Speaking of Bibles - WHY do they put a Bible in every Hotel Room?

[matcom]

:shrug:

and who is "they" anyway?

when did it start and who started it?

why a Bible and not a Dictionary or why anything at all?

:shrug:

[LynneSin]

1. There was an Urban Legend that some of the bibles have $100 bill in them

And if it wasn't for the Gideon's Bible, the Beatles could have never written Rocky Racoon.

[matcom]

2. the Beatles sucked

now ANSWER MY QUESTION DAMMIT! :grr:

[LynneSin]

3. Well, they had some great music but not #1 on my list

However

http://ky.essortment.com/gideonbible_rcwz.htm

Basically it was the story of two men who were strangers but forced to share a hotel room. They found that they were both Christians and were inspired to start a mission where bibles were placed in every hotel around the globe

[matcom]

5. interesting

thanks for the link.

i wish someone would start distributing "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot" to all hotels though

x(

[LynneSin]

6. Didn't you share a hotel room with DS1 and WillPitt?

And when you shared the hotel room together, didn't you discover that you all three were a bunch of raging liberals who drank like fishes?


That night could be YOUR inspiration to start distributing the book to all the hotels. I'll help!

[matcom]

7. WillPitt Kept Me Awake With His Snoring

and DS1 kept me awake in other ways :bounce:

[LynneSin]

8. Funny, WillPitt said you kept him awake with your snoring

and DS1 was upset that he couldn't cop a feel

[WilliamPitt]

45. Oh bullshit

How could I snore with DS1 sitting on my face?

Wait, did I say that out loud...?

[matcom]

64. you do have a point

must have been queefing

:hide:

[LynneSin]

68. Oh Will - you were the party pooper that went to bed earlier

We were merely the catalysts in the other room determined to not allow you to sleep. That was a great night with Khephra!

[WilliamPitt]

74. Man, you want to talk about snoring?

Kheph sounded like a goddam gravel truck.

Oh, and that was the *worst* hangover I've ever had.

[LynneSin]

75. We know - remember, he shared the room with Ramsey, RBNYC and I

but we loved him anyways!

That weekend I remember waking up with like 10 people sleeping that tiny little room I had

[begin_within]

50. Actually they were filming a gay porn video called "God, Was I Drunk"

[hunter]

56. Bible spanking.

Who could forget that?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. Naaah, let's go the full monty

And distribute Richard Dawkins' latest book instead.

[hfojvt]

18. Is such a move likely to help Democrats

the way the Franken book is intended to?

"Believe in the Foma that make you brave and happy and strong."

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

25. OK, I'll write this in the title page:

"This is a gift from a true conservative. Down with socialism! Viva Ayn Rand! Viva the Free market!"

Happy now?

[hfojvt]

36. well, wasn't Ayn Rand an atheist?

Didn't have those delusional beliefs in compassion or altruism.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

40. Oh, yes, she was. I went specifically for someone

who was (a) an atheist, (b) a free-marketeer, and (c) an asshole.

(1) I didn't know compassion and altruism were the exclusive province of religious people.
(2) Ep zpv ifbe zpvs ifbe QFSNBOFOUMZ vq zpvs btt?

[Susang]

43. Didn't you get the talking points?

Bad Democrat, bad, bad! :spank:

[Susang]

42. Hitler was a vegetarian

Or so it's been posted. ;-)

That doesn't make all vegetarians Hitler, now does it? Logic is your friend.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

47. Yes, he was, although only in his later years

as a DYI attempt to treat gastric problems. Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood History nitpicker.

[Susang]

49. But you didn't address my central point!

So I'm going to throw a tantrum! x(

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

54. Dszcbcz. -ou

[hfojvt]

57. so is reading comprehension yours

I never said all atheists were Ayn Rand. For campaign reasons my signature no longer includes the quote from Isaac Asimov.

However, I did imply that often compassion and altruism are taught right alongside the "God delusion".

[Susang]

59. As humor is yours

Lighten up, Francis. :eyes:

[hfojvt]

62. Oh humour ar ar

It's funny when you imply somebody is too stupid to understand logic. Well, funny for the other Heathers that are laughing at him.

Don't expect me to laugh when I (or anybody else*) is the punchline.

* exceptions - it is funny when these are the punchline

Dick Cavett
the Minnesota Vikings
the Dallas Cowboys
George W. Bush
Ralph Nader
Alan Greenspan
Eminem
Joe Lieberman
Dick Cavett (again)
Jerry Falwell
the NY Yankees

[Susang]

63. Once again, you completely fly by the point

You didn't see the obviously intended humor in Commie Pinko Liberal's post and came down on him like a load of bricks. So save your "Heather" references and try to lighten up a little, you'll live longer. :eyes:

[hfojvt]

65. You call that a ton of bricks?

I was at a Kiwanis meeting once when a picture was passed around showing one of our members, who was at my table, on the front page of the paper. She, as a representative of the local Republican women's group, had donated a copy of Ann Coulter's "Treason" (edit - to the library). Apparently it did not occur to her that some of the Democrats in our group might, just might possibly, find that book offensive.

