Leave your religious message in towns!

[Jaybird]

Just removed a Readers Digest today from October Mt Shelter on a trip to remove blowdowns. The shelter is very clean, and some had stayed last night.In 2000 there was a guy who had a jesus loves you sign on the back of his pack, He ended up breaking his leg Thanx

Chef2000 he probably tripped over an agnostic! hehehehe!



and from magic_game03

The trail is not a place to convert people! all through VA, Hercules (class of '99) has been leaving religious books in shelters. please inform people that this is not a storage shed, you pack it in you pack it out! this stuff becomes mouse fodder and then people complain about the mice. this goes for political messages too! it is your right to say what you please, but don't try to bring it out to the trail and nail it to a shelter.
thanks,magicga>me'03ga>me'04 .................................................. .................................................. ....................blah,blah,blah................ ...........
. As Moon Monster said, books are good. Read them or burn them, it's all good.


So, we're back to book-burning again?????

[Brushy Sage]

Well it seems we have two pages of personal opinions and the citing of various "policies," and I'm wondering if the ATC actually does have any "official" policy about leaving religious materials in shelters. I remember seeing a religious group in Washington's Reagan National Airport several years ago, and there was a sign nearby, posted by airport officials I suppose, that the group was not "sponsored" by the airport but were exercising their rights of free speech. Does that apply to national parks as well? If so, what are the limits, and who oversees the activity? Personally, I don't believe we have a situation that is anywhere near being out of hand along the AT, and in fact it might be better if no "national" standard is brought to bear (pun unintentional) on the situation.

[TJ aka Teej]

I'm wondering if the ATC actually does have any "official" policy about leaving religious materials in shelters.

Nope. Although ATC does not have a formal Leave-No-Trace policy, they do encourage the policy and educate hikers about LNT ethics. That would cover leaving things (any *things*) in shelters. But even so, maintainers pack out load upon load of hiker leavings every year. Please, don't leave things in shelters.

[bobgessner57]

Bibles, Korans, or other religious books that have stood the test of time may be of interest or use to people seeking inspiration or guidance on the trail. I find the tracts and virulent anti semetic or anti catholic pamphlets and broadsheets particularly distasteful and out of harmony with the trail as a community asset. Perhaps the big books are not in keeping with lnt ideals but they are easier to overlook if not desired. Somehow the hate tracts are far more intrusive and upsetting. They would even give the mice bad karma. It always amazes me how far some people will carry a load of crap.

[Lint]

I had some fellow stop me as I was walking on my thru-hike last summer, and he tried to give me a bible. I politely declined his offer, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Told me to ditch my food and rely on jesus to provide! It got very uncomfortable, but I remained polite. Trying to argue with these people is like telling a child Santa is fake. They get all huffy and upset! But anyway...
So this guy ended up throwing the bible out onto the street and driving away. I picked it up and disposed of it. Litter is litter! Religious propaganda has no place ANYWHERE! Who hasn't heard of god in this world? If they want to believe myth and superstition they already will, but some of us grow up and leave Santa and the Toothfairy in the dustbin. If someone wants to serve a master, let them, but please leave us freethinkers alone.

[MOWGLI]

In 2000 there was a guy who had a jesus loves you sign on the back of his pack, He ended up breaking his leg

Chef, that was Moses, and he was one of my favorite folks on the trail. BTW, the sign said "Jesus is Lord".

[Brushy Sage]

I have met at least three hikers named Moses in recent years, and have even been mistaken for him myself. A popular name!

[walkon]

"(A-Train: my copy of Into the Wild was left by WalkOn who was up front near you at somepoint I think)"

cool, im glad you enjoyed it. appropriate book for a thru hike read with the striking out into the unknown and such...
walkon

[Chef2000]

Thanx Little Bear, Thats what it said. I remember him, he was a nice guy.

[Chef2000]

Thanx Little Bear, Thats what it said. I remember him, he was a nice guy.

And again it does not matter what it is, if you leave at a shelter, someone else has to carry it out.

And Chappy you were almost right, I meant, it didnt matter who loved him, he still broke his leg( or was it his Knee) ?

Lint, to bad you didnt have a Satanic Bible to trade with him

[Chappy]

Religious propaganda has no place ANYWHERE!

That sounds like a real freethinker! It's fine to be open-minded, just don't let your brains fall out.

[Jody7818]

That sounds like a real freethinker! It's fine to be open-minded, just don't let your brains fall out.

LOL....I'll have to remember that one the next time a freethinker uses the term "open-minded". But it's kinda silly that people get offended when someone tries to talk to them about the Bible, God, or Jesus. I never have understood that. Isn't it just simple peer pressure? It's not like someone has a gun to their head.

[Lone Wolf]

Shelters THEMSELVES offend me a lot more than the s**t IN them. Lighten up on the bibles kiddies.

[Toofarafoot]

This topic reminds me of a section hike that a buddy and I took in VA a few years ago. We encountered a smiling fellow, who wore a large medallion stating "God Loves You!", and his partner who was dragging a large wooden cross, draped over his shoulder. I was SO tempted to tell him that he had one helluva walking stick, but kept my mouth shut; didn't want to sour his seemingly happy mood.

