So Long, Gideons

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  • Posted By: John3:16 @ 11/08/2007 10:41:15 PM

    Taking the Bible out of hotels is taking the oportunity out of someones life. I know that obviously the people on here and the majority of people out there don't know God as their savior and they cling to something else to fill that gap in their life, but the Bible is truth. Everything in it is truth and God shows people his gift of salvation in it. I depend on the Bible for truth and if you don't then you're depending on yourself for truth and it will will lead you to nowhere fun. You can say this is a belief of mine, and shoot it down and say im crazy and i have no proof and everyone believes what they want, but christianity is a relationship not a religion, and the Lord is the only way to get to heaven. If u don't believe in heaven than take a moment and read the Bible. God Bless

    • Posted By: rayandkerry @ 11/09/2007 12:04:33 PM

      Dear Sir,

      I am sorry to let you know that I am not Christian and, yet, I do not feel a ???gap in my life???. And how do you know, for certain, that I will be led to nowhere fun? Why is it that the "majority of people don't know God as their savior"? You don't KNOW this...and let me say that is not a bad thing. Nobody can KNOW for certain whether or not everything is just like as self-proclaimed Christians like you suggest it is (until they???re dead...nobody you or I have met personally has come back to tell us for sure).

      And please don???t accuse me of trying to shoot down your beliefs or contend that you're crazy for having them. I am not. I just think that, if you had the level of faith your post infers, you might be able admit you don't KNOW and yet continue to believe. Your tone would certainly be less self-aggrandizing. I HAVE read the bible and I still don't share your BELIEFS. But, since you bothered to present them as FACTS, I'll take the time to tell you what I believe.

      I believe that you sin in the most basic, human of ways...PRIDE. Not pride in country, in God or anything else as lofty as that. I am talking about PRIDE IN SELF (the same belief in self that you decry in those who do not subscribe to your religion when you say non-believers like me are merely depending on self for truth). It's that pride in YOURSELF that prevents you from just saying, ???I BELIEVE Christianity is true even if I can???t prove it???.

      And, by the way, admitting a lack of personal, ultimate knowledge (in the sense of having undeniable proof that the Christian bible is 100% true and accurate) does not even directly call into question God's existence. It???s merely an admission of human fallibility. After all, it is possible for us humans to not KNOW something for certain and for that thing to still be true.

      But that???s what it comes down to. You don???t want to admit you are just another human like the rest of us. Statements like ???I know that obviously the people on here and the majority of people out there don't know God as their savior??? illustrate perfectly that you place yourself above the majority of people out there. I BELIEVE that???s your real religion (the KNOWLEDGE that YOU are BETTER than most people).

      As far as Bible in hotel rooms, if I am not forced to read it, what???s the harm? If corporations choose to not stock the bible in hotel rooms in order to avoid having to stock all religious texts, what???s the harm? This is a non-issue because anybody in the US can read any text they like...so nobody is taking any opportunities out of anyone???s lives (as you suggest). And for that freedom of thought, I thank God (even though I cannot PROVE his/her existence)!

      • Posted By: rgjk @ 11/12/2007 10:31:28 AM

        You have an interesting world view, but upon what do you base that view? And is the basis upon which you have your world view take you through death? God says that faith is the "substance" of things hoped for, the "evidence" of things not seen. Substance and evidence are interesting because what is the evidence? Our bodies, our world, our ecosystem, our dna logic. God's creation cries out in substance and evidence. God's word also cries out that there is only one way to be with God in eternity and that is through Jesus, his son. I trust you will take the time to read the Bible again, beginning with the book of John in the new testament and ask God to reveal himself to you.