So I thought it prudent, in this case, to suggest that perhaps many voters might find "The God Delusion" to be a little bit offensive as well. I don't believe I personally attacked CPD while I was doing so. Unlike, say, all of your responses to me.

[Susang]

67. Well, you did

Attack, that is. Learn something new every day, don't you?

[hfojvt]

73. "I've learned that the world is cold. It's cruel. It's dirty.

And it's full of people who hate you and are mean to you, just because you're different." Tracy Ullman

[JVS]

16. They're no Oasis, but saying that they sucked is going too far!

[Susang]

70. No!!!!!!

If you say the "O" word, he will come! :hide:

[Gormy Cuss]

4. They're just messing with you.

The Gideons are like the underwear gnomes.

[ScreamingMeemie]

9. And why are they sometimes chained??

:shrug:

[matcom]

10. VERY good question

i would think they would be nailed down

[Richardo]

26. .

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. OMFG. Have I ever said I love ya? -nt

[asthmaticeog]

28. !!!

:rofl:

Funniest post in ages. :thumbsup:

[ScreamingMeemie]

41. .

:spray:

[bridgit]

20. to...suggest we shed by way enlightenment this mortal coil of blood, sweat....

& tears :shrug:...no wait, that's some kind of rock band :headbang:

[billyskank]

11. In Britain it's the Gideons who do it

They're famous for it.

[izzybeans]

12. Google Bill Hicks and Gideons

[Fuzz]

30. I'm gonna catch me a Gideon!!!!

What the fuck is a Gideon anyway?

Has anyone ever seen a Gideon? I haven't. How'd this Bible get here?

I've been in this hotel room all fucking day!

I don't think anyone has seen a Gideon yet there they are, putting Bibles in hotel room all over the world.

I'm gonna catch me a Gideon.

"Hello? Front desk? I don't seem to have a Bible in my room."

::Bill pretends to hide behind the door of his hotel room in order to sneak up on the Gideon delivering the Bible::

I miss Bill Hicks. :(

[izzybeans]

31. I carry him in my breast pocket always. From my IPOD to god's ear I suppose.

[ghostsofgiants]

79. Haha, first thought that came to my head as well.

[Ikonoklast]

13. Well, I've always thought that

the cheap paper that the Gideon Bible is printed on made excellent rolling paper, in a pinch.

Deuteronomy always burned really good. Just my personal preference.

[Lady Freedom]

24. AHHHH!! Your go to...

The Rush Limbaugh show for that one!!!

[JVS]

15. They are the Gideons, and Bible distribution is their raison d'etre

http://www.gideons.org/

From the webpage "Hotels and Motels. The Gideons first placed Bibles in hotels in 1908. Over the years, many lives have been changed because of Bibles placed in hotel and motel rooms. The Word of God placed by The Gideons often meets the needs of travelers in times of loneliness and despair. Other areas of distribution for Hotel Bibles have been added through the years. They include motels, hospitals, jails, doctors' offices, ships, and airplanes."

[underpants]

19. Right- Hotels at the time were often the habitat of the lonely

the drunkards, the junkies, cheaters, prostitution, and society's cast offs so they were trying to reach them.

Any time there is a new medium of communication three elements will deluge it to spread their message:
Religion
Pornography
and Professional Wrestling

[Taverner]

23. Bill Hicks had a hilarious routine about the Gideons

"For being everywhere, I've never seen one...one of these days I'm going to wait outside a hotel and catch one..."

[MissMillie]

17. To give you something to do while you wait for the PPV porn to load

:shrug:

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. ...

:spray:

Best answer on this thread! :thumbsup:

[Coventina]

22. I'm gonna get flamed for this but....I'm going to defend the Gideons.

As a Christian organization, I respect them.

They distribute Bibles. That's all they do.

It's your choice to read it or not. Or to accept one or not, when they are distributing them.

If you read it, it's your choice to believe it or not.

The ones that are placed in hotel rooms often have specific scriptures highlighted for comfort and solace for those that are lonely or hurting.

Once again, your choice to read or believe, or even open the book to begin with.

[petronius]

32. No reason you should be flamed - you're exactly correct

I didn't know that about the specific passages; I've never actually looked inside the hotel-room Bible...

[cobalt1999]

37. I'm an atheist and I don't mind the Gideons..

BUT the hotels should be willing to put the Book of Mormon, Koran, Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Dawkins God Delusion if groups were willing to fund copies of those books too.

