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submitted 19 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) by Sunflier@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

There’s now, apparently, an epidemic of Christians who get on planes and begin preaching when they know they finally have a captive audience. Evangelist Whitney Lynn, one of the more notorious culprits of this, even said as much in a recent TikTok post: “I just love a captive audience.”


The fact that the sermons are unwanted doesn’t bother the evangelists at all because, for once, they have an audience that can’t walk away. And the hope that strangers might convert outweighs any concern that they’ll conclude Christians are lunatics.

There’s unfortunately very little airline staff can do to stop this. While there are rules regarding passengers who are disobedient or belligerent, preaching doesn’t necessarily cross a line. Flight attendants can politely ask them to stop, but I have yet to see any examples of plane preachers getting kicked off flights because they wouldn’t shut up.

Which means we’re just stuck with the possibility Christians may hijack a flight with their voices.

How is this not being belligerent? What if this was a MAGAt doing this (probably already is)?

If anything, this seems like a quick way for a fellow passenger to get annoyed and punch out the disruptive preacher. If this happened on a plane I was on, I'd clap for the person who decked the preacher. It really says something about how this "religion" is dying off if thos is a tactic they're resorting to.

*Edit: if I were the flight crew, I'd start by asking the passenger to sit down. If they didn't I'd warn the passenger with something like:

Ma'am, you are continuing to be being a disruption despite being told you knock it off. You can either sit down and be quiet, or you will be sat down and quieted. Please take your seat.

Then if they still insited, I'd either have an air marshall "take care of them" them, or I would.

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[-] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

I wish someone with the skill and strength to grab her head and smash her nose-first into their well-launched knee then whacked her head repeatedly into a bulkhead til she shuts the fuck up.

[-] kreskin@lemmy.world 19 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Airlines can put them on the no fly list and the problem is solved.

Also from google "the FAA enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy and can propose civil penalties exceeding $40,000 per violation for unruly behavior or refusing to obey crew instructions"

Airlines which choose not to do this are complicit with the obnoxious preachers.

[-] Radical_Socialist_t00t@lemmy.ca 10 points 5 hours ago

Yet they treat the guy with "bombing kids isn't self-defense" shirt like a terrorist but let this bullshit literally fly

[-] KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca 48 points 10 hours ago

There’s unfortunately very little airline staff can do to stop this. While there are rules regarding passengers who are disobedient or belligerent, preaching doesn’t necessarily cross a line. Flight attendants can politely ask them to stop, but I have yet to see any examples of plane preachers getting kicked off flights because they wouldn’t shut up.

100% if someone got up preaching Islam or Satan, they'd get kicked off and put on the no fly list.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

Classic case of "Fascism? Sorry, nothing we can do."

[-] hansolo@lemmy.today 11 points 9 hours ago

"My fellow passengers, let's all say a brief prayer to the elemental force of air, which gives us lift."

Far more relevant than a shepherd from ancient Judea. WTF does a sheep boy know about airplanes?

[-] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Jesus the hardline Orthodox Jew from first century Galilee would not recognize this religion and would be appalled that gentiles had created an entirely new one from the worship of his idol. If he came back to life today he would have far more in common with the Haredi Jews than anyone who claims themselves “Christian”. This modern Christianity is the religion of Paul, almost totally and completely diverged from what Jesus believed or taught.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

Jesus the hardline Orthodox Jew from first century Galilee would not recognize this religion

People getting up on big rocks and screaming incoherently at crowds of people was an incredibly popular past time in the Bronze Age. Romans documented this phenomenon exhaustively. Particularly, Roman historian Flavius Josephus and Roman writers like Tacitus and Suetonius.

Jesus wouldn't just know these guys, he'd (arguably) be one of them.

This modern Christianity is the religion of Paul, almost totally and completely diverged from what Jesus believed or taught.

We've canonically got four different versions of Jesus to choose from, so you're going to need to be more precise.

[-] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 hours ago
[-] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Jesus was a Jewish man with a Jewish message for Jews. Apocalypticism is the term you are searching for, and yes, there were several apocalyptic preachers obsessed with the book of Daniel in Jesus’ time, there were probably half a dozen guys crucified for doing the same things Jesus did that week, ultimately culminating with Simon bar Kokhba. “People getting up on big rocks and screaming incoherently” is a bit reductive, but I digress. Fuck the canon. The gospel of Thomas is almost as old as Mark, certainly older that Luke, John, or Matthew, and they’re all eponymous. Modern scholars have a far more accurate view of what went on than whoever transcribed (in many cases incorrectly, probably deliberately), edited (heavily), and compiled (discriminately) the “canon”, a century or more after the man lived.

Christianity is a cult that sprung up to explain why the events Jesus prophesied did not happen in the generation of his lifetime, as he said they would.

“For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.”

MATTHEW 5:18

The context of “the law” in first century Judea is obvious.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Jesus was a Jewish man with a Jewish message for Jews.

Idk about that. A big part of his sermon was very explicitly aimed at gentiles.

[-] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 hours ago

Idk about that. Bit of a stretch. Consider the source and all it’s beneficiaries.

[-] Sunflier@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

would be appalled that gentiles had created an entirely new one from the worship of his ido

Is it fair to say they're a form of the gentiles? I think they're more like the pharisees.

[-] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

I’m sorry I don’t follow, can you clarify?

[-] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 46 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

theres nothing they can do cause shes white and christian.

Get a muslim imam up there and I bet you they divert the airplane and have a tactical squad ready at the gate.

[-] mlg@lemmy.world 7 points 8 hours ago

They diverted some AA flight a couple of months ago because some guy's phone alarm went off in his checked bag lmao.

[-] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 4 points 7 hours ago

Was that the guy who had the alarm set for prayer?

