Duct-Taped American Airlines Passenger's Meltdown Triggered by 2-Hour Religious Convo

The American Airlines passenger who became a human duct-tape roll after going berserk on a flight was allegedly triggered by a chat with a rabbi over religion, TMZ has confirmed.

Arthur Layne Lundeen was filmed being duct-taped to his seat after hurling the n-word and shouting anti-gay remarks at a flight attendant during last Thursday's AA flight from Texas to New Jersey ... and now the catalyst has been revealed.

Richard O'lenick, one of the passengers who helped restrain Lundeen, tells TMZ ... minutes before his meltdown, Lundeen was having a 2-hour convo with Rabbi Jonathan Cahn about religion when, suddenly, one comment set him off and, like a light switch, his demeanor turned and he started ranting and raving like a maniac for a good 10 minutes, making everyone around them aware there was trouble brewing.

O'lenick said Lundeen's discussion with Rabbi Cahn started out "friendly," with Lundeen enjoying one alcoholic beverage.

The Daily Mail was first to report the story by interviewing Cahn, who said Lundeen grabbed him by the throat, hit him, and broke his laptop over their religious chat.

The rabbi told The Mail that within a split second during their hours-long conversation, Lundeen turned into a demon after having drinks and began cursing at him and God.

He said Lundeen claimed he was a Christian at one point, but "he rejected Jesus after he got divorced and he felt judged by Christians over the divorce."

Everything went south, Cahn said, after he told Lundeen about his own experiences with God -- and Lundeen's face changed.

According to Cahn, Lundeen then leaned in and whispered, "I have something to tell you ... bulls***!"