RObert,

That has happened to me, and it has confirmed my belief that laughter is indeed the best medicine. I find a couple of chapters of Leviticus usually do the trick if I'm feeling a bit off colour.

you're in hospital and not too ill to read then ask someone to bring you reading material. if you are someone who thinks that reading the bible, koran or whatever you've been indoctrinated with will help then shouldn't you know by now what's written in it ?
how often do you need to re-read something before it is embedded in your memory. i do not believe that reading religous material makes a better person anyway. the argument re contamination of any reading material or anything that's handled by many patients with different illnesses is a very valid one.

Should all other religions have dedicated prayer rooms as do Muslims have at our Universities or don't the other religions have the same potential for offence and violence which negates other religions from have such special rights?

pragma,

lots of people find comfort in familiar reading materials. Oscar Wilde once said:

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train."

Gideons Bibles are provided free of charge.

They are provided by the Gideons as a service to Patients who might wish to avail themselves of spiritual comfort.

The ministry of the Gideons is voluntary, and I'm sure any organization would be free to provide its holy book, though I think there might be practical limits on space etc.

The Gideons are a long established and well known group, and it was their idea :) If other faiths wish to offer reading materials, then I hope the Gideons Bible is never removed to make space.

Snout.. Amos is a much better read than Leviticus...and quite interestingly structured. Looking at the history of the day and subsequent, it is most educational in terms of 'the wages of national sin'.

Believe it or not... the Genealogies sometimes provide huge nuggets of gold, .. have a look at 1 Chronicles 1:12 and then verse 50
Notice anything unusual about the information contained there ?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=13&chapter=1&version=31
Then Chapter 2 verse 21

Arjay my religion of fresh air , clean water , live and let live is blasphemed against all the time. No Muslim or Christian cares that they offend me , nor am I protected by the political correctness that Muslims and Christians hide behind. You will find the the biggest churches or temples are shopping malls, sports stadiums and car parks. To reflect the true religion of Australia Myer catalogues, sports and motoring magazines should be provided next to hospital beds.