A pastor is facing up to one year in prison, after assaulting his wife because she received an upgrade to first class, while he didn’t. As it turns out, there was a pattern of abuse, but this upgrade incident is what made the wife finally come forward, and (hopefully) no longer tolerate his behavior…
Continue reading: Abusive Pastor Assaults Wife Over First Class Upgrade
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@ It's Rude -- I assume MVP Gold, or something. People sometimes don't get the jargon right...
I wish you wouldn't write about this kind of stuff Ben - and the snakes post too. Articles like this are why I've stopped reading Gary's blog. You are too good for this.
If It had been Jesus, and Mary Magdalene got the upgrade, would Jesus have smacked Mary?
Doubtful.
This “pastor” is a phony.
You know you can just not open the post if you're not interested.
For example, I'm not at all interested in articles about hotels, hotel reviews or any sort of hotel news. As such, not once in the last 8 years since I've been reading this blog have I opened a post about hotels. Consider not clicking on stuff that doesn't interest you.
Ben deserves a lot more credit than you realize.
This is a good controversial subject that can potentially bait in a lot of clicks and comments.
This is way more bait worthy than the TMZ thought leader.
You're welcome.
People sometimes don't get the "supreme" right...
A lowly "gold" member is nothing to "God" member.
The clergy privilege of working with young children.
Now with wife.
What's next for the Trinity?
I'm glad Ben reported this story. Domestic violence is sadly common and can occur anywhere, including on airplanes. The seat mate who tried to block the strike and the nearby off-duty police officer are examples of how bystanders can intervene to help the victim.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 for those looking for help or resources at 1 (800) 799-7233.
This is the FFP equivalent of correcting someone for calling their Starbucks coffee size as “large”. Not everyone cares about corporate branding names.
I would look into the part where he “lost” his previous wife more closely….just sayin’…
This man has a disability and should be accommodated by a free first class seat. If not, he should sue for big bucks. A lawyer could start a class action lawsuit and get millions in legal fees as a settlement and passengers getting a coupon for 1 frequent flyer mile.
Evangelical Pastor is all I needed for this story. They are the crème de la crème of human beings along with the Jihadists.
Just in case, they should investigate how he "lost" his previous wife. Just saying.
“They are the crème de la crème of human beings along with the Jihadists.”
I do not think “crème de la crème” means what you think it means.
Jesus would convert the water into wine. That is, domestic economy into international first class. Upgrades for everyone!
Sounds like this “pastor” dude is cut from the same cloth as those Christianist, Islamist and Judaist “religious leaders” who think it’s religiously permissible to beat their children and wives under some circumstances and in some ways. That’s what intransigent “literalism” and “originalism” from old texts means today.
Everyone should ask themselves how the non-sexual deity of the Abrahamic faiths ever got on board misogyny and “permitted” abuse of women and children by husbands but not equal rights for women to do that same abuse to husbands.
It’s sort of like history: it’s based on which people had the power at the time and who wrote the stuff that believers blindly accept because of a big leap of faith that they may not even think about as involving a leap of faith.
He loved to revolt and even violently tossed the furniture. Seemed to be more of a socialist/leftist revolutionary than a “conservative” preaching “prosperity gospel”.
Nail the bastard! I hate it when men use violence towards women. Then we know that they are weak.
Kudos to Alaska Airlines and the policeman.
Kudos to Ben who is not afraid to cover worthy controversial topics. Those who object to this post are offended that their religion receives negative publicity. Remember Jimmy Baker's controversy and Jim Swagger's "I have sinned' confession? I am always suspicious of the true identity of 00those who participated in the Black Lives Matter and antiwar protests but covered their faces and bodies: Those who were engaged in collateral damages and bodily injuries. Evangelical Christians only support and favor straight white males. They are anti gays and lesbians, trans people, females and non-whites. Eight years ago, I had a conversation with a baptist from Texas. He lectured me about his religion for few minutes when I interrupted him:
Me: Do you have a female pastor in your church?
Him: No. They are not qualified for the position.
I glanced over to his wife but her eyes were glued to the bible in her hands.
Me: Who decides? A panel of male chauvinists?
Him: Women belong in the kitchen.
When I read Matt defend the Jewish male who refused to sit next to a woman and gaslight his readers by saying " He wanted to elevate women", I disputed his claim and stated that all religions in the world discriminate against women. I posted my comment a month before the Kansas Chief player's condescending speech at a private female college's graduation went viral. There is a remote chance that we will have a female president in our life time.
Whether something is omatt worthy is up to one person, ben not an entity, not an organization and definitely not you. But the fact that you are allegedly not interested but took the time to open the post and comment on it either says you are interested to some degree or you are a standard entitled individual who thinks the world should revolve around your personal interest.
So a guy (husband) decks a woman (wife). And this occurs on an airplane. So it makes this blog? If the guy decks the woman when he gets home, will it make this blog?
They have been married for 18 months and he is 16 years older than her. What is wrong about this picture/marriage? It cannot be about money. Or for that matter, sex. Maybe faith?
If she has an in for airline upgrades that he doesn't have an advantage, what else does she have that she is keeping from him?
When they do not compare boarding passes at the gate and they don't notice that they aren't sitting together?
The guy confronts the wife later?
The guy confronts the wife a second time to give her a fat lip?
What is the basis of this marriage? What are they keeping from each other?
Lucky, Baby... There are more questions that you needed to ask before you post junk like this.
Me thinks that you posted this because: 1. The man was a man of the cloth. 2. The story contained domestic violence. 3. The off duty cop makes this post was a train wreck from the very beginning. Please tell me that you thought twice before you posted this.
My question is... What does this have to do with a travel blog? Don't get me wrong, a man decking a woman is bad, but I will go towards the blogs where I can support victums of domestic violence.
A man physically assaults his wife who also has epilepsy and she even reveals that he has broken her finger in the past and you can actually label this post as "junk"?
In response to your numbered questions above:
"1. The man was a man of the cloth." - a man of the cloth? You mean an abusive bully who hides behind his title of "pastor" and somehow expects unquestionable deference? Religion is the greatest social evil in the world. It is the cancer in the body of humanity.
"2. The story contained domestic violence." - and this domestic violence occurred on an airplane and the crew stepped up (as did the police officer). It happened on an airplane and it also highlights a huge problem we have in our society - one that is most often unreported and directed at women.
"3. The off duty cop makes this post was a train wreck from the very beginning." - um what? The cop steps in and makes the abusive man stop what he's doing? And that makes him a train wreck? Wow, not sure how you connected the dots there.
Thank you, Ben, for sharing this story. It is indeed relevant and necessary.
He "lost" his previous wife ? More likely he murdered her ! These pastors are by and large evil scam merchants running cults.
I believe people like pastor have always existed but social media brings occurrences too forefront.
No major religion seems exempted from having violent and perverted weirdos in their midst and claiming religious authority to engage in violence on behalf of whatever they want. All major religions seem to have some such “very religious” abusive nutcases. Just look at the Lev Tahor group that seems to hop from country to country in order to try to evade investigation and prosecution for abusive practices toward children and women.
I love that he got banned from AS! It’s a long walk home from there to Seattle.
You sound like an abuser yourself that's why you're taking the side of an abuser. Your post itself is abusive.
Whether it’s an evangelical pastor striking his wife or a Catholic priest abusing a child. There is definitely something wrong with the religion industry in this country!
I would have been happy that my wife got the upgrade! As she has had many orthopedic surgeries, her comfort is and always will be paramount!!