News From Down Under. How's This Multicultural Madness?

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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19130858-2,00.html

Bibles banned in hospitals

From: Sunday Herald Sun Kelvin Healey and
Ian Haberfield May 14, 2006 BIBLES have
been banished from Victorian hospital
bedsides and some schools because they
may offend non-Christians.

Almost all Melbourne's major hospitals have
withdrawn the Holy Book from rooms and several schools have refused to allow their students
to be given free Bibles. The Gideons International Australia, which distributes Bibles free to hospitals, schools and motels, blames
political correctness.

"The reason most often given is that 'We
are a multicultural organisation and we
don't want to offend anyone'," Gideons'
executive director Trevor Monson said.

"It is a terrible shame because we get
lots of letters from people who say
having a Bible by their hospital bed
has been a great comfort to them during
their darkened days."

The Catholic Church condemned the ban and
labelled arguments that Bibles could offend
non-Christians as "silly".

"To say that other faiths might be offended
if a Bible is there is nonsense," Archdiocese
of Melbourne auxiliary bishop Christopher
Prowse said. Hospitals including the Royal
Melbourne, Royal Children's, Austin, The
Alfred, Monash Medical Centre, Box Hill,
Maroondah, Dandenong and Casey have all
removed Bibles.

Royal Melbourne spokesman Rod Jackson-Smith denied
a ban, but said: "We don't (have Bibles in each room)
any more.

"Because we have so many people from different
religious backgrounds it is considered inappropriate.

"It is also an infection control measure."

The Gideons have offered to supply hospitals
with hard cover Bibles that could be wiped
to reduce infection fears.

At most hospitals Bibles are only available
in a chapel or "multi-faith" room. The
Austin has a copy in each ward....

Only St Vincent's, a Catholic hospital,
confirmed it had New Testaments at
every bedside.

Gideons also revealed several schools had
refused free New Testaments for secondary
students