To the editor:

I would like to pose the question, given the recent comments of an evangelical American Airlines pilot: What if the pilot were Muslim? It is a common belief among Christians that they are an oppressed group whose beliefs and values are suppressed by the larger society, politics and the media. However, the fact that this Christian pilot felt so unrestricted as to call those who did not raise their hands to identify themselves as Christians “crazy” and then imply that they should convert, speaks to the true level of freedom Christians enjoy to proselytize their beliefs, while denigrating the value other denominations hold to those who practice them.

Clearly there were some passengers on the plane who were offended (and their displeasure will be used by fundamentalist Christians as yet another example of how Christianity suffers in today’s world), but imagine the possible response had the pilot suggested people on the plane praise Allah. There is no doubt in my mind that the flight would have been canceled and the pilot censured, labeled a terrorist and perhaps suspended or fired.

To all the Christians currently wallowing in the disbelief that this pilot should have to apologize for expressing his devotion to Christ or that people might even be offended by this expression, imagine your response had the pilot been Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or even an atheist.

Kimberly White,

Lawrence