Freedom of religion my ass! (excuse my language) Is it just me or are our supposed "Western Values" turning out to be molding with Saudi Arabian values?  Oh please, if this is not a choice of secularism or islam threatening Christianity I don't know what else is.  The Holy Book being the Bible is the Holy Scripture of Christianity.

Credit Sunday Herald Sun

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Bibles banned in hospitals by Kelvin Healey and Ian Haberfield

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Almost all Melbourne's major hospitals have withdrawn the Holy Book from rooms and several schools have refused to allow their students to be given free Bibles.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.