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March 14th, 2011
04:17 PM ET
Prayers spark scare on airplaneBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor On Sunday, three Orthodox Jewish businessmen triggered fears on a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles. Passengers on Alaska Airlines Flight 241 became alarmed when the three men began to pray out loud. "Shortly after takeoff ... three passengers were praying out loud in a language other than Spanish," according to an airline spokeswoman. "They had something that appeared to the flight attendants to be strapped under their clothing," the spokeswoman said. "The flight attendants alerted the flight deck, who in turn alerted the tower at LAX. Law enforcement met the plane upon arrival." During weekday prayers, some Orthodox Jewish men wear teflillin, or phylacteries - black leather straps wrapped around the left arm and around the forehead. The straps are connected to small boxes with tiny scrolls containing Jewish scriptures. Many Orthodox Jewish men also wear a prayer shawl called a tallit under their clothes, with knotted fringes at each of the four corners. The airline spokeswoman said she was unaware if the men were wearing either of these traditional items. When the planed landed at LAX it was greeted by members of airport police, the FBI and Customs and Border Protection. According to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller, the men were questioned and their baggage was searched before they were cleared to go. "The men were extremely cooperative," Eimiller said. Airport police Sgt. Belinda Nettles told CNN there was never any threat to passenger or aircraft safety. CNN's Carol Cratty and Nick Valencia contributed to this report.
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Question: I consider myself a believer of God, but I've always wondered what keeps non-believers from just simply killing themselves. On an astronomical scale, to the atheist, an individual's life is insignificant. As is the existence of our civilization, species, planet, solar system and so on. These things will all pass within the span of a cosmic blink, and no one will know or care. The things I do today for my children, scientific advances, discoveries, all of it will be for nothing because eventually we will all cease to be. So what reason is there to experience anything, when, seeing as how nothing you or I or anyone will continue to exist beyond some eventual solar explosion or whatnot. Besides that, why go on when according to science (which I am not refuting), our every action, thought, and urge is hard coded due to some evolved survival programming. Science sees us as little more than organic automatons. Fleshy meat puppets with the illusion of significance. We are the most sophisticated cosmic program we're aware of. I bet if Windows 98 had a moment of sentience, it'd just delete itself out of knowledge of it's own imminent obsolescence.
Well let me say that I am jewish.. and.. a real terrorist would not be prayiing out loud he/they would be pulling the trigger on a bomb. As for Teffilin being mistaken for something else.. there seems no limit to ignorance. So.. let me begin with the blood liable and the rest of the Anti Semitic garbage.
What I find astounding is that since the plane actually landed in one piece, and the passengers were deplaned.. why then would you need the police? Apparently any perceived thread would be proven that that point to be non-existent?
Perhaps everyone wanted to see what a Jew looks like?
I am Praying as I type this message and I will continue my prayers for all the people that has left such ignorant post's here concerning this subject. How can anyone in their right mind state that there is no God, there is no truth to the bible or that the Bible is all lie's. My God, My God please help these people Lord for they know not what they do, there is one thing for sure when one day or night the Eastern sky splits and the Lord Thy God Descends with a shout it will then be to late to cry My Lord My Lord, People I beg you repent of your Sins and become a child of the Living God while you still can, for one day and not to far from now according to God's word and yes it is God's word time will expire for your Soul and you will spend eternity somewhere either in Heaven or in Hell it's your choice for now but there will be a time in this lifetime that your fate will be sealed, will you be ready when that time comes or will you be left behind to live through the most terrible time that has ever been on the face of this earth or ever will be! Please Choose God who sent his only Son to die that you may have ever lasting life my friends! God Bless you! and I will be praying for this great country of ours and the people that inhabit it.
You've picked the wrong god, I'm sorry to say. The correct answer was Thor. No, you burn in hell.
Wow, here it is the 21st century and there are still so many ignorant (religious) people around. Scary.
