Comments on: On Defacing Bibles

By: sef

sef — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:30:46 +0000

I will no longer patronize a blog that endorses such ridiculous behavior. I am a proud atheist, yes, but I draw the line at something as juvenile as this.

By: Rick Miller

Rick Miller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:05:13 +0000

The best thing to do with those hotel bibles is to put them out in the hall.

Let the hotel staff figure out what to do with them. This works for any religious literature which you don’t want in your room.

It’s polite, it makes a clear statment, and it gives others the same idea.

By: Nathaniel

Nathaniel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:07:23 +0000

I have always been against any form of censorship. Removing and marking out parts of the bible really isn’t a good idea. While I recognize that the bible is indeed full of garbage, that garbage NEEDS to be seen. I have found through my own questioning that the majority of christians have not read the bible cover to cover while most atheists have. The reason is simple, we see the undeniable crap that the bible is filled with and we recognize the bible for the crap that it is. This is why I started up a campaign to HIGHLIGHT bibles.

If you mark out passages, tear out pages or burn books, then you show your hatred. If you highlight passages and point them out to people, you show the hatred, bigotry, sexism, obscenity and contradictory nature of their own religion. While it lacks the impact of burning the bible, it is much more effective. Since I’ve started this project, I’ve personally gotten a personal friend of mine, who happens to be HIGHLY religious, to admit that the bible was written by fallible men (although he maintains they were inspired by God… but just didn’t get the message entirely right).

Follow the link on my name for more info on this movement.

As for the legality of the bibles in hotel/motel rooms it is best to assume they are not free to take. While the bibles may have been placed there by the gideons, it is best not to assume. Simply ask a member of the staff if it is alright for you to take the bible that is in the room. If they give you permission, then it is free game. You can take it, highlight it, and put it back if you so desire.

Another thing that is fun, and quicker, is to put warning labels on the bibles or place “recommended reading” cards in them so that people will a similar idea without you having to go through and highlight a ton of passages.

In any case, I think we need to support free speech and scorn censorship in all its forms. The bible may be full of venomous garbage, but this is the same venomous garbage that the church censors because they know it will affect membership. If the truth behind their scripture is revealed, instead of being covered up, it produces a much more desirable effect, less christians and more atheists. Don’t show them our hate, show them their own.

By: MarkHolland

MarkHolland — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:44:00 +0000

I see little difference between burning a book or burning the flag. The importance of the object is subjective. The flag or bible or any other object is only important if a person percieves them as being important. I see no problem with throwing a bible into a trash can fire or using it as an emergency supply of toilet paper. It is simply a book.

If someone believes that America or the American Government is not worthy of respect and wishes to burn a flag as a sign of disrespect then so be it. So long as the flag or bible is the personal property of someone who wishes to burn them then it is their right to burn them.

I think that an organized and large bible burning party would indicate to the Christian Evangelicals and Fundamentalists just how much anger their hypocracy is generating in others.

By: Chris B

Chris B — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:33:52 +0000

Can I still deface the toilet paper, which is the property of the hotel/motel but provided for my use?

The Gideons provide bibles because they HOPE somebody will take one home with them and make it their property. The hotels allow the free bibles because they figure their patrons might appreciate their usefulness(?) – that’s the exact same rationale with toilet paper. If my idea of useful (writing criticism in it) is different than yours (worshiping it), so what?

By: jcc

jcc — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:42:50 +0000

Clearly jcc fails to see how ironic his statement is, as Christians do nothing but suppress and censor ideas they disagree with.

Yeah right, the web is full of Christian blogs that, like this one, encourage their readers to “deface” books by Dawkins, Hitchins and Harris…

…What a glittering jewel of colossal stupidity.

By: fireemblem555

fireemblem555 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:12:42 +0000

“don’t merely oppose an idea you disagree with–do everything you can to suppress and censor that idea. Yeah, that’s an American “value.”

Clearly jcc fails to see how ironic his statement is, as Christians do nothing but suppress and censor ideas they disagree with.

By: dw

dw — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:34:02 +0000

There is no need to deface, simply take the bible and place it outside the room and when you leave give it a toss into the room.

By: dw

dw — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:31:13 +0000

Amusing yet true. I like this.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:28:59 +0000

your right gary….except please refrain from using silly superstitious words like good and evil….let the religiously stupid whom brought us good and evil stay afraid of their own shadows….