        • Posted By: hypatiab7 @ 11/15/2007 4:08:43 AM

          Comment to rgjk: I am a Secular Humanist. This means that I believe in people working together in various ways to improve life for everyone through education, science, business, the arts and good will.
          This is the only life we will ever have, so it is up to us together and as individuals to do our best to help
          ourselves and everyone else as best we can. This doesn't just mean we humans but all life on our world
          and the world , too. As to the Judeo-Christian Bible, I find it to be an absolute horror filled with lies, murder,
          sexism, slavery, dead children, raped women, threats of a non-existent hell, reworked mythologies and
          totally out of date and really stupid laws. I have read it and it is a horrific mishmash. If I am staying in a hotel, I don't want such a dreadful book in my room. The drawer it is kept in is for clothes not for books of
          someone else's religion. These drawers aren't for sex toys, either. What if a child is staying in that room?

  • Posted By: Lala-Boo @ 11/15/2007 3:50:04 AM

    I would be curious to see the data in a few years as to the rise in suicides in the rooms without Bibles! The Gideons are constantly exchanging "clean" Bibles with used ones, many of which invariably have an inscription from someone who checked in for a "farewell stay" and changed their mind when they took the time to read of God's love for all of us. I have heard that the stiffs in the rooms are not that unusual of an occurrance in hotels and motels.

  • Posted By: hypatiab7 @ 11/15/2007 3:24:36 AM

    My values are always with me, and I resent the comment that not having a bible from someone else's religion means that I leave them at home. The fact is that I am a Secular Humanist and have always resent -ed finding a book from someone else's religion in my hotel rooms.

  • Posted By: inmyopinion @ 11/14/2007 10:28:13 PM

    I guess if other god's lead their "followers" to place appropriate literature in hotel rooms, let them at it. The one God that created the heavens and the earth and sent his son Jesus Christ to die upon the cross for our transgressions has convinced many Christians to spread the Gospel. The GIdeons have a wonderful outreach and I will certainly pray that they may continue to reach the lost. God's Word, whether spoken or written, will never come back void, wherever it is presented.

  • Posted By: thatgirl @ 11/14/2007 9:58:44 PM

    This makes me livid - I was staying in the Novotel in NYC above Times Square Church a few weeks ago and there wasn't a bible to be found in my room. I remember stating to my coworkers that there are NO bibles in our rooms! I am young and in the entertainment industry and travel often for business. I usually won't take my bible on the road because I expect one in my hotel room. I am part of generation X and yet I still want my BIBLE!

  • Posted By: Poland @ 11/14/2007 8:33:55 PM

    I have read of amazing conversions of hurting people through the Gideon distributions of Bibles.
    If I am traveling in an English speaking country at the end of the day I look forward to reading the Bible.
    I am 50 and I know the young just want to work and have their fun. I think having condoms in the hotel rooms these days are necessary. See what happens - these are trendy hotels that are changing - the traditional hotels or motels will, I think , have Bibles in the rooms.

  • Posted By: PJWozniak @ 11/14/2007 5:45:02 PM

    Lori DeBlois says that "Providing Bibles would mean the hotel "would have to take care of every guest's belief." That would be true if the hotel had taken care of Christian beliefs - the hotel did not provide the bibles - the Gideons did that. If you are not a Christian anyway, what does having a bible in the room hurt?

  • Posted By: marylamb43 @ 11/10/2007 8:24:31 AM

    I think this is a sad commentary on where the values and traditions of this country are going. What is the big deal to have a bible in a room? This country was built up on Christianity, but, if other religions felt they were being ignored, place a Torah and a Koran in there as well. It appears these new boutiques prefer to push immorality instead. Sad...

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/14/2007 2:32:47 PM

      The Torah is in the Bible. It's the first 5 books. But I agree with your sentiment. =)

  • Posted By: caring person @ 11/14/2007 1:16:52 PM

    The Bible was placed there by business men who belong to the Gideons International for the benefit of anyone in a crisis who needed to read God's words. Penny is correct that contributions from church members prvide the funds for the Bibles. The Gideon men volunteer to place them in the rooms of not only hotels but hospitals and prisons. God's word is there for the people who need it.
    caring person
    caring person
    Gideon Auxiliary member in Lubbock, Texas