At first read, I was saddened that people practicing their faith caused those unfamiliar with Orthodox customs to be alarmed. However, up until a year ago, when I started working with Orthodox Jews, I would have had no idea what they were doing either and would have probably been concerned as well.
Tefillin is their way of binding themselves to G-d. It is a very interesting custom that, frankly, I am surprised has just now caused a plan to be diverted. Glad to hear they took it in stride.
Why was there a panic? The men were Jewish not Muslim, if memory stands correct it's the Muslims that hate Western society and blow up planes. I have never heard of Jewish terrorists. Everyone needs to clam down, Jewish people are friendly!
Never heard of Jewish terrorists?!?! Just ask the Palestinians, they'll show you some.
When the human race is going to have some senses?? Is the God deaf or dumb who will not listen to prayers if they are recited silently or does God understand only one langauge and He will not understand prayer if its not recited in Hebrew or Arabic or religion specific language. We have degraded God even below normal human beings. Today a large population speak or understand at least more than a language...
How long we are going to carry on this foolishness....God has no religion and Religions have no God. Listen to your hears first but then you need to have heart in the first place
Sensitivity to the audible prayer is understandable. However, perhaps they could have mentioned to the airline attendants that they would be doing that so as not to alarm them. Just breathe people
I always pray on take off too! And landing!
Hebrew prayers are common on El Al Airlines (the Israeli State Airline). Most people on that plane understand and even expect orthodox Jews to get up and start praying at specific times. El Al is very supportive of those activities and does not think anything of it.
To my knowledge no Jew has ever bombed an airliner or commited an act of terrorism against the public (aside from a political assasination of an Israeli leader). Our world does not have to be concerned about Jews....rather.... Muslims.
Lets not forget Irgun or the Stern Gang – perhaps more recently the state terrorism against the flotilla and the killing of turkish nationals and the creation of concentration camp in Gaza.
has anyone thought about the different treatment people get and you guys talk about it not being racist.
HOW DIFFERENT WOULD IT BE IF IT WAS A MUSLIM AND NOT A JEW.
if it were someone of a Muslim religion they would be interrogated for being a TERRORIST when America itself has CREATED THE WORD "TERRORIST"
Al-Baqara sura 02:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave life to you! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye will return. (28).
Al-Hajj sura 22:
And He it is Who gave you life, then He will cause you to die, and then will give you life (again). Lo! man is verily an ingrate. (66).
Al-Room sura 30:
Allah is He Who created you and then sustained you, then causeth you to die, then giveth life to you again. Is there any of your (so-called) partners (of Allah) that doeth aught of that? Praised and exalted be He above what they associate (with Him)! (40) Corruption doth appear on land and sea because of (the evil) which men's hands have done, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return. (41) Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): Travel in the land, and see the nature of the consequence for those who were before you! Most of them were idolaters. (42) So set thy purpose resolutely for the right religion, before the inevitable day cometh from Allah. On that day mankind will be sundered- (43) Whoso disbelieveth must (then) bear the consequences of his disbelief, while those who do right make provision for themselves – (44) That He may reward out of His bounty those who believe and do good works. Lo! He loveth not the disbelievers (in His guidance). (45).
Al-Jathiya sura 45:
Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Allah giveth life to you, then causeth you to die, then gathereth you unto the Day of Resurrection whereof there is no doubt. But most of mankind know not. (26) And unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth; and on the day when the Hour riseth, on that day those who follow falsehood will be lost. (27) And thou wilt see each nation crouching, each nation summoned to its record. (And it will be said unto them): This day ye are requited what ye used to do. (28) This Our Book pronounceth against you with truth. Lo! We have caused (all) that ye did to be recorded. (29) Then, as for those who believed and did good works, their Lord will bring them in unto His mercy. That is the evident triumph. (30) And as for those who disbelieved (it will be said unto them): Were not Our revelations recited unto you? But ye were scornful and became a guilty folk. (31) And when it was said: Lo! Allah's promise is the truth, and there is no doubt of the Hour's coming, ye said: We know not what the Hour is. We deem it naught but a conjecture, and we are by no means convinced. (32) And the evils of what they did will appear unto them, and that which they used to deride will befall them. (33) And it will be said: This day We forget you, even as ye forgot the meeting of this your day; and your habitation is the Fire, and there is none to help you. (34) This, forasmuch as ye made the revelations of Allah a jest, and the life of the world beguiled you. Therefor this day they come not forth from thence, nor can they make amends. (35) Then praise be to Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, the Lord of the Worlds. (36) And unto Him (alone) belongeth Majesty in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (37).
