So Long, Gideons

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  • Posted By: InChrist @ 11/20/2007 12:52:37 PM

    I am a Christian. I am a human being. I have done things in my life that I am not proud of at all, is an under statement. With all of that being said I came to a realization earlier on that I rather die in the belief of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior than without. Once you are dead you are dead your fate is sealed. Well do I want eternal damnation forever burning or residence in heaven. I don't think it takes a genious to choose.
    Please don't respond by telling be there isn't a higher power you make a snowflake all by yourself without using anything else. No water, no freezing wind, no clouds... YOU make the snow flake. Will I understand God completely NO!! Why NOT?? I am not God. Can I get to know HIM if my heart desires? YES!! The BIBLE was put there for those that want to know HIM. He already knew everybody would not accept HIM.
    Have a bless day.

  • Posted By: StephanieLynn75 @ 11/20/2007 12:37:17 PM

    I am a Christian and I do prefer to have a Bible handy when I am travelling. Which is why I will just take my own Bible with me when I travel. While I have heard many testimonies on how the Gideon's hotel Bible has helped many people move from a moment of despair to a moment of redemption, I do not limit God's abiity to work. If someone is in a position of despair, I am fully confident that He is able and willing to intervene, with or without the presence of a Bible in a hotel room. My God is bigger...infinitely bigger...than that. So, while I do think it is a sad statement that hotels have decided that satisfying the minority of people who do not believe in God is more important than having a potentially life-preserving text in the night stand drawer, God is not limited to the decisions made by corporate ceo's who are only interested in the bottom dollar.

  • Posted By: GenerationX @ 11/15/2007 10:34:21 AM

    How sad! Will I be able to stay at these hotels when I bring my family? How will I explain to my kids what these kinky sex toys are if they find them by accident? Will they be rating certain hotels with a "PG" or "XXX" warning so we know not to stay there? At least with a Bible, you can read it to your kids! Not all Generation Xers are have no value system. A lot of us were latchkey kids so we value family more than the Boomers. could.

    • Posted By: ronathan @ 11/20/2007 12:33:39 PM

      You know, the Bible has more sex and violence than a lot of television shows or movies out there. Personally, if I read Revelations to my kids, I would probably traumatize them for life.

  • Posted By: MrsM @ 11/19/2007 11:12:22 PM

    To Nephemera, I read your comment and would like to offer a resource that I find very useful in so many ways: www.watchtower.org. Under publications available you will see many to choose from, and as i look them over just now, i have read them all over the years, learning alot. "Mankind's Search for God" and
    "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" are two that i think you would enjoy when looking for consise info on world religions and the Bible itself. Hope this is helpful to you.

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/20/2007 11:56:34 AM

      Unfortunately, Watchtower and the JWs do not use the Christian bible. They use another 'bible', one that has been changed. Therefore, they cannot be viewed as accurate sources of reference for the Christian bible.

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/20/2007 9:47:22 AM

      Only problem is that Watchtower, and the JWs, do not use the same Bible as Christians. So...they can't be regarded as accurate.

  • Posted By: 2sticks @ 11/20/2007 10:23:39 AM

    I,you, me, them...I can't resist posting "My" thoughts...if anyone gives a hoot. I don't care if you came from an alien planet, evolved from an ape, just here by cosmic accident or an angel destined to live on earth forever...My God tells me that I don't have all the information nor will I find all the answers all I have is my faith that lives in me...not by me, or because of me....but yet it is "For Me". The enemy can take the written word of God from my hands but he'll never take it from my heart. The enemy can silence my mouth but not my soul. Thats all free...not from a book but from me...I doubt that a few cheesy overpriced hotel chains will stop the Gideons on a mission...to reach out...not for money, fame or glory but to plant the Word of God in a sinful world...and if the terrain is good well...if you read one of those Bibles instead of throwing it out you'll know the story. I don't worship the Bible...the Bible is not God...in case anyone is hateful and wants to offend my faith in someone that words alone cannot embrace. History will repeat itself...My body came form the dust and my body will return to dust....seems dismal enough if you don't know Jesus.

