Having successfully bullied the University of Wisconsin into removing bibles from its lodge, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has now set its sights on Iowa State.

The College Fix reports.

Group Wants Bibles Booted From Iowa State

Legal opinions clash over Gideon Bibles in hotels on public grounds, such as publicly funded universities

A pro-atheism legal group that recently got the University of Wisconsin-Madison to remove Gideon Bibles from campus overnight guest rooms has now targeted Iowa State University, sending a legal demand to campus administrators asking them to remove Gideon Bibles from their hotel rooms as well.

“Gideon Bibles should not be in any public university guest room,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in an interview with The College Fix. “It’s unconstitutional, it’s inappropriate, it’s proselytizing for there to be Bibles in any publicly funded lodges.”

A complaint by the foundation prompted the removal of all Bibles from nearly 150 overnight guest rooms inside a large conference center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December.

On Jan. 29, the foundation sent a similar letter to Iowa State, demanding its officials remove Gideon Bibles from its overnight guest accommodations, claiming the Bibles represent the university’s endorsement and promotion of Christianity.

“Recently, the University of Wisconsin … removed all Bibles from its Lowell Center guest rooms in an effort to remain neutral toward religion,” the letter states. “We request that Iowa State University follow suit by immediately removing Bibles from each guest room.”

Gaylor said the letter was prompted by a complaint, and her foundation will take this issue on on behalf of others at any publicly funded university across the nation that has Bibles in its guest rooms.

She said the Freedom From Religion Foundation has, in the past, been successful at getting other public universities to remove its hotel room Bibles, but added the tide has turned in her foundation’s favor.

“Times have changed,” Gaylor said. “And this is a very ripe time to follow up on anything. But we have to know they are there. Someone has to complain.”


 
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