  • Posted By: caring person @ 11/14/2007 1:08:27 PM

    The Bible was placed there by business men who belong to the Gideons International for the benefit of anyone in a crisis who needed to read God's words. Penny is correct that contributions from church members prvide the funds for the Bibles. The Gideon men volunteer to place them in the rooms of not only hotels but hospitals and prisons. God's word is there for the people who need it.
    Gideon Auxiliary member in Lubbock, Texas

  • Posted By: Sassi_1987 @ 11/11/2007 2:14:54 PM

    Hotels should not provide Holy Scriptures or sex items. People can pack their own religious books and condoms in their luggage, and no one will get offended. Some people staying in hotels want both while others want neither.

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/14/2007 12:59:22 PM

      Hotels do not provide the Bibles. The Gideons do. They are paid for through contributions from fellow believers. Your point is moot. And so is the assertion that hotels should provide texts from all other religions. They are welcome to, but foundations that ascribe to those religions must bear the financial burden. Apparently they are unwilling to-otherwise their texts would be present.

    • Posted By: pennyln @ 11/14/2007 12:56:47 PM

      Hotels do not provide scriptures. The Gideons provide them. They pay for them through contributions from other believers. Your point is moot. And so are the rest that say hotels must provide the religious texts of other religions. They are welcome to-but foundations that ascribe to those religions must bear the financial burden. Apparently they are not willing-otherwise their texts would be there.

  • Posted By: ctait @ 11/13/2007 10:05:17 PM

    Angel for Christ:
    This nation was not founded as a christian nation! They founding fathers clearly (based on their own writings) wanted a secular state. I think if they could see how religion has moved into politics they would be greatly concerned.

  • Posted By: ctait @ 11/13/2007 10:00:50 PM

    Finally, I am so glad they are getting rid of them. I always wondered why they were in the rooms. It was like the hotels were telling me it is wrong to be an atheist.

  • Posted By: joyfulmommy @ 11/13/2007 12:14:49 PM

    It's simple. When you make a reservation next time, ask if the hotel provides a Bible or not in the room. If not, explain why you will no longer be staying with their hotel chain until they do. I will be encouraging my family and friends to do the same now that I am aware of this 'trend'.

    • Posted By: mismgm2 @ 11/13/2007 7:24:19 PM

      I guess you forgot about Stalin and all the executions in the name of Atheism.

  • Posted By: JesusFreak @ 11/13/2007 3:20:07 PM

    Very well said Spuddude.

  • Posted By: JesusFreak @ 11/13/2007 3:19:23 PM

    Well said Spuddude.

  • Posted By: ContriteHeart @ 11/13/2007 1:25:19 PM

    This is the beginning of the prophesy in the Book of Amos, chapter 8, verses 11 and 12, which read, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."
    Today in the Tribulation Period, there is nothing more important than the reading of God's Holy Word, the Holy Bible.

  • Posted By: ContriteHeart @ 11/13/2007 1:20:21 PM

    This is the beginning of the prophesy in the Book of Amos, chapter 8, verses 11 and 12, which read, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."
    Today in the Tribulation Period, there is nothing more important than the reading of God's Holy Word, the Holy Bible.

  • Posted By: Friendnotfoe @ 11/13/2007 12:46:38 PM

    I guess if others wanted to put their books of religion in hotel rooms, they could pay to do so. People who believe the Bible (including me) have long supported the Gideons monetarily to be able to help put Bibles in hotel rooms. Those of us who believe the Bible, would rather share it with others and make it available for those who find comfort there. I believe this is just another ploy to take God out of the public eye. We can make a difference only if we speak up and take action on issues such as this. God has already won the victory, but it doesn't mean we won't have battles!

  • Posted By: zeppo50 @ 11/13/2007 12:44:50 PM

    By the way, for those of you claiming that you shall boycott any hotel that refuses to allow your book of fiction, I say, please do!! I guess that means I won't have to hear your bible thumping... I see no downside to your pathetic little boycott.

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