Is taking home the hotel bible sinful or criminal?

Question

Is taking home the hotel bible sinful or criminal?

Answer 1

No, if your name is Rocky Raccoon.

Answer 2

Why not send a donation   to The Gideons ??  the bibles are meant to be used by every one

Answer 3

I tend not to think so, but i cant say for certian. They are placed by the Gideons, a non-profit organization, and the funding Bibles themselves are provided by the members themselves (sponsors), and from any donations that are made.

Answer 4

No, for the Bible is Gods Word. Gods Word does not belong to any man, no matter what they think.

Gods Word belongs to God, and he gave it to us as a gift - to ALL of us.

If a man tries to arrest you for taking a Bible, then he is trying to claim Gods Word as is solely.

Gods Word should not be for profit, for for financial gain.

Answer 5

Yes it is...its called STEALING.

The 7th Commandments says, 'Thou shalt not Steal'

Answer 6

unless asked with permission...

Answer 7

Depends.

If no one saw you, or if it cannot be lawfully proven that the bible you took home is conclusively the one lost by the hotel,  it is not criminally prosecutable.

It is sinful only if the hotel staff had been solely using that particular book for their own spiritual use.   If the hotel did not even notice that it was missing, then they only had it for decor.   You did God a favor by taking it out of their idle hands.

Answer 8

Sinful and criminal in the sense that it is thievery.  However, if it helps save a soul, it is hoped that the hotel (when they find out it's gone) would understand and charge the experience to their "lost" or "expense" account.

Answer 9

Okay it is easy to be technical or legalistic here & to say that it is sinful or criminal.

But we are not the judge of that.

But if you need an answer the answer would be no & no.

First, the idea of having those bibles out there in the first place is distribute those for free. People leaf through them & read God's Word, but not taking them home is also contributing to the goal of distributing not the book but the Word, for free.

But, after reading through them & you ever find yourself bringing home the book, then the issue comes after. Now it is in your possession, now it collects dust in you car maybe, inside your luggage, in a box, on top of your bedside table, under your bed, somewhere.

Then in God's eye that might be the sin there. And to explain it further you need read the bible.

Answer 10

Even though the Bibles are placed there for free, some hotels would consider it stealing. Best to ask the hotel if it's OK to take.

Answer 11

Sinful - Thou shall not steal.

Criminal - Taking property of others without permission is against the law  if convicted.  

Answer 12

It's technically stealing although most of the time, hotels acquired it for free...

Answer 13

no! the person up there would bless you for showing interest in his book,hehe

the Gideons normally give it away. i think they place it on Hotels so whoever wants it could have it.

It becomes stealing if it shows up in your bill,hehe

Answer 14

Not sinful for the simple reason that it was placed there for the taking.  The purpose of putting it there in the first place is so hotel patrons would have something to read (in their spare time).   If one becomes so engrossed with his reading then necessarily he can bring it with him.  A good book is hard to put down.

Not criminal because there are things in your hotel room that management expects you to use (soaps, etc.) or consume (coffee, etc.) or take (hangers, ashtrays, etc.).  This includes the Bible.  The Gideons are only too happy when their Bibles have gone a-missing.  That means it is being read.  Spread the good word...that's what it's all about!

Answer 15

It would depend on why you took it. The Bibles supplied by the Gideons are there to provide comfort and witness to those who are "lost" as Gideon International puts it. If it was taken to seek a deeper understanding, or to turn a life around, then I doubt it. That was the purpose for which they were put there. If on the other hand, the person takin the Bible did so for a souvenir, or to add to a Bible collection, then probably sinful. As these are donated materials, placed for public use, it usually wouldn't be considered criminal though.

Answer 16

LOL good question. Well, seeing how christians make every possible action or thought a mortal sin, I'd say your going to burn in h**l for all eternity. So, yeah good luck.

Answer 17

It's called "petty theft" And if you read any of it, it says "thal shall not steal " in there somewhere..

Answer 18

It depends upon the purpose of taking it.

If someone was touched by the anointing of the holy spirit or had experienced some type of rare spiritual encounter through reading and prayer, I would understand why it was taken from the hotel room.

If for that reason, I don't view that as being sinful or criminal.

Answer 19

It is  stealing, therefore it is a sin. Granted that  the  bible was given by Gideons International to the Hotel Mgt.,, that already makes the Hotel, the owner  of the bible.  No matter what's your  purpose for taking the bible out from the hotel room; whether you were driven by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel and word of God, whether  you hear the angel talking to your sleep,  it is tantamount  to stealing.  

Answer 20

Neither. The BIBLE is actually for free. It is freely given to all walks of life all over the earth. If you have a Bible in your hotel room and you took it with you before you moved out, I guess the hotsl consider it as given. Bibles are to that purpose anyway.

Btw, if you'd ever need one, feel free to ask me, I've plenty to spare...lol

Answer 21

I think it's just a simple act of stealing.

Or..you can return it once you check-in again if ever you have a guilt or ill feeling.

Answer 22

thats called stealing, its a word of god indeed but that was not given to you in good faith.  Yes its true lot of organization or religion given bible for free but thats a different scenario, man... you just added your sin.