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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Holiday rental and religion

248 replies

Whattodowithaminute · 02/09/2017 19:17

Have just returned from a lovely week in France, holiday rental marketed as being very child friendly and true to their word the property/gardens are. What wasn't mentioned is the clear following of religion from the owners which was evident throughout the property; psalms on the welcome book, 'power of a praying wife in the bedside drawer' children's bible in the children's room to name a few bits. I know I don't need to read any of this if it isn't to my taste (which you may have gathered it isn't) however AIBU thinking a holiday rental should be more neutral territory and that these items shouldn't be on open display?

OP posts:
hairylegsdontcare · 02/09/2017 21:44

Yanbu to be irritated- I would be irritated too, even though I know I don't have to read it, it's still bloody annoying.

Fresh8008 · 02/09/2017 22:03

I would be pretty pissed off if they hadn't warned me about this in advance. Its pretty offensive to inflict this on an unsuspecting public.

LoniceraJaponica · 02/09/2017 22:14

You need warning about a bible in a holiday rental? Hmm

Good grief! What is the world coming to?

It's just a book. A book with idealologies you don't agree with, not a room full of terrorists holding sub machine guns FGS.

Get a grip.

JacquesHammer · 02/09/2017 22:14

So what do you call it when Jehovas Witnesses come calling then

Disgraceful unsolicited cold calling. I find the fact they do it utterly abhorrent.

LoniceraJaponica · 02/09/2017 22:16

I don't agree with it either, but I am utterly bewildered at the number of posters who take offense at a bible being left at a holiday rental.

What is there to be afraid of if you think it is nonsense anyway?

HotNatured · 02/09/2017 22:19

YANBU

JacquesHammer · 02/09/2017 22:20

Is it about being afraid?

I rather think it's about surprise at a place that you can rent out showing personal opinions.

I'd be taken aback in the same way if I holidayed in a rental and found political info etc.

It's just not the norm IMO

sonlypuppyfat · 02/09/2017 22:22

You poor brave thing, have you got over the horror of it all yet

LoniceraJaponica · 02/09/2017 22:26

Interesting point about political opinions. I hadn't thought about it that way.

Even if there were Conservative party manifestos and pictures of Theresa May in a holiday rental I still wouldn't be offended. I would just think the owners were a bit bonkers.

I guess I am one of those people who is not easily offended.

Fresh8008 · 02/09/2017 22:26

Would it be any different if it was 'mein kampf' strewn around the house? Words have meaning and to some people certain ideas are very offensive. Its not ok to force your beliefs on other people.

DorisDangleberry · 02/09/2017 22:29

I find it odd that those that believe there is a magical man in the sky who impregnated a poor peasant girl feel it necessary to force their ludicrous beliefs on those who can't quite suspend their disbelief that far.

bigtapdancingpimp · 02/09/2017 22:32

You should've put the bibles in the freezer Grin

NikiBabe · 02/09/2017 22:40

I'm an atheist and that wouldnt annoy me.

Hope you never take a holiday in a Muslim country.

JacquesHammer · 02/09/2017 22:43

I guess I am one of those people who is not easily offended

I wouldn't be offended. I'm a cynic though so I'd presume the owner had an agenda Grin

SenatorBunghole · 02/09/2017 22:43

If they had a copy of Mein Kampf, that still wouldn't be forcing their beliefs on anyone. It would still be arguably unwise and unprofessional though, and OP would be quite within her rights to put it away for the duration and not go again. So yes, it would be the same.

Not that owning a copy implies agreement with it anyway. I used to have a printed English version I'd downloaded, back when I was studying the period. Possibly still do somewhere. As I recall, I wasn't a Nazi. I also definitely still have the Communist Manifesto and am not a Marxist. Guess I'd best not do air b and b.

OutwiththeOutCrowd · 02/09/2017 22:48

Quite a few people have had difficult experiences with religion and the presence of religious artifacts could be triggering. On the whole I think the sensitive thing to do is to provide a neutral environment from the point of view of religion.

SenatorBunghole · 02/09/2017 22:49

Actually saying that, is Mein Kampf legal in France? A guest would obviously have the right to expect a holiday let in a country not to have any literature banned in that country.

SkylarFalls · 02/09/2017 22:52

YABU

we stayed in a holiday rental in a rural part of europe where it's normal to have god tat all over the place, we're not into god but loved the god tat - that's why you rent privately right rather than a samey resort right?

did make for some awkward sex - there was no way to turn off the jesus night light in our room LOL

whataboutbob · 02/09/2017 22:56

We're the owners English? The French tend to believe in a secular public space, although whether a holiday let is public or private space is a moot point I guess.

PollyFlint · 02/09/2017 22:57

I'm an atheist. I'm also capable of ignoring a Bible verse or whatever.

Yes, you stayed in a holiday home, but it's still someone's private property and they can put whatever they want in there. You're not somehow going to catch religiousness just from being in the same room as a psalm in a welcome book. I think you need to chill out a bit.

I stay in hotels all the time and loads of them still have a Gideons Bible in the bedside drawer, even today. I can't see why anyone would care. You can just ignore it.

PollyFlint · 02/09/2017 23:00

the French tend to believe in a secular public space, although whether a holiday let is public or private space is a moot point I guess

A 'public space' in France means places like schools, universities, hospital, courtrooms, local authority buildings etc. State-owned institutions and establishments, basically.

A holiday let is someone's privately-owned property that they are renting out; it's absolutely not in any sense a 'public space'.

Cadenza1818 · 02/09/2017 23:03

Totally off track but power of a praying wife is a good book... If you're a Christian. Which I am. Not the sort of book I'd leave around for random ppl though! Bible I would in a rental perhaps.

PollyFlint · 02/09/2017 23:10

Its not ok to force your beliefs on other people.

Having a Bible in a private property that you rent out and which people are not obliged to visit is in no way whatsoever 'forcing beliefs' on anyone. The apartment I stayed in on holiday in France this year had a pack of tarot cards and some fortune-telling runes in a drawer, which I think are every bit as nonsensical as Christianity, but I didn't get in a flap at the owner 'forcing' new age crap on me.

Quite a few people have had difficult experiences with religion and the presence of religious artifacts could be triggering.

Oh dear, let's just demolish all churches, synagogues and mosques in case anyone's 'triggered' when they walk past one, shall we?

What do you propose we do at Christmas? Cover every nativity scene in a black cloth in case someone's triggered by the churchiness?

WinnieTheMe · 02/09/2017 23:50

The last time I went to Ireland I stayed in a B&B in Dublin. There was a huge crucifix on the wall when you walked in and my room had a large framed photo of the pope on the wall.

I somehow survived without bursting into flames. I think it's a bit U to get offended on how someone decorates their own property. It isn't as if the holiday let owners were turning away gay people or coming round to preach at you.

OfaFrenchmind2 · 03/09/2017 02:40

Mein Kampf is legal to be sold and owned in France, but it is not really on the shelves, you have to ask for it. I read some passages of it in a book store when I was doing an expose on the Reich in high school, and I remember the look on the vendor face when I asked for it, until I told him why I wanted it. It is legal, but such an evil book.

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