Idiots. Muslims are terrorists. Not Jews.
Guess all mankind are terrorists but in different ways and acts ....there are no Angels on Earth to claim purity, nor any one is superior than the other except those who are God most fearing.
Please do not clump all Muslims as terrorists. I work for an airline and we are instructed not to disturb anyone when they are praying. This is a matter of cultural awareness and sensitivity. It is also a matter of situational awareness and common sense.
First, let me start by saying I am Jewish, not orthodox, but a conservative Jew and I do travel on Alaska Airlines and other airlines frequently.
This has nothing to do with religion, freedom of speech or anything like that. It has to do with safety and anti-terrorism measures. Unfortunately today air travel is not as fun as it used to be because of past terrorist attacks and persisting threats.
Travelers of any religion, nationality, or tradition should, first, be considered of their fellow passengers and be sensitive that not everyone may feel comfortable and/or understand their behavior. Something respectable as praying might seem really weird and even threatening to someone else, specially if done out loud, in a different language and wearing "weird" black leather straps around the arm and head. While freedom is over everything, there's also common sense. An airplane is an airplane, not a synagogue, not a church, not a theater, not a political rally. A line must be drawn. People are still free to pray in silence, in their seat, without disturbing other passengers or making them feel even slightly uncomfortable. But even over freedom, safety is first. The crew was only doing its job. Thumbs up for Alaska and for any other airlines that act without second guessing when it comes to safety! I feel even safer flying them now!
The same thing happened to me on a flight from Paris to NYC. The dude started praying in the middle of the aisle with all his gear strapped on his arms & head. The flight attendant asked him to get back in his seat, which he refused. He didn't even acknowledge the flight attendant & just went on praying. He sure made the other passengers nervous. Then a sky marshal came and forced the guy back in his seat, but he remained standing at his seat to finish his prayers.
I can just imagine this dude's reaction had a Muslim got on his knees in the aisle and started praying to Allah!!
These people are just ridiculous and should keep their religions and their rituals to themselves.
I suppose there is a big difference between saying a prayer, and intentionally annoying the crap out of people.
What???now you can't pray out loud???
Jews aught to have more sense than to pull a stunt like that. Charter a private jet if you want to pray out loud.
No I disagree. They should have their freedom too
If people can talk on a plane why can't they pray?
Then I guess Muslims should be allowed to pray out loud on planes as well. Yeah that will go over really well.
