Why do hotels only offer the bible?

While vacationing at Disney World Orlando this past week I met a very interesting fellow also on vacation with his family from Pakistan. We were both sitting by the pool, relaxing and enjoying an adult beverage while our families were frolicing in the water. The kids were playing Marco polo.I felt as though we had so much in common. We both commented on how lovely the resort was, right down to the bidet in the bathroom.Then he blindsided me with a question I could not answer. Why do hotels only offer the bible? Laughing if off, I answered, oh its probably only a U.S. thing. His face went to a cold serious look and said, no its all over the world. He then broke out laughing and said God bless Disney World and brought me a shot of jager. This made me wonder. Why is it that hotels around the world only offer the bible?

reply to post by Theophorus


I've never looked into the exact relationship, but it's not the hotels offering the bibles - as far as I'm aware.

The Gideon International organization provides these bibles, and they're a christian group. Not sure if they have an agreement with these hotels, or if they just sneak in and plant them. Otherwise they must spend a lot on hotel stays if it's not one of the first two options and they just leave them behind.

Anyhow, here's their wiki page for a little background. I guess there's just not any other groups of different faith out there that have such extensive free book evangelism like this?

Be well!

because america was founded based on christianity ...


they have lots of power, but really have you been to a hotel lately?

I haven't seen a bible in one

reply to post by Theophorus


It was started by a traveling salesman, a christian, named gideon who believed all traveling salesmen should be able to read the bible on the road and in case they forgot one he decided to put them in hotel rooms. That's not entirely accurate but it's the basis for the story.

If you wan't more details about how it first started, i think it was the salesman meeting another religious man one night, just google the story. They from what I understand started a company have since then been sending or selling them to hotels.

No other religion as far as I know has even attempted to put a copy of their teachings in hotels. So there ya go

Because 2 would be one too many...I would prefer to have them leave stuff like the national enquirer in the rooms...i find that to be more realistic than the bible..

Originally posted by Theophorus
While vacationing at Disney World Orlando this past week I met a very interesting fellow also on vacation with his family from Pakistan. We were both sitting by the pool, relaxing and enjoying an adult beverage while our families were frolicing in the water. The kids were playing Marco polo.I felt as though we had so much in common. We both commented on how lovely the resort was, right down to the bidet in the bathroom.Then he blindsided me with a question I could not answer. Why do hotels only offer the bible? Laughing if off, I answered, oh its probably only a U.S. thing. His face went to a cold serious look and said, no its all over the world. He then broke out laughing and said God bless Disney World and brought me a shot of jager. This made me wonder. Why is it that hotels around the world only offer the bible?

So, you were getting wasted while your kids were swimming in a pool?

And to answer your question, i have seen some with fully intact phonebooks also.

I always wondered this as well. Maybe Christians pay the hotels and give them the bibles. Maybe they want people to read them instead of watching the motel television.

It was either that or sleeping pills.

Both help you to sleep or commit suicide.

Other religions dont do it because it would be a huge waste of resources.

Seriously does anyone even read them?

really?

I bet those are "Gideon" bibles.
and they pay for those to be left there.

Next....

Every hotel in the World it seems has a holy Bible. Is this a prerequisite for owning a hotel? Even private hotel/ resorts have Bibles. I would just like to know the exact number. better yet can anyone find me a hotel that does not have bibles in their rooms?

Because the Hare Krishnas called dibs on airports...

Badaboom...

Ok there is my pitiful attempt at religious humor.



With Love,

Your Brother

P.S. The real scoop...

Founded in 1809 in New York, the International Bible Society is one of the leading publishers of ethnic scriptures, publishing Bibles in more than 350 languages (the 1810 Bengali translation is still in use in India). The IBS provided Bibles to Civil War soldiers, and, according to communications coordinator Stephanie Nelson, started putting Bibles in hotels in 1823 -- more than 75 years before the Gideons started their ministry.

Straight Dope

In Aus, we get the bible, coffee, and some biscuits aswell.

Originally posted by Theophorus
... better yet can anyone find me a hotel that does not have bibles in their rooms

Motel 6, Airport South, Salinas CA.
Never seen a bible there.

Plenty of lot lizards though...

Pretty sure they offer porn aswell .

As for the bible , I had always herd that it was in most hotels for that lonely person , in a hotel , possibly wrestling demons . The bible is suppse to help bring peace to that person .

More to the point , to prevent suicide of the lonely .

Originally posted by Max_TO
Pretty sure they offer porn aswell .

As for the bible , I had always herd that it was in most hotels for that lonely person , in a hotel , possibly wrestling demons . The bible is suppse to help bring peace to that person .

More to the point , to prevent suicide of the lonely .

Lets just hope these people don't finger through the old testament.

I think the bibles tend to be used for other things...I speak from teenage motel room party experience...

I have a bedside table with a drawer in the guest room. Guess what's the only thing in that drawer?

reply to post by Theophorus


As already pointed out.....that fictional book that is in MOST hotels is something started by the "Gideons", decades ago. It is not compulsory, for hotels....just a "habit" (pun).

BUT...guess you have never stayed at any Marriott properties???
(Marriott, Residence Inn, Courtyard, etc.....)

The founder/owner Bill Marriott and his family are Mormons. So...., guess what??

Yup....! Every hotel room in that chain...TWO silly fictional books! (Hard to tell which is the craziest though....)

__________________________

And....since cigarettes, ladders, power tools, and...well, just about everything nowadays usually has some sort of warning label mandated....can't understand why "bibles" (and, the "book of mormon", for that matter) are exempt??:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a109ece1f7e5.jpg[/atsimg]

probably because the bibles are free but you'll see alot less of them over the coming few years; it will be placed with FEMA and TSA rules

There was one hotel I stayed in once that actually had a copy of the bible, the qoran, and the teachings of buddha.