# Motel Bibles **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 24, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258 "2003-02-24T22:10:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/1 "2003-02-24T22:10:28Z")
Why a Bible in the telephone table drawer in motels? And, who puts them there. And, do non-believers object to them? Yikes…3 questions:confused: ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/2 "2003-02-24T22:12:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ltfire \* > \*\*Why a Bible in the telephone table drawer in motels? And, who puts them there. And, do non-believers object to them? Yikes…3 questions:confused: \*\* Presumably a holdover from some tradition Presumably the management Presumably you would need to ask each individual non-believer. Presumably yours, Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/3 "2003-02-24T22:15:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ltfire \* > \*\*Why a Bible in the telephone table drawer in motels? And, who puts them there. And, do non-believers object to them? Yikes…3 questions:confused: \*\* They’re called Gideon Bibles. They’re put there by the Gideons International. They’re they’re for the taking. I don’t know how athiests, or other assorted infidels, feel about them. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/4 "2003-02-24T22:18:53Z")
They are placed by the Gideons, an evangelical Christian association. They place them because they believe that every lonely soul in a motel room should have a Bible handy. As an atheist, I think it’s silly, but I appreciate the thought (even though I occasionally feel like being a wiseass about it, and replacing the Bibles with a copy of something like the Humanist Manifesto or The Origin of Species). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/5 "2003-02-24T22:22:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nametag \* > As an atheist, I think it’s silly, but I appreciate the thought (even though I occasionally feel like being a wiseass about it, and replacing the Bibles with a copy of something like the Humanist Manifesto or The Origin of Species). Heheh. That’s pretty funny. I have a friend who used to do a lot of travelling for business and collected Gideon bibles that he stole from every hotel room he was in. He had a whole crate of them in his basement. Probably about 300 all together. Last I hears he was selling them on eBay. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/6 "2003-02-24T22:38:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*I have a friend who used to do a lot of travelling for business and collected Gideon bibles that he stole from every hotel room he was in. \*\* They are there for the taking. It’s like trying to steal complementary mints. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/7 "2003-02-24T22:42:32Z")
You could always search the Archives: [Why is there a Bible in every hotel room?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgideon.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/8 "2003-02-24T22:51:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*You could always search the Archives: > [Why is there a Bible in every hotel room?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgideon.html) \*\* Dang, you beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/9 "2003-02-25T01:21:25Z")
Last shady motel I stayed in, the Gideon’s Bible had a nice cigar burn on it, along with several other burns throughout the room and what appeared to be bloodstains on the pillowcase. I couldn’t really think of anything better to add to it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/10 "2003-02-25T01:33:54Z")
I strongly recommend Penn & Teller’s [_How to Play in Traffic_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1572972939/qid=1046136891/sr=8-4/ref=sr_8_4/102-3450295-4580134?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for anyone who would like to have some serious fun with their Gideon Bible and an unwitting roommate. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/11 "2003-02-25T01:42:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by js\_africanus \* > \*\*They are there for the taking. It’s like trying to steal complementary mints. \*\* And here I thought I was a sinner for taking one. Also I have been to hotels that had some Buddhist manuscript. I forget the title. ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/12 "2003-02-25T01:49:42Z")
The Gideon’s figure that at some time, someone in a time of trouble may turn to the bible in their bedside night stand. Although I’m not a Christian, I can’t argue with the sentiment and if it helps someone, good enough. In Utah, you usually find the Book of Mormon instead. Sometimes, you find both. The second reason\* I’m going to hell is that I usually sign them, “Thanks for reading me. {signed} God.” I took a couple as reference books for qoutes. The only other bible I have is in Norwegian. Whistlepig - The First Reason I’m Going To Hell: I was in a hurry to go to a meeting a couple of blocks from my office. Standing on the corner was a pre-school class on their way to the state capitol. The sign was flashing “Don’t Walk” but there were only a few cars coming and I could beat them across the street. I got about three steps off the curb and into the street when I heard a little voice behind me say, “Teacher, why is that man going out into the street when the light is green?” Yep, I jaywalked, into traffic, in front of preschoolers. I will go to hell willingly for that moment of stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Meros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Meros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meros)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/13 "2003-02-25T01:58:04Z")
As an aside, every Hilton I’ve ever been to DOESN’T have a Bible in the drawer. BUT they all have Conrad Hilton’s Biography. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/14 "2003-02-25T01:58:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by js\_africanus \* > \*\*They’re they’re for the taking. \*\* Really? I looked at the Gideon’s website and it said nothing about that. Don’t remember anything written with the bible to tell people it was free for the taking. Wouldn’t taking one would deprive the next person (unless you told the front desk on checkout.) ---
**Author:** ![ProjectOmega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b487fb/32.png) [@ProjectOmega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProjectOmega)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/15 "2003-02-25T02:09:28Z")
They’re seriously complimentary? Damn, if I’d known that, I’d have quite a large stack of them by now. I’ll have to remember that next time I go travelling. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/16 "2003-02-25T02:18:40Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by whistlepig_ > The second reason\* I’m going to hell is that I usually sign them, “Thanks for reading me. {signed} God.” I have so got to try that the next time I go traveling! Great idea! ~ monica ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/17 "2003-02-25T03:06:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AcidKid \* > \*\*Really? I looked at the Gideon’s website and it said nothing about that. Don’t remember anything written with the bible to tell people it was free for the taking. Wouldn’t taking one would deprive the next person (unless you told the front desk on checkout.) \*\* Wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong. I’ll email them off the contact page and ask. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/18 "2003-02-25T03:12:52Z")
Hell, I thought in a motel room…whatever wasn’t nailed down was there for the taking! 😉 That’s why you don’t sign in w/ your real name right? ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/19 "2003-02-25T03:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by t-keela \* > \*\*Hell, I thought in a motel room…whatever wasn’t nailed down was there for the taking! \*\* And if it you can pry it loose then it wasn’t nailed down.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258/20 "2003-02-25T03:54:56Z")
I’ve always wondered who was low enough to steal those Bibles. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motel-bibles/157258.md?page=2)