Religion what's it all about;
Al-Anaam sura 06:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord hath forbidden to you: that ye ascribe no thing as partner unto Him and that ye do good to parents, and that ye slay not your children because of penury – We provide for you and for them – and that ye draw not nigh to lewd things whether open or concealed. And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath command you, in order that ye may discern. (151) And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better, till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice. We task not any soul beyond its scope. And if ye give your word, do justice thereunto, even though it be (against) a kinsman; and fulfil the covenant of Allah. This He commandeth you that haply ye may remember. (152) And (He commandeth you, saying): This is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest ye be parted from His way. This hath He ordained for you, that ye may ward off (evil). (153) Again, We gave the Scripture unto Moses, complete for him who would do good, an explanation of all things, a guidance and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord. (154) And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed. So follow it and ward off (evil), that ye may find mercy. (155) Lest ye should say: The Scripture was revealed only to two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of what they read; (156) Or lest ye should say: If the Scripture had been revealed unto us, we surely had been better guided than are they. Now hath there come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, a guidance and mercy; and who doeth greater wrong than he who denieth the revelations of Allah, and turneth away from them? We award unto those who turn away from Our revelations an evil doom because of their aversion. (157) Wait they, indeed, for nothing less than that the angels should come unto them, or thy Lord should come, or there should come one of the portents from thy Lord? In the day when one of the portents from thy Lord cometh, its belief availeth naught a soul which theretofore believed not, nor in its belief earned good (by works). Say: Wait ye! Lo! We (too) are waiting. (158) Lo! As for those who sunder their religion and become schismatics, no concern at all hast thou with them. Their case will go to Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do. (159) Whoso bringeth a good deed will receive tenfold the like thereof, while whoso bringeth an ill-deed will be awarded but the like thereof; and they will not be wronged. (160) Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater. (161) Say: Lo! my worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. (162) He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him). (163) Say: Shall I seek another than Allah for Lord, when He is Lord of all things? Each soul earneth only on its own account, nor doth any laden bear another's load. Then unto your Lord is your return and He will tell you that wherein ye differed. (164) He it is Who hath placed you as viceroys of the earth and hath exalted some of you in rank above others, that He may try you by (the test of) that which He hath given you. Lo! Thy Lord is swift in prosecution, and Lo! He verily is Forgiving, Merciful. (165).
Well, folks know what Christians are-sheep. Guilty, to being a sheep of the Lord. The Lord himself refers to his own as his sheep, they follow their master whithersoever He goeth. It is the path of joy, peace and contentment.
Everyone is a sheep, either of the Lord's, or of another.
Amen to that! Everyone believes in something. And truth is truth, whether you want to believe it or not. And Jesus is the Truth. I am so tired of those who want to categorize Christians as idiots, flat-earth-believers, whatever. There are Christians of all walks of life, some are extremely educated and accomplished. Others are just simple folks like me. Similarly, there are a host of heathen out there who are educated, and many who are not. So what's your point?
Amen!
@ Gene: "I am so tired of those who want to categorize Christians as idiots, flat-earth-believers, whatever. "
Most Christians are not idiots, you can believe anything you want to believe. Hell, I can believe that the Easter Bunny is god.
But in order for something to be the truth, you must provide factual evidence of said truth. The bible is far from the truth. It was written by 30+ different people over 1500+ years. It is as fallible as human beings.
You may not be an idiot, but you sure are gullible to believe that anything written by man can be trusted. Especially when man tells you they were inspired by god when they wrote what they did. Guess what? I am inspired by god to write this right now...do you believe me? Probably not. SO why would you believe them?
You know there is a place in the bible that says the earth is round, and this was before Christ.
@claybigsby: "It was written by 30+ different people over 1500+ years." Exactly. Different parts were written by many people in different areas over a huge time span. Yet, when they are all put together, the corrolat and make perfect sense with each other. This is not coincidence.
John Redcorn: So you'd take faith in communism, rationalism, evolution over faith in the word of God, eh? Have you counted the dead from communism, John? A knowledgeable man like yourself surely has counted that high. Do you know of the lift rationalism and evolution gave to National Socialism? I'm sure you know all about "the preservation of favored races", that doctrine that Darwin handed to Hitler, right? Can you count as high as Adolf, John? Maybe you should try reading the Bible. And take the advice of one of it's authors. Mix your reading with some faith.
So Peter you would assume to know the word of God? I think you, like most sheep – er I mean Christians...believe the Bible to be the word of God. It is not. It is the word of men who claim its the word of God but if its one thing we know about ourselves, its that those in power twist the truth to serve their needs. So shut up about God's word, cause you know it no more than the illiterate blind, deaf mute down the street.
Wow. Please learn about evolution before you post. You sound foolish. Cringe worthy.
And how many have died in the word of God. I think we can all agree that whether it's communism, religion, "rationalism" or anything, man will find a way to make it "right" to kill others. One doctrine is not better than the other, the man that wields it correctly is better than the man that corrupts it.
