Gideon Bibles in school

[BusyBeez99]

DS12 came home with a bible today presented by the Gideons. It's New Testament and Psalms. Why are school children getting free bibles and who is paying for them?

My AIBU is why aren't they giving out other faith books .... or, from an atheist viewpoint (me) , why are they giving them out at all?

The Gideon Society themselves pay for them. As evangelists go, they're pretty harmless.

You'd need to ask the school why they chose to accept the offer.

I don't know what organisations exist to provide other books. Perhaps it is they who need to become more active?

Because the Gideons are a Christian group whose aim is to ensure that a Bible should be available to give succour to anyone that needs it. I didn't know they were giving them out in schools. Their aim used to be to get one into every hotel room - it was always in the top drawer of the bedside table. I don't know where they get their money from.

I took to reading my Gideon's bible daily as a teen but I'm now a happy atheist.

They ask schools.
I said no this year - they weren’t hugely happy about it.

I got one of these in my first year at high school 20 years ago, as did DH (different schools - one Catholic, one CofE). Are they still the small red ones?

I think it was partly so we'd have no excuse for not having one in RE lessons.

The highlight of our Gideon's visit was when Mr Gideon's said "...and is there anyone here called Gideon?" Gideon J put his hand up and Mr Gideon's looked most crestfallen. "That's never happened before." Evidently he had a whole spiel about Gideon being a never-used name.

Just Googled. Apparently Gideon bibles are funded by membership dues and donations. Mostly in the US.

I think they've always done this. I remember getting one in my second year of senior school in 1982.

I got a New Testament when I left senior school, but I thought that was from the school itself. It went to a charity shop many years ago, so I can't check.

Ahh many a happy RE lesson spent going through the OT to try and find the most ridiculous rule you could.

I'm atheist (if I have to have a label) but there's still some interesting stories in the bible. The loaves and the fishes was taught to us as 'evidence' of Jesus performing miracles, but it's a story about greed and charity, IMO.

YANBU. Another atheist here. They don't hand out books on evolution for free....

We were given them at school 20 years ago too. As I recall we used them as rolling papers tiny thin pages they had!

I remember getting one when I was at school and thinking it was bizarre. I went to a normal (ie not a faith) school. I would have preferred to have been given a science textbook but there you go.
If it bothers you throw it in the bin. I agree it is weird and outdated but it isn't going to contaminate your son and turn him religious!

Love these, I used to pretend mine was Hong Kong phooey's little book of kung fury....

I was a strange child.

Tistheseason, there isn't anything to stop you setting up a foundation to provide free books on evolution!

I'd happily donate to a charity doing that tistheseason. Especially in states in the us that allow teaching creation.

I remember when we got them at our comprehensive school in 1991. We entertained ourselves reading all the names of Jesus' ancestors and chosing the silliest sounding to us. Not many of those come up on the baby name threads!

Yes still small and red

It's going in the spare bedroom drawer like a hotel room ha ha

DS didn't offer much information just 'some bloke handed them out in assembly'. No harm done I suppose. Waste of money though on their part

Oh they've been doing that forever. I got one in the 90s, and my mum got one in the 70s.

They were very popular with prisoners for a while. Until they found out they were being smoked.

My brother burnt his

"They don't hand out books on evolution for free...."

Opportunity there for you to build the organisation that's needed

I tried to refuse mine at school but they wouldn't let me - and I had to get my parents to sign a note saying I'd taken it home. It just got chucked in a drawer.

When DS's school offered them we politely declined.

I remember getting one when I was at school and attempted to read it. It was quite boring so I gave up.

DS1 wasn't impressed with getting one so ripped it to shreds.

Ds3 & 4 were indifferent and there's are lying about the house somewhere.

We are all atheist. I've let my kids choose their own way, so wasn't bothered about them getting it, it's up to them whether they chose to read it and believe it.