Faith

UK Hotel Replaces Nightstand Bibles With Erotic Novel ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

Damson Dene Hotel Replaces Bible With Fifty Shades of GreyThe popular semi-erotic book “Fifty Shades of Grey” has been making headlines for months. Likely seeking to capitalize off of its viral popularity, Wayne Bartholomew, the head of Damson Dene Hotel in the United Kingdom (along with the hotel’s owner), has made a shocking decision. The lodge has replaced nightstand copies of the Bible with the controversial “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

“I thought it would be a special treat for our guests to find it in their bedside cabinet and that includes the men too,” Bartholomew said, explaining a portion of the reasoning behind his actions. “They are as desperate to get their hands on a copy as the women.”

While hotel visitors can still get copies of the Gideon Bible, should they want them, they will need to make a request for the traditional literary work at the front desk. To add insult to injury, the Telegraph reports that Bartholomew seemingly likened the Bible’s contents to “Fifty Shades of Grey’s.”

“The Gideon Bible is full of references to sex and violence, although it’s written using more formal language, so James’s book is easier to read,” he proclaimed.

Damson Dene Hotel Replaces Bible With Fifty Shades of GreyAccording to NBC News, the hotel’s owner is doubling down on the decision to include the controversial book, spouting similar claims:

Damson Dene owner Jonathan Denby, who bought the hotel from a Methodist group 10 years ago, said he had been pondering for a long time what to do with the Gideons Bibles that had been placed in the rooms by the previous proprietors.

He decided that in a modern secular society it was “wholly inappropriate” to keep a religious book in people’s private bedrooms, so the search was on for a replacement.

“I was thinking originally of putting in a book by Ayn Rand — ‘Atlas Shrugged’ was my first thought,” Denby told NBC News.

“(But) because everybody is reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ we thought it would be a hospitable thing to do, to have this available for our guests, especially if some of them were a little bit shy about buying it because of its reputation.”

Obviously, not everyone is amused by the move. Local faith leader The Rev Michael Woodcock sees the ploy as an attempt to capitalize of of the novel’s monumental success.

“It is just a gimmick really. It is a shame that the Bible has been taken out,” Woodcock said, according to the Telegraph. ”But I am sure it will be put back in the future. The more attention that is drawn to this, the more bad publicity it gets.”

(H/T: Telegraph)

Comments (56)

1 2
  • USA-Ron
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 6:10am

    Erotic ??
    You are un-Godly,

    please do NOT do that 50 shades thing, OK ?

    Keep the Bible NOT Sinful book !!!!!

    duh, what a NUT

    Report Post »  
  • JesterJay
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 4:03am

    Shouldnt this be the other way around I work at a resort we would NEVER do this. If nothing else give them the bible and they can ask for porn.

    Report Post » JesterJay  
    • The_Cabrito_Goat
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:53pm

      There are a plethora of free bible apps on the Internet. Only problem is that, they way the European tax code is written, very few have money to buy smartphones….

      Haven’t you ever wondered why there are no European tourists in America? They can’t afford to come here, or even to other parts of Europe some of them. It’s a shame, I think the continent is rich with culture and history.

      Report Post » The_Cabrito_Goat  
  • mcsledge
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 3:14am

    And Lucifer is laughing his butt off. Except for a few, the world is becoming a cesspool of filth and degeneracy.

    Report Post » mcsledge  
  • HoratiusAtTheBridge
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:53pm

    Nice trade, geniuses… mocking the word of G*d by equating it to man-authored pornography. Really smart to trade your little fifteen minutes of pathetic publicity for His mighty wrath. What could possibly go wrong?

    Report Post »  
    • TheCalmOne
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:53am

      His mighty wrath? What sort of thing are you expecting? A lightning bolt from the heavens?

      Report Post »  
    • TheCalmOne
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:55am

      What’s with the G*d? You‘re so terrified of your god that you don’t have the balls to write “God”?

      Report Post »  
  • Passerby
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:51pm

    Seems a shame. All those people passing through, some with no where to turn, had to be a few that it gave comfort in difficult times.