  • Posted By: kpenny @ 11/15/2007 8:41:14 AM

    To the Secular Humanist. I fear to see you fate at the end times. I pray for your salvation. If you look at our country when God was in the heart of our government and our schools the world was a better place by far. How one can think they have the insight to judge history and the word of God is amazing. Man didn't give you life God did and allows your every breath you take. I pray for our country for without God there are no morals, humanity or sacredness. Our country was founded on religion if you don't believe shut up and leave

    • Posted By: Augure3VI @ 11/20/2007 4:02:17 AM

      Say, when is the end times- I need to mark that on my calender? Back when "God was in the heart of our government and our schools", gays were a dispised minority targeted by police, blacks had no rights, especially in the bible belt, teachers could be fired and convicted for teaching evolution, women couldn't vote... and go back about 300 years, those accused of witchcraft were hung or burned. Oh, those were great times when god was at the heart of our government. Our Founding Fathers deliberately drafted the First Amendment to keep government law and religious belief seperate, knowing this is the only way to keep history from repeating itself. God has nothing to do with whatever is happening in the world, nor do you hold the monopoly on morality or what's sacred.

      • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/20/2007 9:52:27 AM

        What you say is true. However, those were not times when God was at the heart of our government. Those were times when people went against everything Jesus taught in order to justify their own selfish, cruel, SINFUL human desires. God has never been at the heart of our government. As long as fallible, sinful man is around, there will be many mistakes.

  • Posted By: Tahoejoe @ 11/20/2007 9:40:17 AM

    So Sad...Just another indication of how far our country has fallen in its contuinuous downslide.

  • Posted By: jensuepooh @ 11/20/2007 9:17:21 AM

    How very sad. When traveling, I always look for the Gideon's hotel Bible, it offers refreshment to my tired spirit.

  • Posted By: jensuepooh @ 11/20/2007 9:15:09 AM

    Really very sad. I have always found the Gideon hotel Bibles as refreshment to my tired spirit.

  • Posted By: judyb46 @ 11/17/2007 9:52:15 AM

    What's wrong, if not PC, with leaving the Gideon Bibles but just adding the other amenities if they choose? It's a harsh commentary to make it either or.

    • Posted By: cyberkermit @ 11/20/2007 6:41:17 AM

      Because since there is no large organizations currently set up to provide copies of the multitude of varied religious texts the hotels themselves would have to fit the bill for providing them. Not to mention the fact that they would then be attacked by Christian groups who find it offensive that the hotel is "placing those gods on the same level as God" or some such nonsense. That's not even considering the various versions of the Bible and which version a person's particular denomination believes to be correct. Removing the Gideon Bible is the easiest and most logical solution to these problems, i.e. to remove the hotel from the conflict in the first place. One would think that a truly religous person, one who reads their religious text daily and finds solace in its words, would think to bring their copy with them when they traveled.

  • Posted By: PaulRPearson @ 11/19/2007 1:36:51 AM

    Finally, a good trend in the travel and hospitality industry. Just one brave freethinker who -- even if they are religious -- objects to the intrusion of church into our daily lives, can have a systemwide practice stopped by speaking up. Help in the fight. Join au.org.

    • Posted By: cyberkermit @ 11/20/2007 6:40:36 AM

      Why not just bring your Bible with you when you travel?

  • Posted By: dwconder @ 11/10/2007 5:01:53 PM

    If one could prove to me that the Christian bible (or any bible) was God's word, I'd be bringing my own copy to a hotel/motel room. No other book in the history of the world has caused as much suffering, destruction and death as the so-called holy bible. And the irony is that no other book in human history is more easily refuted! I say it's about time responsible people started banning this menace! Darrell W. Conder

    • Posted By: rgjk @ 11/12/2007 10:01:33 AM

      If the Bible is so easily refuted, then do explain how "you" got here. I'm specifically interested in your explanation for the human genome project reflecting a code so intelligent that it baffles all who search it. But that would be normal, because God is more than anything we can think of since we are the created. In any case, it has been written into the hearts of mankind to know God. I trust your search will be most beneficial because you must be engaged in the journey to find the truth.

      • Posted By: Augure3VI @ 11/20/2007 5:28:45 AM

        Coming from someone who still belives the earth is only 6,000 years old, man and dinosaurs (if you even believed they exsisted) at the same time and a couple relized they shouldn't be naked after eating an apple.

    • Posted By: stupidity @ 11/10/2007 8:50:00 PM

      People whom want to ban the bible are a menace

      • Posted By: ikes @ 11/11/2007 11:56:12 AM

        The proof is in the Bible. READ IT and weep! How can you say that the Bible has caused any destruction or death? Is this something you've been told maybe? The Christian relegion is based on faith. One who is favored by God can see the truth. We do not refute and we do not need your facts.

