed to be listening attentively as he munched away on a raspberry danish.

I then told Janet it was part of God's plan to avoid the Sin of Gluttony. As a faithful member of His Flock, I let her know the notion of an overtly lustful appetite (gluttony) is one I find especially offensive. As I said this, I was looking over Janet's shoulder, directly into the porcine eyes of the overweight passenger. Janet turned to try to see what I was looking at and her eyes met the passenger's. She attempted to mumble something apologetic to the passenger. I stopped her mid-sentence and told her it wasn't her place to forgive gluttony, but God's. I then told the man to remove the danish from his mouth and told him God wanted him consider the nature of his sin.

As we were debarking the aircraft post-flight the next morning, Janet approached me and said the passenger intended to file a complaint with the airline against me.

Was I wrong to reprimand this passenger for breaking God's laws?

Answer 1

It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin. You could have had your congratulatory conversation with your friend and let the Spirit do His work with offending the other man. And yes I am struggling to overcome sin in my life also. Anyone who says he is without sin deceives himself. When the woman caught (or trapped) in adultery was brought before Jesus, He did not scold her but showed compassion to her and she became a very important part of the ministry of Jesus.

Answer 2

Even if I wasn't an atheist, I'd be a bit nervous about a pilot who wasn't confident in their own abilities to get me where I was going safely that he felt the need to ask god for help. I want the cabin crew to pilot the plane, not some invisible being in the sky. Edit: By the way, you obviously think this is OK since you're offering a Christian prayer. But, given the current state of affairs, how would you feel sitting on a plane if the captain came on the intercom and started praying in Arabic? (I'm just pointing this out as an example of both hypocrisy and perception)

Answer 3

They should fire you and they probably will--especially since you so brilliantly posted your name, picture, occupation and the pertinent details of the incident and your bizarre mental state for the passenger's lawyers to gather as evidence. Smart.



Do you realize the following:



- The Spanish Inquisition is over and all its perpetrators were deemed idiots;

- You live and work in America, and you are a mere easily replaceable employee of an airline during a recession;

- America has laws that protect its common citizens from religious zealots like you who hide behind God's name to mind other people's business;

- That passenger paid a 1st class fare which pays your inflated glorified bus driver's salary and you treated him like the sexless prude that you are;

- Just because that priest molested you when you were a child doesn't mean you gotta take it out on the rest of us.



After the passenger files his complaint against you, I hope you enjoy spending your days at the unemployment line. You may even use that time as an opportunity to save all those heathens begging for government welfare checks.



Good luck.

Answer 4

If the Bible is indeed true, that that rule is for God to uphold, not you. And for all you know, that person might have been overweight due to a medial condition. And even it wasn't due to a medical condition, I'm sure this person didn't think "Hmm, think I'll gain a lot of weight for no reason".



How insecure do you think this person is because of their weight? And then you just add even more insult? What you did did nothing except insult somebody. It did no good.



What if somebody came up to you and said you were ugly? Would you go, "Thanks, I won't be ugly anymore." I doubt it, you would be very insulted.



Not that I believe in the Bible since it's a load of twoddle, but doesn't it say to love your neighbour? What about let he who is without sin cast the first stone?



I really hope you are a troll.

Answer 5

I'd be filing a complaint that you were even out of your little cabin.



Not only is that a serious security breach - just think what would happen if them Musilims got a hold of you while you were exposed like that - but you're being paid to fly the plane, not flirt with anorexic flight attendants and harangue paying customers.



You should know your role, and get your little butt back to staring at instrument panels you pretend to know how to read and waiting for the computer to land the plane in Denver.

Answer 6

This doesn't sound like a real scenario...anyways they treat obese passengers as handicapped and they often are as a result of all that weight that they are carrying.



It's not your business to point out a persons sin until you have built a relationship with them and even then you do it in love not judgment because of personal disgust.

Answer 7

Whether or not you were in your rights, consider this:



While reading your post I sensed a great degree of condescension towards this particular passenger. Perhaps a bit of Christian charity would be in order. Ask yourself if you were truly chastising this man's gluttony, or using your religion as an excuse to bully the fat man.

Answer 8

Likely not wrong within your churches standards, but perhaps wrong in the eyes of the airline, as they are not likely an airline that likes to align themselves with a particular religion and then to preach under the rules of that religion.

When you are at work, you are not representing you, but your company - and if your company is not in line with your moral standards than you may be in the wrong line of work.

Answer 9

certainly you are joking. You can't be that rude or stupid. But just in case you really are that big of a jerk, read this and think about it.





The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."



John 8

Answer 10

Yes you were,your employers are entitled to have you act in a professional manner, that is the kind of attitude which puts people off of Christianity

Answer 11

What you did isn't part of your job. Surely the man was already aware of his condition. You pointed out the obvious like a child would.

Answer 12

I can only hope you're a troll. If this and some of your other posts are accurate, I have a feeling you're about to be an unemployed religious whack job.

Answer 13

That's not God's law. I'm sure you have your own little sins that people don't know about. That obese person had emotional problems and is filling the void with food.

Answer 14

Yes, they have to eat too, who are you to control what they eat.



This is ONE part you should have left out: "I then told the man to remove the danish from his mouth".

Answer 15

I would have to say "Yes, you are." You can't push your religious beliefs on others because, first and foremost, they may not agree with you.



It's always best to keep comments of this nature to yourself.

Answer 16

I was probably rude and definitely judgmental. yes he was a large man needing exercise, but remain proffessional at work or it's possible to be fired.

Answer 17

Well, let's see. Jesus said that the one who is without sin can cast the first stone. Are you sinless?

Answer 18

It's your own damn fault for getting rid of high-protein, low-carb peanuts and replacing them with high-sugar, high-carb cookies and snack mix.

Answer 19

Really? "Literally had to wedge himself" into the seat? You mean he *literally* used physical wedges? Weird!

Answer 20

This is the best new character I've seen here at R&S in a long *** time (:

Answer 21

I don't know much about fishing. Is it possible to troll from a jet airliner?

Answer 22

really, so youve never done anything wrong? dont go around criticizing other people unless youre absolutely perfect.

Answer 23

Bravo! Your stories have made me laugh twice today!

Answer 24

Wow, you're like a great sky-troll!

Answer 25

lolz.....oh that was a good read indeed!