Gideons Bibles No More?
According to Newsweek, the tradition of putting a Gideons Bible in the bedside table may be dying. At most hotels, this is something you will find in every room. Yet in the rooms of Manhattan’s Soho Grand Hotel, guest get iPod docking stations, flat-screen TVs, and a complimentary goldfish pet– but no Bible.
The 10-year-old hotel has never put Bibles in its guest rooms because “society evolves,” according to hotel spokeswoman Lori Deblois. The Newsweek article is mirrored here on afa.net.
I always found this to be very nice and convenient for me while traveling. After all, an isolated hotel room is a great place for sin to creep in. The temptation is great, and sometimes having a Bible there can serve as a good reminder, and a good way spend some time, especially if I’m bored of the other book I brought along.
Interestingly, the American Family Association is asking people to thank hotels that allow the Gideons to place a Bible in each room. It has always intrigued me that this ever became a tradition. It doesn’t make total sense in a society like ours, where freedom of religion is all-important, and Christianity is seen only behind-the-scenes. Honestly, I’m not sure if I would consciously avoid a hotel that didn’t have Bibles in its rooms. After all, it’s their hotel, and I can always bring my own Bible. What’s the right position to take?
Gideon Bible Society started putting free Bibles in the hotels for the very reasons you stated – a good book for people to read when they are bored, and to keep them accountable from sin when they think they are away from home and no one is watching.
Anytime you can get the Word of God available to people, I think it’s a good thing. What harm would it do to place a best seller in your hotel room? Sure, some people would be “offended”. But they don’t have to read it, just like I don’t read the tourist magazines that are placed in the hotel rooms. I am not offended that the tourism businesses are trying to get me to buy things from them.
Some people say that since this is pluralistic society, if a Bible is in the hotel room, then there should also be a Koran, and other religious books. If a hotel wants to clutter their rooms with endless books, and if it’s free to them, I don’t have a problem with that. But to say you can’t have a Bible there because other religious books are not represented doesn’t make logical sense.
I agree. But, at least sometimes, a hotel’s decision to allow Bibles in their room could be taken almost as an endorsement. Don’t they need to believe in the quality of the tourism magazines they include? Then again, maybe not…
Christianity has always been free will. To remove the access of the bible from a lost and dying world would be sinful. Jesus Said “I would trhat you all come to repentance.
Please can you send me application forms for joining the gideons. and info on joining.
Thankyou, Yours in Christ.