  • Posted By: MrsM @ 11/19/2007 11:08:43 PM

    To Nephemera:
    you could go to www.watchtower.org and on the right hand side under 'browse', find the publications available to see an overview of the many fine books to choose from. I have read each of these books myself and really think they will provide you with some quality food for thought...as will other info on the site.

  • Posted By: smilemant @ 11/11/2007 8:22:08 AM

    The country was built upon God. The Gideons have always been concerned with spreading the love of Jesus Christ by giving people the opportunity to read about Him in the Bible. After 9/11, the country looked to God for answers, and now that they feel secure again, they wish to be left alone. It is just another way of pushing God out of society. I guess we are more into promoting immorality in hotels; a most unfortunate moral shift.

    • Posted By: aurorawd @ 11/11/2007 11:54:51 PM

      You know I have to laugh at the ignorance of these statements. Why do so many christians insist on believing their own propaganda that "This Country of Founded on God" or that the US is a Christian Nation"? What happened to history and education and I don't know... common sense? Anyone who studies the Founding Fathers and our real history would quickly find that not only was this country NOT founded on Christianity or the Christian God, but that the Founding Fathers were ADAMANT about it. Writing many documents stating it explicity. It's pretty easy to Goggle Thomas Jefferson's writings, Ben Franklin's writings and their biographies of any signers of the Declaration. They were mostly Deists, Unitarians and Agnostics. And several were members of the Golden Dawn or the more occult branches of the Masons. But look no further than the Treaty of Tripoly for proof that our Nation was founded to be SECULAR! and to allow and accept, but not promote or embrace ALL RELIGIONS!

      The references to "Nature's God," "Creator," and "Divine Providence" in the Declaration do not endorse Christianity. Thomas Jefferson, its author, was a Deist, opposed to orthodox Christianity and the supernatural.
      In 1797 America made a treaty with Tripoli, declaring that "the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." This reassurance to Islam was written under Washington's presidency, and approved by the Senate under John Adams.

      2000 years ago two groups of a Mystery Religion Cult based closely upon the Mystery Religions of Greece, Rome, and Eqypt, but built to create a GodMan for the Jewish people split into two groups... Gnostics and Literalists. Literalists won... and they are the forefaterhs of today's evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Guess how they won... by burning and outlawing religious books, snd imprisoning, persecuting and killing anyone who disagreed with them. 2000 years later, in our recent history, we are still having the same stupid arguements, over a religion that is basically based on plagarism from the major religions and spiritualities of it's time of birth.

      And the funniest things about is, are that if you are desperate to hold onto those falsely based beliefs, then you will be insulted by my comments and stubbornly refuse to actually study history and check my facts. And if you do have the courage to study and open your mind and learn the beauty of ALL THE WORLD'S HISTORY... not just what is spoonfed to you out of one manipulated book, then you will have to question everything you believe. Scary, but worth it.

      Am I saying God doesn't exist. Absolutely not! I believe very much in God and the Divine, so much so that I'd like humanity to really See Divinity, instead of holding on to masks and deceptions based on politics and power.

      • Posted By: rgjk @ 11/12/2007 9:53:44 AM

        Actually, you are correct in the truest sense regarding this nation not being founded on Christianity. It was founded on the principles of our Creator, but not necessarily on Christianity. Regarding your comments on the Bible though, you seemed to have disregarded truth. For while, you have searched well the founding of our nation, you are blind to the founding of the Bible. This does not make sense. I trust you will take the time to search for your Creator while he may be found.

        • Posted By: aurorawd @ 11/16/2007 3:56:00 PM

          Actually, I have spent YEARS studying and researching the "founding of the Bible" it is one of my favorite interests and past-times, as I am a history buff, and how religions begin, develop, grow and wane is fascinating to me. I would wager (and likely win the bet) that I know "your Bible" and it's history better than you do. As well as all the comparitive religions that were the sources for it. I have thorougly studied the history of six major religions so far, including Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Currently I'm studying Islam, and Native South and North American. I have further studied Eqyptian, Mesopatamian, Greco-Roman, and Celtic history and mythologies, all of which were HUGE influences on the "creation" of Christianity and the new testament books. I have also avidly read and studied the Gnostic Gospels, where were just as valid as anything found in your Gideon's but were banded strictly for political reasons. I regularly read the BAR (Biblical Archeology Review), studied archeology and anthropology, and find the entire scope of human spirititual and social development fascinating.