    Report Post » Passerby  
  • walkintruth
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:03pm

    The evil one strikes again. This exactly what Satan wants. We are in the End of Days. The bible warns of such things happening. There will be a price to pay. Sodom and Gomorra wasn‘t saved from God’s wrath. If there were 10 righteous men, God would have saved the people from destruction. He could not find 10 and so they were destroyed.

    I would boycott the hotel. What amazes me is, I see people reading this book who claim to be Christians and believe in the entire bible. I just don’t get it.

    Report Post »  
    • TheCalmOne
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:50am

      “I see people reading this book who claim to be Christians and believe in the entire bible. I just don’t get it”

      Seriously? You don’t get why anyone would want to read anything other than the bible?

      Report Post »  
  • Claudius
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:02pm

    I always bring my scriptures with me when I travel so I don’t mind. It might be nice to have a novel in the hotel but I would prefer Harry Potter. Really, the nightstands are big enough to hold 10+ books so keep the Bible and add an assortment of popular books.

    One thing though . . . this hotel is going to face more customers “borrowing” books – few people steal bibles . . .

    Report Post »  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:14am

      Oh, wizards, potions, spells, and chanting–so much “better” than “soft porn”? Really?!

      Stay with the Bible and bring your on uplifting and interesting religious novels. Finish them while you’re there and tuck one in a drawer for the next person. You might just “save a soul” who can introduce themselves to you in heaven!

      God bless the simple fools. . .

      Report Post »  
  • JJBlazeReader
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 7:01pm

    ..

    Par for the course. Unfortunately, the U.K. is currently a basket case. You cannot wear a cross to work.

    ..

    Report Post » JJBlazeReader  
  • holy ghostbuster
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:51pm

    I would think most bible thumpers would have their own bibles with them and not have to rely on the Gideons, when they are staying in a hotel.

    Report Post » holy ghostbuster  
  • Winedude
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 5:09pm

    Wonderful!!! We have a hotel owner that is trying to give the people what they want. Tough sheet to the religious fanatics that have their buns in an uproar over this. In the list of important things going on in the world, this is toward the bottom. I do not, for the life of me, understand so many of the folks on here so committed to the mythical nonsense that is religion.

    “Religions are all alike – founded upon fables and mythologies.”
    - Thomas Jefferson

    Report Post »  
    • CoogsUrDaddy
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:45pm

      Ah, and your “reality” is so much better. Your Jefferson “quote” is a lie. Perfectly fitting for your kind.

      Report Post » CoogsUrDaddy  
  • blackyb
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:54pm

    Keep your own Bibles with you and/or boycott Hotels and motels where they put this filth out for you. Do not deal with them and there is always room to say to those traveling that you would not stay in such a filthy place. They are indeed filthy.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • Critters58
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 1:29pm

    These hotel owners are cowards and they will eventually pay for making poor decisions.

    Report Post »  
  • vaman
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 1:03pm

    Why should bibles be in any hotel room? Unless it’s some kind of religious hotel, then it’s out of place. Even the most psychotic blazer doesn’t check in at the front desk, go to the room and run for the night stand to read the bible. This hotel lets you have a bible, if you’re that desperate, you just have to ask and yee shall receive. Or you could do something more appropriate and go to a church. Bibles everywhere. If it’s that important to you, then a bible should be in your luggage at all times.

    Report Post »  
    • SacredHonor1776
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 2:02pm

      Umm, you don’t know anything about the Gideons do you?

      They are a non-profit organization that donates bibles to be placed into hospitals, hotels and other locations. That is their preferred method of ‘evangelizing’…..

      I suppose that hotels and hospitals could refuse the bibles, and toss them away… But I think the Gideons would just come back and bring in more bibles and place them in the rooms.

      This story could get interesting, to see what the organization will do about it, in the future, if this becomes a long term situation..

      Report Post »  
  • since1629
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:32pm

    The point here that every Gideon would reinforce is that you should check your hotel room for a Bible, if you think it is important, and request one if you don’t find it.
    Also, contrary to one comment, I think that in the presence of pay-per-view porn, Fifty Shades, et cetera is precisely where a Bible belongs — that is where and when the Word of God is needed.

