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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Gideon Bibles in school

109 replies

BusyBeez99 · 06/02/2018 21:29

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?

OP posts:
HouseOfGingerbread · 06/02/2018 21:31

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

RoseAndRose · 06/02/2018 21:31

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?

meredintofpandiculation · 06/02/2018 21:31

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.

HouseOfGingerbread · 06/02/2018 21:32

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

Cauliflowersqueeze · 06/02/2018 21:34

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

AllMyBestFriendsAreMetalheads · 06/02/2018 21:34

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.

HouseOfGingerbread · 06/02/2018 21:35

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.

welcomehome · 06/02/2018 21:36

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

inkandstone · 06/02/2018 21:36

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

meredintofpandiculation · 06/02/2018 21:39

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.

AllMyBestFriendsAreMetalheads · 06/02/2018 21:40

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.

Tistheseason17 · 06/02/2018 21:41

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

ninecoronas · 06/02/2018 21:42

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

InToMyHeart · 06/02/2018 21:43

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! Wink

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 06/02/2018 21:44

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

I was a strange child.

TarragonChicken · 06/02/2018 21:45

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

Abracadabraapileofbollocks · 06/02/2018 21:46

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

thecraftyfox · 06/02/2018 21:47

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!

BusyBeez99 · 06/02/2018 21:48

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

OP posts:
ohthelights · 06/02/2018 21:49

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

Goldenbug · 06/02/2018 21:49

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

CaptainKirkssparetupee · 06/02/2018 21:50

My brother burnt his

VikingVolva · 06/02/2018 21:59

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

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

iklboo · 06/02/2018 22:01

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.

NorbertTheDragon · 06/02/2018 22:09

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.

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