Put them all in the room!

[billyskank]

48. I'm not sure if it's a matter of the hotels being willing

but maybe just that the Gideons are the only ones going round putting books in hotel rooms?

:shrug:

[cobalt1999]

52. Oh, I know.

I can't blame the Gideons for funding the bibles. My point was if other groups were also willing to fund different books, would they be stopped by the hotels? I suspect yes, but even then it is the hotels that are to blame not the Gideons.

[billyskank]

69. Probably

Even if America is not supposed to be a 'Christian nation', still Christianity certainly enjoys a privileged position in your country. I'm not even sure if this is a bad thing; after all, try being a Christian in Saudi Arabia.

[Frank Cannon]

53. In the Rocky Mountain states, you often get the Book of Mormon

in addition to the Bible, and sometimes instead of it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

71. I've been in many a hotel with a Book of Mormon

I don't think any hotel would object to anyone who brought them a pile of holy books of any kind and asked them to go into the rooms. The hotels aren't paying for any of them, so I'm sure they wouldn't care.

This does make me curious about the Koran, though - I wonder if Muslims would allow it, since they have a different view of "holiness" in regards to that book, and might feel that putting it in a hotel room might lead its being defaced, misused, harmed, or touched by the unclean.

I'm not saying I'm right - I wish I had an answer. I'm just not sure that Muslims would scatter Korans around the US that way.

[Kali]

78. Found one in the trunk of a rental car once.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

81. When I stayed in a hotel in Salt Lake City several years ago,

there WAS a Book of Mormon in the drawer of the bedside table along with a Gideon Bible.

The chain of hotels* in Japan that I frequent most often has a Japanese Bible and some sort of Buddhist scriptures on the shelf above the desk.

*Toyoko Inns, found nearly everywhere in Japan, cost less than $70/night for a single, have rooms that look like they're from a college dorm but with private bath and broadband Internet.

[Elidor]

58. There's something singular about the experience

Of being in a bland room in a strange city, reading the Old Testament. If it wasn't for the Gideons, I might never have read all those great horror stories. My only complaint is that they distribute the wretched King James version. Gimme a Lamsa bible and I'll be a happy camper.

[MrCoffee]

29. lotsa suicide in hotel rooms, they were trying to reach them.

[Deep13]

33. So you can look out the window...

...and check off each Commandment as you see it being broken.

[hunter]

60. I've stayed in motels like that.

Hell, I haven't even had to look out the window.

[jobycom]

34. They can't afford to put a bottle of Jack in every room. I started to say

either:

It's like the phone book, only it helps you to call God.

or

Because they wouldn't want to use the money to send food to hungry people.

But I didn't say either.

[trof]

35. I last used it to hold back the curtain over the air conditioner

that always billows out like a sail and sucks up all the cold air.
;-)
And it's the Gideons who put them out.

[idgiehkt]

38. so if you forget the rolling papers

you'll have a decent substitute.

[WilliamPitt]

46. Nothing quite like a Genesis Joint

In the beginning...*koff*

[idgiehkt]

77. lol

thanks, I needed a little giggle...

:rofl:

[ghostsofgiants]

80. A Revelation joint would probably be a bit of a buzzkill though...

What with all the beasts and horses and such.

[Lowell]

39. They're great when

you can't get a Sears catalogue.

[WilliamPitt]

44. Surveillance

:tinfoilhat:

[Parche]

51. bibles

I think it was because they were tired of hearing people yell "Oh God, Oh God we are coming" every night.................

[Deja Q]

55. 'Bible' is an Esperanto word meaning 'No Baby-Making allowed'

:yoiks:

[hunter]

61. Maybe free condoms would work better???

:yoiks:

[leftofthedial]

66. hotel bibles are for emergency only

in case the room's pay-per-view porn is not violent or perverted enough to get you off.

[LaraMN]

72. For when you run out of rolling papers.

:P

[KamaAina]

76. I was just in a room that didn't have one

that I could find, anyway. And strangely enough, it was a Marriott. Normally at a Marriott, you get a Book of Mormon in addition to your garden-variety Gideon Bible. :shrug: Who knows? Maybe the last guest bogarted it instead of a bath towel.

[Xithras]

82. They used to encourage people to take them.

I've stayed in plenty of hotels that had them, but haven't cracked one open in over a decade. The Gideon Bibles used to have little sticker on them, or an insert in them, encouraging you to keep the Bible if you needed it. As I understand it, they have local branches that recheck the hotels periodically and restock them if needed.

[AllegroRondo]

83. I have quite the collection of hotel bibles

over a hundred of them.

I got in the habit of taking them on road trips, and writing the date and place inside the front cover.