    Also, a fine point to those who don’t understand the difference: there is no “Gideon Bible,“ there is only ”The Bible“ and on the cover is imprinted ”placed by the Gideons.”

    Report Post » since1629  
  • StatenJM
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:43am

    Sure it does. When someone finally sees how unfulfilling what their watching is and wants something that can give them life, it is good to have a resource right ready and handy for them to use to find that life.

    Report Post » StatenJM  
  • SurhanSurhan
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:22am

    They just replaced one work of fiction with another.

    Report Post »  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:29am

      Do you know what “work” is?

      With that statement I’m certain your kids wont.

      Mmmm… Bacon

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
    • SurhanSurhan
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:57am

      @ THE JEWISH AVENGER- How can you call yourself ‘the Jewish avenger’ and promote the eating of pork. Jesus never ate pork, he didn’t touch its dead carcass according to the Old Testament.

      Report Post »  
  • john vincent
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:18am

    This is quite revealing. England, home of the stellar masterpiece the KJV 1611, the monarch of books, the anvil that has wore out many a hammer, replaced by a porngraphic novel.

    I am not surprised at the levels of logic-dumping people will go to promote an agenda. The bible is not a book on religion; it is a book of truth, it promotes ‘no’ church, but has a lengthly opinion on the state church, which is not good by the way.

    “The bible is full of tales of sex and violence,‘ so lets make ’shades of grey’ an equal read. Where is the laugh button?? The bible is not a book of pornographic activity, it calls atention to a situation without colour or necessary explanation. But, where in shades of grey will you read: ‘the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things, who can know it ????’

    Bottom line, cant have an ‘outdated’ book on the shelves that doesnt move with the times. This really is not about the author the ‘grey’ for there will always be peddlers of garbage, it speaks to society in general: a man shoots others because he does not value life, another lies because his conscience is ripped, another cheats because its no big deal, a kid steals because ‘no one is looking,‘ another curses GOd because there is too much ’bad’ in the world, etc, This bible/grey thing is just another step in the downward spiral of mans attempt to rid themselves of GOd. It will not stop. It will be another book, another country, and the Gideons are out. A sign

    Report Post » john vincent  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:31am

      Cry me a river. The rest of the civilized world already laughs at our stone-age religiosity, no need to make things worse by pretending the Bible has anything to do with the American social climate other than our below average intelligence.

      Report Post »  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 5:50pm

      AndYetItMoves – perhaps you have below normal intelligence. Christians make up the majority of Americans and we are educated and extremely concerned about the decline in America due to people like you who promote nothing of value.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:11am

    Sadly, Bibles probably don’t belong in the same room with pay per view porn anyway.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:26am

      ‘If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her, you shall bring them both out of the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbors wife.’
      Deuteronomy 22:23-24

      You’re right, there’s a bit too much sadism in the bible.

      Report Post »  
    • john vincent
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:42am

      andy, good try
      it is written again:
      ‘he that is without sin, LET HIM first cast the stone….’
      john 8
      there is this thing called context., Please play the fool and tell us all YOU would have stoned her to death, when the Creator chose otherwise….

      Report Post » john vincent  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:48am

      You have a distinctly Christian command of the English language, John. You’ll have to rephrase because what you wrote literally makes no sense.

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:17am

      Andy, educate yourself on the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Christians are part of the New Covenant. You are quoting the Old.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Calm Voice of Reason
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:38am

      @John Vincent: Are you suggesting that there is somehow, somewhere, some magical combination of words that can be arranged into sentences and then on into paragraphs that form a mystical “context” that, through ancient alchemy, renders the idea of stoning to death two people who have had consensual sex into a reasonable proposition?

      Report Post » Calm Voice of Reason  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:43am

      Gonzo, I’m painfully familiar with this Christian defense mechanism. It’s very intriguing to me the level of cognitive dissonance required for people to believe that our omnipotent and omniscient creator transformed from a Draconian tyrant into a peace & love hippie at some point in the last 2000 years. Why would the almighty need to change his mind about something like this? What a terrible, terrible joke.

