Christian Singers on Plane Spark Mockery, Debate

Flying is generally a joyless experience. People are crammed into a metal tube with a hundred strangers and sent hurtling through the clouds.

Some flights are worse than others, but only a select few flights go viral on social media.

A recent video made the rounds, showing a group of singers — one wielding a guitar — standing and singing Christian music on an airplane.

Some of the captive audience looks uncomfortable, some are joining in, and parts of the internet are equally divided.

This is a polarizing topic, and no matter where you stand, whether it’s the event or the reaction, may be offensive.

A lot of details remain unclear, but the video clearly shows someone standing in an airplane aisle and singing while playing a guitar.

Even if you can’t catch the lyrics or the general vibe of the music, the video’s caption says it all: “Worshiping Jesus 3,000 feet in the air!”

Worship can take many forms in many faiths, but in this instance, it was loud and vocal — and the singer was not alone.

Others were singing along with the airplane guitarist, some standing and others sitting, indicating that the particular tune was familiar.

Whoever was filming was clearly happy with what happened, otherwise the video would not have been uploaded with such a happy caption.

Not everyone in the video appears to be entirely thrilled by what is going down, however.

Some fellow passengers appear to be uncomfortable, as if wishing that they could be anywhere else in that moment.

Others just seem amused.

Naturally, the video’s initial post was followed by the video being shared and reposted elsewhere.

Some people were confused. Others were aghast at poor airplane etiquette. Others saw darker implications behind the video.

And of course, some folks just saw a cringey video and shared it for clout and laughs.

As the video made the rounds on Twitter, people imagined themselves on such a flight.

While there are certainly worse ways for a flight to be “hijacked,” many would still prefer a crying baby to what appears to be a religious group dominating the entire space.

Please note that emergency exit doors should only be used in true emergencies. Opening one during a flight should never happen.

Obviously, hyperbole was in full swing, with one Tweeter joking about crashing such a plane were they the pilot.

That might be overkill, no matter how awkward the situation on the plane.

Meanwhile, others commenting on the video focused upon the discomfort rather than upon how they would escape.

One hilarious callback to the live-action Scooby-Doo movie tapped into how exclusionary public religious singing is.

If you’ve ever been a kid at your school’s thinly-veiled Christmas celebration (throw in one Hannukah mention and then just pretend that it’s a multicultural event) and heard classmates break into a song you don’t know, you know the feeling.

Certainly, that was the vibe given off by some of the passengers in the video.

One of the thing about how social rules work is that people who violate basic guidelines of politeness rely upon people who are polite to get away with it.

Case in point: if someone jumps up and starts singing on an airplane, that’s usually rude. Passengers who are afraid of being rude hesitate to say anything.

Looking visibly uncomfortable in an uncomfortable situation is fine, even reassuring to other bewildered passengers, but we don’t see anyone confronting the guitarist.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar pointed out the outrageous double-standard that exists between Christianity and other faiths in America.

In the same breath, she also highlighted how Muslims are regarded with suspicion and villified, and so doubly could not “get away with” what this guitarist is doing.

She earned a lot of bad faith condemnation for saying this, but she’s right.

At its core, public displays of devotion with a captive audience like this are rude, but when it’s a majority religion doing it, it’s worse.

No one can escape this involuntary music show, even if they’re not religious, not Christian, or are Christian but don’t support the display.

As other Twitter users noted, there are numerous teachings within the New Testament that discourage exactly this kind of behavior.

It’s possible that we are all misinterpreting what we are seeing, of course.

The video could be fake, or taken from a flight that was booked entirely by members of the same Christian group — and thus all passengers signed up for this.

But given what we’re seeing in this video, that seems unlikely. People should be kinder to one another. This would be rude even with non-religous music.

Christian singers on plane spark mockery debate

Erika Jayne Compares Legal Situation to Jesus, Gets Slammed by EVERYONE

Even after filming Erika Jayne getting skewered by Andy Cohen on the Reunion, producers want more of Erika.

From a reality television perspective, that makes a lot of sense — film the drama.

But a lot of fans are enraged, not only by Erika’s scandal, but by her public reaction to the scandal.

Erika is acting like she’s being persecuted … even comparing herself to Jesus.

Erika Jayne leans in (rhobh s11 reunion preview)

Jesus, Erika.

As always, we want to convey the full context of this.

It all starts with one of the attorneys who is looking into Erika, into Tom Girardi, and a lot of missing money.

Ronald Richards is an attorney who is overseeing the liquidation of Tom’s firm.

He has made the rounds, doing interviews and podcasts and releasting statements.

More than once, Richards has shared suspicions about how Erika might allegedly have been involved, directly or indirectly, in Tom’s case.

Erika Jayne vs Sutton Stracke (rhobh s11 reunion preview)

So a superfan of Erika’s took to Instagram to call out Ronald Richards … and to call for him to be disbarred.

The fan accused that Richards has “undermined the judicial system.”

Allegedly this was done “by making accusations & insinuations in hopes it will inspire public opinion to override the courts.”

“This behavior is dangerous & reckless for our society!” the superfan exclaimed.

The post added that “Everyone should take notice.”

“This is exactly how CHRIST died,” the superfan’s Instagram Story post concluded.

jayne, jesus

What does this have to do with Erika beyond being literally about her?

Well … because she chose to share that post to her own Instagram Stories.

Sharing a post is almost always an endorsement, unless it’s a mistake.

In this case, it looks like Erika did both — because endorsing this post by sharing it was a mistake.

There are plenty of pro-Erika stances floating around social media that are not this inflammatory.

Calling for the opposing attorney to be disbarred is a lot. The Jesus comparison is … well, a lot more.

Andy Cohen challenges Erika Jayne (rhobh s11 reunion preview)

“Erika Jayne comparing herself to Christ is … absolutely insane,” tweeted on horror-struck critic.

The fan’s tweet continued: “This woman has lost her damn mind.”

The comparison did draw to mind a former Real Housewives OG, however.

Vicki Gunvalson - I'm being nailed to the cross like jesus was

“Erika Jayne is pulling a Vicki Gunvalson comparing her own (self imposed) drama to the crucifixion of Christ…..” another marveled.

That social media user added: “Girl PUHLEASEEEEEEE!”

Memorably, Vicki once said that she was being “nailed to the cross like Jesus was.” Ma’am, no.

Erika Jayne IG defends jesus comparison

“This is not a post comparing @theprettymess to Christ,” Erika insisted in a follow-up post.

“It’s comparing an unethical lawyer who is trying to undermine this judicial system,” she claimed.

Erika said that this was done “by persuading the courts to ACT based on public opinion and not by the law.”

“Just like the pharisees did to Christ,” Erika seemingly could not help but add.

According to Christian religious tradition, high-ranking officials at the Jewish Temple were responsible for Jesus’ execution.

It is also a core of Christian theology that Jesus’ death was his choice, and the means by which all of humanity could be redeemed.

Historically speaking, Jesus was executed by the state, and specifically by means of crucifixion. 

The means of death indicates that Jesus may have been viewed as a threat to continued Roman rule.

While higher-ranking residents of Judea would have been obligated to report any signs of rebellion or insurrection, it’s unclear what role they would have played.

Erika Jayne vs Sutton Stracke (rhobh s11 reunion preview)

We mention all of this to say that, simply put, no version of history or theological accounts of Jesus mesh with the comparison.

It’s a bad analogy. And you know, people make bad analogies all of the time.

But when you’re backed into a corner and have lost almost all shreds of your popularity, it’s arguably the worst time make a reach like this.