Last weekend, an American Airlines pilot used the PA system to discuss Christianity, namely, asking Christians on the LA-NY flight to raise their hands and suggesting that non-Christians aboard could ask them about their faith. This monologue, given right before takeoff, caused many passengers to call their families in fear and flight attendants had to reassure passengers that ground control knew what was said. An American spokesperson said, "It falls along the lines of a personal level of sharing that may not be appropriate for one of our employees to do while on the job." May not be appropriate? Yes, it's a pretty safe best that it's not appropriate to ask passengers to single out their religious beliefs on the plane. Hell, Gothamist just wants to throw a blanket over our heads and sleep most of the time. How about pilots just stick to jokes about the weather, giving us sports scores, and reassuring us while we passengers will try to behave?

The Advocate has an interview with the pilot, identified as Roger Findiesen. Findiesen explains that a braking problem that had been causing the crew some trouble prior to takeoff suddenly "disappeared," which then fueled his need to tell people about Christianity (he had also just come back from a mission in Costa Rica). Advocate's editor in chief, Bruce C. Steele, was on the flight and spoke to Findiesen after the flight; the Advocate stresses that Findiesen did not say anything about homosexuality or anything antigay, but notes that the in-flight movie was Under the Tuscan Sun, "with Diane Lane and Sandra Oh as Lane's lesbian best friend." [Thanks to reader M for telling about the interview] more ›