[-] mlg@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

I think so yeah, afaik it was never confirmed but that's what some outlets reported.

[-] Dadifer@lemmy.world 12 points 8 hours ago

This happened in Africa all the time on buses in Africa. Christian and Muslim preachers. To be fair, there was a significant chance everyone was going to die in a crash soon, so that may have had something to do with it.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Happens on subways and buses in NYC from time to time, as well

[-] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 24 points 10 hours ago

Women are allowed to preach now? Don't they read their book?

[-] KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca 10 points 10 hours ago

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. - 1 Timothy 2:9-10

[-] anarchy79@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago

Wololo fail

[-] content_educator_94 12 points 9 hours ago

Use a Taser on the pieces of shit Jesus would be proud

[-] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago

Pilot should find turbulence everytime praise is called for.

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[-] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 18 points 10 hours ago

if an airline allowed this to happen, I would never fly with that airline again. I bought a ticket for a respectful flight, if they can't provide that...

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Not like there's a wide variety of airline options to begin with. Idk how much choice you really have in the matter

[-] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

I don't fly much, so I have some flexibility. I would legitimately change my travel plans to not fly with that company again

[-] PlantDadManGuy@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

... Then they are accomplices to Christian extremism and actively discriminating against other religions.

[-] nednobbins@lemmy.zip 28 points 11 hours ago

I'm generally very respectful towards people's religions but I would heckle the shit out of these bastards.

If the airlines can't stop an evangelist from preaching, they can't stop me from blaspheming.

[-] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 12 points 9 hours ago

Heckling obnoxious evangelists was one of my fave things to do in college. I'd always ask questions that they couldn't really answer and they'd always be like "it's part of God's plan" and I would ask them how they know God's plan and they'd get even more upset.

If you're gonna shove your beliefs down my throat, don't get uppity when I asks question lmao

[-] SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today 14 points 11 hours ago

You start with "everyone's entitled to their beliefs," they harm you per their beliefs, and then you want to draw a line? Too late, you already gave them the blank check.

Christianity deserves pushback, not respect. It is a death cult. They don't respect you, they think you belong to their god. They will be happy when you die, pretending you are rewarded in heaven or punished in hell. There is no such thing as a christ, we are not born with sin, we do not require divine salvation (which comes at the price of complete subjugation).

Can we stop letting them kill us? People should be held accountable for their choices, including the choice to accept and repeat baseless claims. As a species, we need to mature out of superstition before it kills us.

[-] huppakee@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

You start with "everyone's entitled to their beliefs," they harm you per their beliefs, and then you want to draw a line? Too late, you already gave them the blank check.

The freedom to believe something ≠ the freedom to do whatever you like based on that belief.

[-] SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today 1 points 5 hours ago

But they believe they should do those things. Beliefs drive our actions. We should correct them every chance we get.

You: "Believe what you want." Them: "OK, I believe my god wants to me to preach to you." You: "Stop that." Them: "No, my god demands it."

Now what?

And if they believe their (utterly unproven) god wants them to restrict healthcare? Wants them to avoid vaccines? Commit genocide, take slaves, fly planes into buildings?

Innocent people are dying for the selfish beliefs of others.

[-] huppakee@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

I don't disagree with your point, i am saying my belief is that they others are free to believe but not free to do whatever they want. There are laws for the things we can do and not do. We have the right (in the free world) to think what we want, in parts of the free world we are free to love who we want. Believe is something internal, like a thought or an opinion. I am not saying you should not use your freedom to persuade these people into having better beliefs, please go for it. But imo restricting what people are allowed to believe is as wrong as restricting someone from having certain opinions. But them having the freedom to have these believes does not mean we should just do nothing and sit idle. Please note that i am making a clear distinction between the freedom inside oneself (opinions, thoughts, beliefs) and acting on them. You are not and should not be allowed to do or say anything based on those internal things. If i believe my neighbour is an asshole, i am not and should not suddenly allowed to insult him.

Innocent people are dying for the selfish beliefs of others.

Unfortunately, yes. I agree on the problem.

[-] SnoopSqueak@lemmy.today 1 points 32 minutes ago

i am saying my belief is that they others are free to believe but not free to do whatever they want.

I don't see the difference. They believe they are obligated to do those things, so they do those things.

There are laws for the things we can do and not do. We have the right (in the free world) to think what we want

Nobody can stop anybody from thinking their thoughts. My point is we should oppose false beliefs before they turn into harmful actions.

Please note that i am making a clear distinction between the freedom inside oneself (opinions, thoughts, beliefs) and acting on them.

What is the difference? They believe that's how they should act, so that's how they act.

If i believe my neighbour is an asshole, i am not and should not suddenly allowed to insult him.

Constructive criticism can change behaviors for the better, if everyone is listening to reason. Your neighbor shouldn't be an asshole, that hurts everybody.

Unfortunately, yes. I agree on the problem.

Thank you. It is why I am a "militant" antitheist. I think that compromising with delusion gets innocent people killed needlessly.

[-] trackball_fetish@lemmy.wtf 17 points 10 hours ago

Ohhh I've seen this in action before on the public bus. The response is usually "SHUT YO ASS UP, NO ONE IS TRYING TO HEAR THAT"

[-] anarchy79@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

I just start singing gospel tunes.

[-] BeardedBlaze@lemmy.world 31 points 13 hours ago

Apparently Whitney needs a reminder:

1 Timothy 2:11-12

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

[-] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 7 points 10 hours ago

nice that this is the post directly under this in my feed:

https://thelemmy.club/post/53478859

[-] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 13 hours ago

Outside of the Sentinelese, everyone on the planet has heard of Jesus Fucking Christ. If anyone wanted to convert already then they would have by now. These performative assholes need to shut the fuck up already and leave people in peace.

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this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2026
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