          I have also read your typical "Bible" (all chapters, even numbers and leviticus which were mind-numbingly boring and frankly pretty disturbing) multiple times.

          And thankfully I have found the Creator/Creatrix, through deep personal spiritual growth, development and years of prayer and meditation. The Divine and I get along just fine.

          • Posted By: Nephemera @ 11/19/2007 3:36:21 PM

            I like your posts, it's nice to see people who actually put THOUGHT into what they believe or don't believe. I've always based my beliefs and values on personal experience, though I wish I had time to do more research on various religions. Do you have any suggestions on books or materials I could start with?

  • Posted By: Nephemera @ 11/19/2007 3:26:10 PM

    What's the big deal, either way? I'm not a Christian, but I've never been particularly bothered by a book in a drawer. It's kinda like the coffee maker; I myself prefer tea, but I realize that most people drink coffee. Doesn't mean I'm gonna demand that the coffee maker be removed from the room.

    I don't know about anyone else, but usually there are other things I worry about when choosing a hotel. Price, location, quality...not whether there's a stash of condoms and/or religious materials waiting for me.

  • Posted By: PaulRPearson @ 11/19/2007 1:35:08 AM

    Finally, a good trend in hotels. I started a discrimination lawsuit against a hospital which kept a Gideon in the room and got a public apology and had that hideous practice removed systemwide (nearly a dozen hospitals). Fight the encroachment of religion into our daily lives by joining au.org.
    Paul R Pearson Redford, MI
    Red
    D

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/19/2007 10:14:26 AM

      A hideous practice? A hideous practice to keep a book in a room that might offer solace to a hurting person? I would hardly call that a hideous practice. I can see where you as a non-believer would perhaps find it distasteful, or unfair, but hideous? You have very low standards, my friend.

      • Posted By: BeaversGirl11 @ 11/19/2007 12:58:07 PM

        How the heck do you think you got here by a freakin monkey? No you know nothing, GOD. He died for ours sins. I can't believe that you took the one thing that people can believe in and find comfort in. The bible in big then anything in this world. Because of people like you other people have nothing to believe in but what you say. That is very sad. God Bless!!!!

  • Posted By: BeaversGirl11 @ 11/19/2007 12:48:49 PM

    I believe that we should leave the bibles in hotels, who are we supposed to reach out to people if they don't have the bible to read. As a christian, I believe that allowing to have the bible in hotels may help people with what ever problem they may have. If they choice to or not their choice. No one is making them read the bible. Its an encouraging word for so people, other its a guide to faith. God Bless!! Just my opion

  • Posted By: celestial2 @ 11/19/2007 10:20:57 AM

    That's sad, plenty of long , lonely business trips I have gone back to the room ,found nothing worth watching on tv and got the Bible out and read some passages. I felt calmer and at peace at the idea there could be someone larger , in control of this earth. Why not put the Bible in one drawer and put the ipods and sex toys in another to give us as peaople a choice as what WE want to do while traveling. We then can decide do I want to use the sex toys in the drawer to masturbate or go outside and find a prostitute or use the ipos and lie here listening to music, watch tv? Maybe I have had a hard day on the road and don't feel like hearing noise from the tv or music, I may value the family I have back at home and not want to use the hotels sex toys. Maybe that day I am at a place where the Bible will bring me comfort. I should have that choice.
    What about people who do travel with small children, do we really need to worry about which hotel we check into will have a drwaer with sex toys and condoms for the children to find and play with? Get real hotel chains. Keep things as they have always been with the Bible in the drawer, I am sure it brought hope to many travelers over the years/

  • Posted By: celestial2 @ 11/19/2007 10:12:26 AM

    That's to bad! Often on trips when I am tired and have had a bad day I would go back to my room and open the Bible and start reading. I always felt clmer and reading the Bible lifted my spirits and gave me hope that something larger was in control and things would be ok.
    I didn't read my Bible much at home, just in these lonely hotel rooms while on business. It is sad they are taking the Bibles out of motels. I'd imagine others bored in a hotel room have read them for the first time and found comfort..
    Why not leave the Bible's in one drawer in the rooms and put your sex toys and ipods in a different drawer? Give weary travelers a choice. Do we want to go outside and find a prostitute, listen to music, watch tv or read the Bible? We as people should have a choice. Why put condoms and sex toys in the drawer? Some people actually travel with young children who don't need to be finding and playing with this stuff!

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