Hotels and Schools, Religion is Everywhere

Religion is everywhere. It’s in our money, in our Pledge of Allegiance, and we even have whole holidays devoted to the Christian beliefs about Jesus and his birth from the Virgin Mary. But do you ever think about how religion affects you and your culture when you go to a hotel, or even a school? For instance, if you are traveling somewhere and stop for the night at a Holiday Inn or a Motel 6, and you open up that bedside dresser you will most likely see a nice little Bible just sitting there, waiting for you to pick it up. Even in schools, could you think of Bibles being distributed in your schools? It happens. Religion, primarily Christianity, shows up everywhere in our culture, from hotel rooms to schools aided by religious groups spreading their message to the masses.
The Gideons International is an organization whose sole purpose is to get the scripture into as many hands worldwide as possible. This is the group that began distributing Bibles to hotels dating back to 1899. The original Gideons were from the book of Judges in the Bible that slaughtered Midianites, enemies of the worshipers of God in His name. Gideon, according to The Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary, means “he that bruises or breaks; a destroyer” (Dictionary.com), but nowadays they are the ones giving out the Word of God to millions, promoting peace and love. These are slightly different definitions, although are talking about the same thing. They are an organization started by businessmen traveling around the country and feeing the need for scripture. So, they began placing Bibles at the front desks in the lobbies and eventually began placing them in all the rooms of the hotel. They believe that “Over the years, many lives have been changed because of Bibles placed in hotel and motel rooms”(The Gideons International). But they also place Bibles in other places such as prisons, hospitals, universities and even elementary schools.
Although The Gideons International is spreading the Word vigorously, just last year in Annapolis, Missouri they went into an elementary school and began giving out Bibles to 5th-graders. Parents of those children brought the Gideons International to court, because they did not approve of the distribution of religious texts to children. There was a vote, and the Gideons were allowed to pass out the bibles. The parent asked that the school board “be stopped from further endorsement of religion.’”(pewforum.org). Also, in Ohio, the same situation happened, but in this case the Gideons were not allowed to continue the handing out of Bibles to the school children. The parents “contended the practice violates the constitutional separation of church and state”(Ohio Schools). This also shows that some Americans are resisting the Christian behavior of the Gideons, especially when it comes to their children being influenced by them. Either way, the distribution of Bibles around the world, and specifically in our country is getting noticed and either questioned or embraced.
Seeing the Bible every time you open that drawer in a hotel you are seeing the doings of the Gideons wanting you to either become a better Christian or to become one. This is one of the many things Americans witness every day that have religious meaning tied to it. And although the Gideons International are spreading their beliefs to people all over the world, Americans have become accustomed to the fact that there is probably going to be a Bible in the hotel room they stay at, trying to shape Americans into the completely Christian nation many want us to be. The mindset of Americans is used to seeing religious memorabilia all over the place, like Bibles visible in many public places. Americans don’t even question why there are Bibles in hotel rooms of America. They unconsciously accept that there are citizens everywhere trying to convert people to follow Jesus and His ways. No matter what religion is prominent in a country, or if there is one at all, there is religion surrounding us everywhere.
The Gideons International, spreading God’s Word to the masses would like to help people in need of escape from “loneliness and despair” by placing Bibles in the drawer of hotel rooms and giving them to young children (The Gideons Internantional). And even though a select few are not accepting this particular Christian influence, if you go in a hotel room and open that drawer, you will see a Bible, and if you read the newspaper, you will find the issue of Bibles in schools coming up. Christianity influences our culture by these small things everyday, without us realizing it.









Work Cited
“Gideon”. Dictionary.com. 2007. 26 October 2007. .
“Ohio School ends Bible distribution program”. FindArticles 2007. 27 October 2007. .
“Religion News”. The Pew Forum on religion and public life. 2007. 26 October 2007. .
The Gideons International. 2000. 26 October 2007. <>.