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Do you all have different books in the Bible than I do? Are you all Gideons? Who are the fucking Gideons? Ever met one, no! Ever seen one, no! But they're all over the fucking world, putting Bibles in hotel rooms! Every one of them: 'This Bible was placed here by a Gideon.' When? I've been here all day and I ain't seen shit! I saw the housekeeper come and go, I saw the minibar guy come and go, I've never laid eyes on a fucking Gideon! What are they, ninjas? Where are they? Where are they from? Gidea? Who the fuck are these people?! I'm gonna capture a Gideon. Yeah, I'm gonna make that my hobby. I'll call up the front desk one day and say, 'Uh, I don't seem to have a Bible in my room.'

Bill Hicks#50

ReligionCultureConspiracyHospitality

About this quote

What does it mean?
He mocks the Gideon Bible distribution, questioning their presence and suggesting he will 'capture' one as a hobby.
In plain terms
He jokes about the unseen Gideon Bibles in hotels and pretends to hunt them.
What can you take from it?
Question unseen corporate or religious practices.

Where it applies

  • seeing a Bible in a hotel room
  • discussing hidden branding

Putting it to work

  • investigate unnoticed practices
  • raise awareness of pervasive symbols

Questions to consider

  • Why do people place Bibles in neutral spaces?
  • How does visibility affect perception?

Another view

The sarcasm may be misinterpreted as genuine hostility toward believers.

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  3. They [Australians] celebrate Easter the exact same way we do: commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus by telling our children a giant bunny rabbit : …

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