      Report Post »  
    • john vincent
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:50am

      calm v
      bottom line:
      there is no one on earth who is qualified to stone anybody to death for sexual acts.

      Report Post » john vincent  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 5:55pm

      AndYetItMoves – stoning people to death sounds more like Islam. Have you heard of Christians stoning people lately? Have you heard of Islamist killing Christians or stoning women who have been raped, or cutting off people’s heads. What religion sounds more like stone age religiousity?

      Report Post » NHwinter  
  • freedom4ever
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:10am

    i can remember people thinking of suicide have picked up the bible in their room and changed their mind. wonder if 50 shades will do that for them? shows how low england has sunk. use to love it there now i wouldn’t go even if someone gave me free airfare and place to stay!

    Report Post »  
    • The_Cabrito_Goat
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:17am

      This was originally the land of the archbishop of Canterbury, and the greatest theologian of all time C. S. Lewis. In the 50 years after his death, they’ve become a progressive paradise. But the roots of this paradise began even before then…

      Report Post » The_Cabrito_Goat  
    • rickc34
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:41am

      The same thing is happening to America. The progressives believe that anything to do with the Bible is wrong but that the Koran or any other false teaching is alright . Why, because the Bible points out our sins and that we need a Savior, Jesus Christ, The day is coming when they will have to choose, choose the Anti-Christ and never experience Heaven or Jesus Christ .

      Report Post »  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:04am

    …they will be given over to a depraved mind……

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:00am

    So, it seems I may live to see the end times or close to it. We have been warned over and over, yet we see more evil and turning away from good and replacing it with selfishness and perversion of God’s law. England has long turned away, even though some are fighting to bring them back, their numbers are few. Putting that book in place of the bible is just sick. Poor England, they will live to be sorry for this.

    Report Post »  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:19am

      Hate to tell you, but every christian for the last two millennia has been convinced that the apocalypse would happen in their lifetime. It’s part of the allure of a religious delusion, you convince yourself that you have special knowledge of the end times, and that you can’t wait to bring them on.
      You are not special, you are simply governed by some very stupid ideas that have you convinced that you are some kind of moral puritan and have a license to let the rest of the world know about it. All you are in reality is a person living in the year 2012 who thinks that the world is ending and that woman came from a man’s hip. That’s it.

      Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:32am

      Rib. Eve came from Adam’s rib. If you are going to criticize, at least get it right.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • AndYetItMoves
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:39am

      Give me a moment to rethink my entire outlook on christian theology.

      Report Post »  
    • ModerationIsBest
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:26am

      Yup, you’re right.

      The end of the world is near….and I bet you just can’t wait, right?

      People seeking and hoping for an apocalypse.

      Disgusting.

      Report Post »  
    • The_Cabrito_Goat
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:50pm

      Oh come on, we all fantasize about how B.A. we will be during a zombie apocalypse :D

      Report Post » The_Cabrito_Goat  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 5:59pm

      Wow, we have some Soros trolls on today. Easy to spot with their anti-God dribble. God will not be mocked you pathetic fools.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
  • wordweaver
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:00am

    Another sign that the end… is near.

    Report Post » wordweaver  
    • Sol Invictus
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 3:20pm

      Wow, a 40 bed hotel in the Lake District moves some books and it’s a sign that the end of the world is near.
      I was hoping for something more dramatic.

      Report Post » Sol Invictus  
  • RougeFastFingers
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:54am

    Never read it and not going to read 50 shades.

    Report Post » RougeFastFingers  
  • jackact
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:48am

    “Old Europe” at it again.
    Maybe ‘50 shades of grey’ makes them feel better about the devastating effects of failed centrally controlled government?
    When more than half of a continent remains unemployed there is time to reflect on the ‘evil’ in Gideon’s Bible.
    Who knows, who cares?
    Europe, stick a fork in it, it’s done!

    Report Post »  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:44am

    Pitiful!

    Report Post »  
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