Travelodge UK removes Bibles from all guestrooms

[Foreigner]

Chain with 500 hotels decided to remove Bibles on account of diversity of faiths.

Travelodge removes the Bible from every room | Mail Online

Little relevance for me when travelling. (Same for local telephone directories in rooms.)

 

[horseman]

The amount of times I've used the good book to wack a spider, this concerns me.

 

[Isochronous]

Travelodge kowtowing to the Islamist lobby. I'll be avoiding that motel chain from now on.

 

[Hvr]

Travelodge kowtowing to the Islamist lobby. I'll be avoiding that motel chain from now on.

Nothing in the article to suggest that Muslims had anything to do with this.

Frankly I don't like having a bible in the room and prefer it wasn't there unless of course I do see a spider.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Nothing in the article to suggest that Muslims had anything to do with this.

Frankly I don't like having a bible in the room and prefer it wasn't there unless of course I do see a spider.

Having travelled and lived in Birmingham and other bits of the UK I am almost certain it would be the Islamist lobby.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Having travelled and lived in Birmingham and other bits of the UK I am almost certain it would be the Islamist lobby.

Another aspect of the British way of life given up in favour of keeping some overly vocal minority who make no effort to fit in happy. This sort of thing breaks my heart and the sooner the British government stand up and say 'no', the better, IMO.

 

[opusman]

If the British way of life involves staying at Travelodges and reading the bible then I want no part of it.

 

[MrHyde]

In the interests of including everyone, why don't they stock all rooms with the Bible, the Quran, the Gita and whatever other religions visit their properties. Instead, they are being exclusive by removing the Bible.

Saying that, I've never ever wanted to read the Gita when I am in a hotel room. So maybe, the best idea would be to stock a small number of these books with the concierge and if anyone has the craving to read, can call room service and have it delivered to them.
This way they can both reduce costs (require only a dozen or so books for the whole property) and include people of all faiths.

 

[Mr_Orange]

In the interests of including everyone, why don't they stock all rooms with the Bible, the Quran, the Gita and whatever other religions visit their properties. Instead, they are being exclusive by removing the Bible.

Saying that, I've never ever wanted to read the Gita when I am in a hotel room. So maybe, the best idea would be to stock a small number of these books with the concierge and if anyone has the craving to read, can call room service and have it delivered to them.
This way they can both reduce costs (require only a dozen or so books for the whole property) and include people of all faiths.

Do hotels in predominantly Islamic countries stock Bibles for those of Christian faith to read? No, they do not! Why does a predominantly Christian country need to be afraid of its own religion and roots and constantly seek the middle, PC ground in an attempt to keep everyone happy?

 

[MrHyde]

In all my travels in the Middle East, I haven't seen the Quran in the rooms either. Admittedly, I don't stay at the Western chains when there, so have a religious book in the room might be a predominantly western thing in the first place.

 

[harvyk]

I have absolutely no problems with the removal of bibles. If it's really a big deal, just take the holy book of your choice with you when you travel, or simply use one of the many religious websites out there / ebook options.

 

[jastel]

If they did it voluntarily...no problem.
If, as others believe, some group pressured them to...THAT is the problem.

People who read Bibles would have their own I would reckon.

 

[Foreigner]

People who read Bibles would have their own I would reckon.

So there's one good reason why Bibles are not necessary in hotel guestrooms.

 

[Pushka]

There was a rather excellent copy of the Quran in our Istanbul Intercontinental room last month. I was tempted to take it but thought karma might get me. I asked housekeeping the price to purchase one and at 100 euros I decided against it.

Nary a bible in sight.

 

[Foreigner]

There was a rather excellent copy of the Quran in our Istanbul Intercontinental room last month. I was tempted to take it but thought karma might get me. I asked housekeeping the price to purchase one and at 100 euros I decided against it.

Nary a bible in sight.

That was good move to leave it. Was the Quran in Arabic script?

I came across this on the Internet:

I once read somewhere that hookers put their phone numbers inside the front cover of Gideon bibles for savvy travelers to call.

Bad karma?

 

[drron]

But the bibles would not be a cost to Travelodge as in the UK as here the bibles would be provided by the Gideon's society-
https://www.gideons.org.uk/requests

So the removal has not been because of cost restraints.Certainly smacks of pressure being applied from somewhere.

 

[Pushka]

That was good move to leave it. Was the Quran in Arabic script?

I came across this on the Internet:

I once read somewhere that hookers put their phone numbers inside the front cover of Gideon bibles for savvy travelers to call.

Bad karma?

The Quran had Arabic script for each phrase then English. Wonderfully illustrated too.

 

[GladstoneTim]

I have heard multiple stories of hotel guests being depressed, contemplating suicide and have found hope and help in the Gideons-placed Bibles. They have a reference section at the front for those troubled, grieving, lonely etc. For the life-saving effect of them, I would prefer that the Bibles remain available in every hotel room.

 

[Pushka]

I think that there's a place for all types of spiritual books in hotel rooms. They can be very lonely places.

 

[harvyk]

I have heard multiple stories of hotel guests being depressed, contemplating suicide and have found hope and help in the Gideons-placed Bibles. They have a reference section at the front for those troubled, grieving, lonely etc. For the life-saving effect of them, I would prefer that the Bibles remain available in every hotel room.

There is also lifeline / other countries equivalent. Not to be rude about it, but I'd be trusting an actual counseling service over the hope that someone finds the answers they are looking for in a book which they may or may not consider looking at.

Just to be completely clear on my religious position, I am non-religious. If there is a god or a higher power I'm pretty sure that it can be expressed as a mathematical equation (physics is a pretty powerful beast). That said I quite enjoy joining in in fun religious festivals (of any variety), and I have no problems with people following a religion of their own choice. I completely understand that for some people, religion gives their life meaning and purpose, so I'm not one of those "abolish all religion" type people.

My personal liking of religious books been removed from hotels is not coming from a position of "well it's offensive to my religion". My liking comes from a position of having such holy books in my humble opinion is it is unnecessary in a secular society, and that I myself don't particularly want to see little reminders of religion (which makes my choice of wife just a little ironic, considering there is at least two or three crosses hiding around at home). Would I have taken an active position in removing said books if I was in charge of travelodge? Probably not, but if I was on the committee deciding if the books stay or go, I would have been voting for them to go.