Even Further Delays in the Case of the "Meditating Monk".

As I first noted in a blog post from February of this year, the followers of Ashutosh Maharaj, a religious leader who had been declared clinically dead in January 2014, have kept his body in a deep freezer, claiming that their leader is not deceased but in a samadhi - a deep state of meditation.

The disposal of Ashutosh Maharaj's body has been before the Indian courts for quite some time - it was reported in March that a final decision by the court would be on April 28.

April has come and gone with the cult leader's body still in deep freeze.

The only update I've been able to locate was an article from Sept. 30 reporting that the court has given the cult until November 30 to decide on it's own what will be the fate of their guru's frozen body.

I'll try to get further news on the monk around December 1. I can hardly wait.

Gideons Bible - Cebu City.

Finding a Gideons Bible in a motel or hotel room in the U.S. is so common that, to me, they are practically invisible - I just never give them much thought.

It was, however, a bit strange finding a Gideons Bible at the Express Inn in Cebu city, Philippines. Seeing one there really brought home to me just how widespread the practice of placing Bibles in motel/hotel rooms is for the organization.

I took a photo of the Bible placed in room 306, because I found something especially odd about it.

Someone had taken a marker and wrote the name of the hotel across the pages of the Bible. I have no way of knowing if this was done by a Gideon or someone working for the Express Inn. The question in my mind is, "Why?".

Usually, I'd say writing the hotel name that way is to prevent stealing. But, the hotel doesn't really own the Gideon Bible, so they wouldn't be losing anything. If it was written by a Gideon, it seems to be a misplaced gesture.

Surely, if anyone is in need of a Bible, it would be someone who steals a Bible.