Hundred and thirty seven Gideon Bibles from guest rooms at the Lowell conference center in the University of Wisconsin-Extension have been removed.
An unnamed guest of the center complained to the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) about the presence of the holy books, which spurred the organization to demand their removal from the center.
The secular advocacy group claimed that religious neutrality is being denied when Bibles are placed within public spaces.
"When a government entity like the Lowell Center allows distribution of religious material to visitors, it has unconstitutionally entangled itself with a religious message, in this case a Christian message," Patrick Elliott, FFRF attorney, said in a statement.
"While private hotels may choose to put any type of literature they want in their guest rooms, state-run colleges have a constitutional obligation to remain neutral toward religion."
The Foundation alleged that the 'literal belief in this book may endanger your health and life.'
"Permitting members of outside religious groups the privilege of placing their religious literature in public university guest rooms constitutes state endorsement and advancement of these Christian publications," said Elliot, Washington Times reports.
Bill Mann, director of Extension Conference Centers, said that they decided to remove the Bibles from the guest rooms because they wanted to make all their guests comfortable.
For decades, the Foundation had been urging the university to remove the Bibles. Emerita Anne Nicol Gaylor, FFRF's president, is pleased with the university's recent decision.
The Foundation said that they received numerous complaints about "aggressive Gideon tactics and complicity by some school officials" for more than 30 years.
"Violations include principals openly permitting Gideon members to visit classrooms to distribute bibles and talk to children, to stand in the halls handing out bibles or outside the entrance as children leave," the foundation said.
"Some of the worst cases have involved reports that representatives were pitching bibles to young children entering school buses from school parking lots, even on occasion shoving them through school bus windows."
