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Post by déjà vu on Aug 17, 2014 21:59:55 GMT -5
Hotel chain in Britain removes Bibles from rooms
Published August 17, 2014· FoxNews.com
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The decision by one of Britain’s largest hotel chains to remove Bibles from its rooms has sparked complaints from Christians.
Travelodge, which operates 500 hotels, says the Bibles were removed for “diversity reasons,” citing the country’s increasing multicultural influences, the Daily Mail reported. The chain reportedly said that despite the recent uproar, the decision to remove the Bibles was made in 2007.
The company said in a statement that the move was designed so as “not to discriminate against any religion.” Now the Bibles, supplied by the Gideon Society, are available at the reception desks for guests to borrow.
According to the Daily Mail, a receptionist at a Travelodge branch in London could not find a copy of the Bible when one was recently requested, and suggested instead to use the hotel’s free Wifi to “Google it and read it online.”
The employee was forced to call his manager when pressed to find a hard copy of the Bible and was told that there were no Bibles in the hotel since a renovation done last year.
Travelodge is the first national hotel chain to remove Bibles, according to the report. In 2012, one independent hotel replaced Bibles with the best-seller, “Fifty Shades of Grey.”
The Church of England is not happy with the hotel’s policy. “[It is] both tragic and bizarre that hotels would remove the word of God for the sake of ergonomic design, economic incentive or a spurious definition of the word ‘diversity.’ ” the Church said in a statement.
Tim Stanley, a U.S. historian, makes the point that no one ever lodged a complaint to Travelodge about the hotel room Bibles, and says in an op-ed for the Telegraph, “It’s an act of cultural vandalism upon a tradition that goes back 126 years.”
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Post by Mary on Aug 17, 2014 22:24:53 GMT -5
The Bible is still the best seller and the most stolen book, so I read in the news. Maybe there will be less Bibles to steal now that hotels are stopping having them.
How many have you got in your house? At a guess I could say 4, but then there are 5 computers and they all have the Bible in them too.
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Post by fixit on Aug 18, 2014 0:04:38 GMT -5
Hotel chain in Britain removes Bibles from rooms Published August 17, 2014· FoxNews.com Facebook1160 Twitter347 livefyre4189 The decision by one of Britain’s largest hotel chains to remove Bibles from its rooms has sparked complaints from Christians. Travelodge, which operates 500 hotels, says the Bibles were removed for “diversity reasons,” citing the country’s increasing multicultural influences, the Daily Mail reported. The chain reportedly said that despite the recent uproar, the decision to remove the Bibles was made in 2007. The company said in a statement that the move was designed so as “not to discriminate against any religion.” Now the Bibles, supplied by the Gideon Society, are available at the reception desks for guests to borrow. According to the Daily Mail, a receptionist at a Travelodge branch in London could not find a copy of the Bible when one was recently requested, and suggested instead to use the hotel’s free Wifi to “Google it and read it online.” The employee was forced to call his manager when pressed to find a hard copy of the Bible and was told that there were no Bibles in the hotel since a renovation done last year. Travelodge is the first national hotel chain to remove Bibles, according to the report. In 2012, one independent hotel replaced Bibles with the best-seller, “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The Church of England is not happy with the hotel’s policy. “[It is] both tragic and bizarre that hotels would remove the word of God for the sake of ergonomic design, economic incentive or a spurious definition of the word ‘diversity.’ ” the Church said in a statement. Tim Stanley, a U.S. historian, makes the point that no one ever lodged a complaint to Travelodge about the hotel room Bibles, and says in an op-ed for the Telegraph, “It’s an act of cultural vandalism upon a tradition that goes back 126 years.” At the rate Islam is growing in the West, in a few years we might see Korans supplied for hotel rooms.
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Post by placid-void on Aug 18, 2014 9:32:07 GMT -5
Interestingly, I find nothing amiss with the decision by an hotelier not to avail himself of the services of the Gideon Society. To me, the decision is simply the consequence of Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand in motion and reflective of a healthy dynamic in a culture (diversity of action rather than word).
It is regrettable that the corporate fathers fell back on a “politically correct” motivation to justify their decision. How refreshing it would have been to have read a press release: “Hotel chain makes decision to discontinue its long standing relationship with the Gideon Society”, simple, straight forward, (probably honest) and direct. I think it is probably a prudent and wise business practice to maintain a few copies at the front desk.
The work of the Gideon Society to place bibles in lodging establishments probably served a useful evangelical purpose at one time. The availability of a bible in the night stand of a hotel room, however, is not a “human right”. To label the decision of the hotel as “cultural vandalism” strikes me as verging on excessive.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if those inconvenienced by the absence of a bible in their room simply made alternate arrangements on their next visit to town?
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Post by snow on Aug 18, 2014 9:53:47 GMT -5
Interestingly, I find nothing amiss with the decision by an hotelier not to avail himself of the services of the Gideon Society. To me, the decision is simply the consequence of Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand in motion and reflective of a healthy dynamic in a culture (diversity of action rather than word). It is regrettable that the corporate fathers fell back on a “politically correct” motivation to justify their decision. How refreshing it would have been to have read a press release: “Hotel chain makes decision to discontinue its long standing relationship with the Gideon Society”, simple, straight forward, (probably honest) and direct. I think it is probably a prudent and wise business practice to maintain a few copies at the front desk. The work of the Gideon Society to place bibles in lodging establishments probably served a useful evangelical purpose at one time. The availability of a bible in the night stand of a hotel room, however, is not a “human right”. To label the decision of the hotel as “cultural vandalism” strikes me as verging on excessive. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if those inconvenienced by the absence of a bible in their room simply made alternate arrangements on their next visit to town? Most hotel rooms I've been in, the bible in the drawer doesn't even look like it's ever been opened. With bible accessibility on phones, laptops etc., it would seem that this complaint is just that, another complaint. Having a few at the front desk seems like a compromise. Most people that read their bible a lot likely have their own with them because it feels more comfortable for them. In such a multicultural world, it would seem to be a good move. They can't possibly provide all the religions their 'holy book' in motel rooms, so why cater to just one religion?
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Post by rational on Aug 19, 2014 16:51:48 GMT -5
Visit a Marriott property and you might get TWO holy books!
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Post by dmmichgood on Aug 19, 2014 17:08:48 GMT -5
I'm glad to see them stop having a bible in every room.
I get tired of seeing bibles in various places, motels, hospitals, doctor's offices places that when I am there, that is my space that the Gideons are invading.
There is absolutely no need for that kind of intrusion of a religion though out a secular nation.
I feel that I have just as much right to remove them as the Gideons seem to think they have the right to place them in my space when I pay for a motel room.
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Post by bubbles on Aug 19, 2014 17:17:57 GMT -5
I'm glad to see them stop having a bible in every room.
I get tired of seeing bibles in various places, motels, hospitals, doctor's offices places that when I am there, that is my space that the Gideons are invading.
There is absolutely no need for that kind of intrusion of a religion though out a secular nation.
I feel that I have just as much right to remove them as the Gideons seem to think they have the right to place them in my space when I pay for a motel room.
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Post by bubbles on Aug 19, 2014 17:19:27 GMT -5
I'm glad to see them stop having a bible in every room.
I get tired of seeing bibles in various places, motels, hospitals, doctor's offices places that when I am there, that is my space that the Gideons are invading.
There is absolutely no need for that kind of intrusion of a religion though out a secular nation.
I feel that I have just as much right to remove them as the Gideons seem to think they have the right to place them in my space when I pay for a motel room. Seems like you are over reacting. How can the presence of a book hurt you?
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