Hotel Rooms and Toxic Waste (Bibles, BoM, etc)

[vorlon13]

I've never touched a Book of Mormon. If I happened across one in a motel/hotel room and had time, I'd look for the racist crap that is in it. Might be good for a laugh.

Writings of the early Mormons is also a treasure trove of some really nasty racist crappola.

[Jenny A]

It's not like some kid's going to find it and say, "Heyyyy. . . wait a minute? What's this. . . Jesus. . . guy?" and get his little brain corrupted.

Indeed. Actually reading the thing is the fastest ticket to atheism I know of.

[paulpablo]

What do you do?

I read them if I'm very bored.

I live in England and what you're doing probably wouldn't make an impact here except for increasing bible sales because hotels would have to buy new ones.
The people who actually believe in any sort of Christianity in England I'm sure are decreasing.
And it doesn't seem it would be very impact making here, I could probably go to a church in England, spit on a bible in front of it (as long as it was my own bible) and spend an hour ripping it to pieces and as long as I disposed of it without making a mess, probably all that would happen is a few old couples would tut.

On the other hand if I was found doing any of this sort of stuff to a Qur'an I'd probably have to move out of the area quickly.

But this is just were I live maybe where you and other people live this sort of thing is daring and controversial, messing around with bibles.

[vorlon13]

For instance:

For instance, the descendants of Cain cannot cast off their skin of blackness, at once, and immediately, although every soul of them should repent, obey the Gospel, and do right from this day forward. . . . Cain and his posterity must wear the mark, which God put upon them; and his white friends may wash the race of Cain with fuller’s soap every day, they cannot wash away God’s mark; The Lamanites, through transgression, became a loathsome, ignorant and filthy people, and were cursed with a skin of darkness … yet, they have the promise, if they will believe, and work righteousness, that not many generations shall pass away before they shall become a white and delightsome people; but it will take some time to accomplish this at best"


Prophet Joseph Smith

[Violet]

It's something that the hotel offers free of charge as a courtesy... I do not see why one would need to vandalize and/or dispose of said courtesy. If it offends you, then put it in a drawer or lay it upon the floor.

Nothing but unlikely laughter is gained from the vandalism, and nothing at all is gained from the binning.

[Justtristo]

On our last trip, my GF wrote a note of warning and placed it in the Bible. She also took the BoM and disposed of it "safely" in a trashcan at the beach.

Kudos to your girlfriend for putting the Book of Mormon in a place where it belongs.

[Mr Greene]

I live in England and what you're doing probably wouldn't make an impact here except for increasing bible sales because hotels would have to buy new ones.

Doesn't cost them a penny, they're distributed free of charge by the Gideons Society. When me and my fiancee last stayed at a hotel she wrote 'Once upon a time...' on the first page.
They're also found in hospital cabinets by bedsides which is rather obnoxious.
If someone wants this piffle they should be available from the reception desk on request, not thrust down our throats like a cheap penis extension.

[Chas]

It's something that the hotel offers free of charge as a courtesy... I do not see why one would need to vandalize and/or dispose of said courtesy. If it offends you, then put it in a drawer or lay it upon the floor.

Nothing but unlikely laughter is gained from the vandalism, and nothing at all is gained from the binning.

It is a statement to the hotel that the books are not universally appreciated. So, there's that.

[vorlon13]

I live in England and what you're doing probably wouldn't make an impact here except for increasing bible sales because hotels would have to buy new ones.

Doesn't cost them a penny, they're distributed free of charge by the Gideons Society. When me and my fiancee last stayed at a hotel she wrote 'Once upon a time...' on the first page.
They're also found in hospital cabinets by bedsides which is rather obnoxious.
If someone wants this piffle they should be available from the reception desk on request, not thrust down our throats like a cheap penis extension.

Not that there is anything wrong with a cheap penis extension.

[Fromper]

However it got there, it is the property of the hotel. I just rent the room. I don't dispose of the things I don't like in it. If I threw out every piece of useless ugliness in hotel rooms, I suspect the damages charged to my credit card would begin to add up. So throwing it away or defacing it is out.

The books are donated by the Gideons, and I've heard several reports that they're always very happy to replace them, because they want people to take them. If they think people are taking them to actually read and convert, they're very happy.

Stickers -- I like the idea of representing an opposing view point and maybe it will trigger someone to think for a moment. Maybe the viewer might look up a fact or two.

About the only benefit I can see is the off chance that someone really on the fence finds it. Even the, it's just as likely to make them think "atheists are jerks". I've talked to people who stayed Christian longer than they otherwise would have because they didn't want to "be like the atheists".

In addition, any believer that sees this will feel attacked and won't actually reexamine their beliefs. This will also add fuel to the fire about Christianity being "under attack".

I think the best approach is to leave your own reading materials to counter the Bible. That way, you come off as a reasonable person presenting a different viewpoint, instead of just an immature jerk vandalizing the book that's there.

So just for kicks, I did a quick Google search and found the FAQ on the Gideons International page about the Bibles in hotel rooms. It doesn't say if they mind people "stealing" them. So I emailed them at the address on that FAQ page:

I know that your organization is responsible for placing most of the Bibles found in hotel rooms, and I had a question about that. Are those intended just for people to read while they're staying in that hotel room, or do you expect them to be taken by hotel patrons, and you replace them regularly? I wouldn't want to steal the Bible from a hotel if you only intend for it to be read there, but if you don't mind people taking them, I know someone who would like to "steal" one from their hotel.

Needless to say, I used my "backup" email address that I use for spam collection, rather than my real email addy for everyday use. I don't want to be on their mailing list.