How many deaths were attributable to Christianity, Peter? OR CAN'T YOU COUNT THAT HIGH.
First, let me start by saying I am Jewish, not orthodox, but a conservative Jew and I do travel on Alaska Airlines and other airlines frequently.
This has nothing to do with religion, freedom of speech or anything like that. It has to do with safety and anti-terrorism measures. Unfortunately today air travel is not as fun as it used to be because of past terrorist attacks and persisting threats.
Travelers of any religion, nationality, or tradition should, first, be considered of their fellow passengers and be sensitive that not everyone may feel comfortable and/or understand their behavior. Something respectable as praying might seem really weird and even threatening to someone else, specially if done out loud, in a different language and wearing "weird" black leather straps around the arm and head. While freedom is over everything, there's also common sense. An airplane is an airplane, not a synagogue, not a church, not a theater, not a political rally. A line must be drawn. People are still free to pray in silence, in their seat, without disturbing other passengers or making them feel even slightly uncomfortable. But even over freedom, safety is first. The crew was only doing its job. Thumbs up for Alaska and for any other airlines that act without second guessing when it comes to safety! I feel even safer flying them now!
Religions are the root of Socialism, not rationalism. It was Christianity that gave rise to the principles of selflessness, of sacrifice as virtue. Well, there's your sacrifice: the good of the many at the expense of the one. Regardless of whether you believe in the truth in a god (religion), truth of the Common Good (socialism), or the 'individual' truth of every man (skeptics), do humanity a favor and exhibit some honesty. Religion has ever been the dominant force in all of history, and with that power came responsibility.
So you'd take faith in communism, rationalism, evolution over faith in the word of God, eh? Have you counted the dead from communism, John? A knowledgeable man like yourself surely has counted that high. Do you know of the lift rationalism and evolution gave to National Socialism? I'm sure you know all about "the preservation of favored races", that doctrine that Darwin handed to Hitler, right? Can you count as high as Adolf, John? Maybe you should try reading the Bible. And take the advice of one of it's authors. Mix your reading with some faith.
"The LIFT rationalism and evolution gave to National Socialism" WHAAAT!?? The Nazis HATED intellectuals first of all and knew nothing about evolution or Darwin. You need to read some History AND Biology!
"the preservation of favored races", that doctrine that Darwin handed to Hitler" This is just crap you read at Bible school. A GROSS misrepresentation. And as far as Christianity goes Hitler made it QUITE clear he was a Catholic!
I HAVE READ the Bible and that is why I'm an Atheist!!
One last thing Peter, look up the definition of the word "faith" in Webster's, you won't like it!
The Christian god ordered ancient Hebrews to commit genocide. Jesus' baby-daddy was the first recorded Hitler!
FatSean.
That was because although they were told by Moses to worship God alone, but when he went to meet God and receive the Torah, in his absence they made out of the gold they carried out with them from Egypt a Calf or a Bull to worship beside God and that was the cause for God the have them committing genocide to purify them from their sin...as a refresh and a restart...
Agreed,
but don't based all your beliefs on the Great Book of Jewish Fairytales (Bible). It definitely has good messages for humanity if it is interpreted properly, but don't think you have to live your life like a priest in order to be "good". Rationality brought us out of the Dark Ages of religion if you are unaware of history. Advancements in political thinking and rational tangible facts are one of the reasons we have as much freedom as we do. Staying in the chains of religious thinking would have brought about our demise as well as something much worse than communism. Each of these schools of thoughts have good ideas, although they tend to turn too radical. Adopting ideas and principles from both is the key to prosperity. So read everything, the Bible and even the Communist Manifesto by Marx then make your opinion. Misinformation turns to ignorance.
Ok, so maybe the idea of a God that lives to serve us in a place called heaven is pure fantasy that feeds our own ego, but I got plenty of quarters that prove the existence of the Tooth Fairy!