Toofarafoot

[oyvay]

This topic reminds me of a section hike that a buddy and I took in VA a few years ago. We encountered a smiling fellow, who wore a large medallion stating "God Loves You!", and his partner who was dragging a large wooden cross, draped over his shoulder. I was SO tempted to tell him that he had one helluva walking stick, but kept my mouth shut; didn't want to sour his seemingly happy mood.

Toofarafoot

I met those two just before the James river in 2001! (unless more than one hiker drags a large cross them) I didn't say a word about it, but just looking at the cross made my pack seem a lot lighter! I did say they had doozy of a climb ahead of them.

[bearbait2k4]

Why should it bother some people that others take their faith out on the trail with them?

I have seen plenty of books, whether it be a Bible or any other reading material, left in shelters, and sometimes it becomes overkill. I don't think that leaving your Bibles at home is going to really change this.

People should practice common sense when it comes to leaving reading material at shelters. If there is a already a collection of books at one, then I guess there is no need to add to that pile.

To each his/her own, though. I don't think anyone is out there trying to force any reading down you.

[Jody7818]

Why should it bother some people that others take their faith out on the trail with them?

I have seen plenty of books, whether it be a Bible or any other reading material, left in shelters, and sometimes it becomes overkill. I don't think that leaving your Bibles at home is going to really change this.

People should practice common sense when it comes to leaving reading material at shelters. If there is a already a collection of books at one, then I guess there is no need to add to that pile.

To each his/her own, though. I don't think anyone is out there trying to force any reading down you.

Good point...I couldn't have said it any better.

[Needles]

Religious propaganda has no place ANYWHERE!
Sinp
Who hasn't heard of god in this world? If they want to believe myth and superstition they already will, but some of us grow up and leave Santa and the Toothfairy in the dustbin.
Snip
but please leave us freethinkers alone.

Freethinkers?
I should be getting used to this by now since I have lived in Seattle for almost 6 months, but I'm not. Up here it seems the majority of people consider themselves very open minded but think it is offensive for anyone who might hold any ideas that differ from their's to voice them.
If the person who stopped you really wouldn't take no for an answer, then that is simply wrong, if he littered by throwing a book on the ground then this is also wrong. However the contents of that book don't make it any more wrong than if he had thrown a copy of "The Complete Walker" on the ground.
I don't think anyone should be leaving anything behind in shelters, period, no matter what it is, but I would rather find a bible in a shelter than the porn magazine mentioned earlier in this thread. The bible is just somewhat easier to explain to a group of boy scouts than the porn would be.
My suggestion for anyone who never wants to hear the opinions of religious persons, republicans, democrats, communists, environmentalists, SUV owners, or any other group that has an opinion on anything, is to stay home, keep the TV turned off, don't turn on the radio or pick up a newspaper or a magazine, and please, what ever you do, don't answer the phone.
Persinally I will go out and hear what everyone has to say and make my own decisions, heck, I might even get into an argument or two, but I won't let that stop me from enjoying myself. Heck, wasn't the right to free speech, with all the good and bad things that right brings, part of the reason many people came to the US in the first place?

[Jaybird]

Freethinkers?
I should be getting used to this by now since I have lived in Seattle for almost 6 months, but I'm not. Up here it seems the majority of people consider themselves very open minded but think it is offensive for anyone who might hold any ideas that differ from their's to voice them.
If the person who stopped you really wouldn't take no for an answer, then that is simply wrong, if he littered by throwing a book on the ground then this is also wrong. However the contents of that book don't make it any more wrong than if he had thrown a copy of "The Complete Walker" on the ground.
I don't think anyone should be leaving anything behind in shelters, period, no matter what it is, but I would rather find a bible in a shelter than the porn magazine mentioned earlier in this thread. The bible is just somewhat easier to explain to a group of boy scouts than the porn would be.
My suggestion for anyone who never wants to hear the opinions of religious persons, republicans, democrats, communists, environmentalists, SUV owners, or any other group that has an opinion on anything, is to stay home, keep the TV turned off, don't turn on the radio or pick up a newspaper or a magazine, and please, what ever you do, don't answer the phone.
Persinally I will go out and hear what everyone has to say and make my own decisions, heck, I might even get into an argument or two, but I won't let that stop me from enjoying myself. Heck, wasn't the right to free speech, with all the good and bad things that right brings, part of the reason many people came to the US in the first place?

AMEN to that Brother!


hey, i carry a pocket Bible with me on the trail...but, it's for my own consumption....i consider myself a "spiritual person" rather than a religious person...yes, i'm a Christian...but i beleive i have NO Right to force my beliefs on any others.

[eyahiker]

Well said JayBird! I'll have to agree that some of the info doesn't belong in shelters, but it amazes how people always have stories about the Bible specifically more than others...perhaps because more people read it...hmmm. Maybe since it's so full of cool nature references.....

If you aren't interested in something, just move on.

I had a "religeous" person try to do some kind of tarot thing one time, who wants to ruin a perfectly good morning 'knowing' the future about that day ( I may never crawl out of my bag!) I had no desire to listen, hard to escape when there's no where else to sleep.... gradually feigned snoring till they shut up