Guests walked out because of my tarot cards

I agree that your guest’s aversion to your tarot cards makes her more of a problem than you as a host. Still, it is a complaint, and complaints do not help your business. The suggestions to keep areas with guest access a bit more neutral, as as been suggested here, would have prevented this complaint. Tarot cards, like witchcraft, clearly fall into a highly controversial area in our culture, with some very strong feelings about them. If you are a “reader”, then you are more than familiar with the emotional gamut about them - from fear of them to their being just a parlor game to being a highly beneficial tool. Yet, I would think that if you seek to minimize complaints, then it only makes sense to minimize anything known to be controversial in those areas that guests visit.

1 Like

Yes, I took them out of the wagon and ‘played’ with them a bit yesterday. They are simply divination cards, like astrology. Wiccans also use them in their religion. It appears to be the Catholic Church which has condemned them as satanic/ evil which in my mind has made me feel inclined to keep to keep them in the wagon. Instructions sent to people from hierarchical religious institutions is something I intensely dislike, particularly when it is based upon prejudice. However, yes, it’s a business, and although nobody has ever complained about them, I’ve removed them. People can bring their own, after all.

4 Likes

I’m from an American evangelical church background, specifically Southern Baptist. These folks were so evil they broke off to make a separate denomination because they were pro slavery. Anyway, I’m sure they are also anti-Tarot cards. My relatives in the 80’s wouldn’t even play games with a deck of regular playing cards because those were the kind used in gambling. They would play the exact same games but buy board game substitutes like Rummikube or Uno.

2 Likes

Remember, ‘freedom of religion’ also means ‘freedom FROM religion’. Putting a bible in your face is disrespectful.

3 Likes

OMG Id love that! Where are you located? I’m coming :slight_smile:

Joke aside, this guest might be very narrow minded.

I’d say, if you want, to keep it like more business like. I’d remove everything of that nature and even the bible - in case you have one. I always wonder why the heck hotels have bibles in their rooms? this might make jews and hindus and people of all other religions very uncomfortable…

4 Likes

We had a group who asked us to remove our Buddhas. They are an integral part to the design of the house and the reason I show them in my listing. I cannot imagine asking someone to remove their crucifix from the wall because I find it offensive or to remove anything at all. It’s sad that people can be so fearful and narrow minded.

6 Likes

I hope that you did receive the rental fees.
Everyone has their own taste but this is a very nominal thing- not enough to warrant walking out.
I’m in New England and I have ghost books and a magic 8 ball! Bc it’s retro and fun.
Tarot cards are becoming much more mainstream and are not at all comparable to religious items .
Also, Airbnb states over and over that they want you to have a unique and personal space.
I think it was an overreaction on their part and you shouldn’t change anything. I liked the suggestion of showing the game shelf in your listing.

3 Likes

If these Christian’s belief system is so weak that they can’t abide a harmless object or anything that might contradict their fragile faith, I suggest creating a large plaque in your home and quote the new testament (Matthew 5:29). I’m so tired of these ignorant people spreading their “good word” and the hate that it contains.

" And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out,
and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should perish, and
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

And I would charge them an extra cleaning fee if they make a mess plucking their eye out.

As to making your place “neutral” to increase your bookings, I would also quote this new testament verse:

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Maybe these religious bigots should read their own gospel before they enjoy taking offense at other’s innocent practices.

7 Likes

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (has anyone ever actually read that book?)

I did! In college! And I don’t remember a bit of it! :blush:

2 Likes

I used to have a boss who was Roman Catholic and had his own baseball team of 9 kids to support the fact.

I’m an atheist but come Performance Review time every year, I would keep a visible bible handy on my desk and mutter things like “Oh You Corinthians 4:28!” now and then.

I was also fired from a job once because I came in for unpaid overtime on a Sunday once, rather than my regular Saturday (also unpaid overtime). That boss was very religious as well. If only he were Jewish, instead of Christian. Or both.

2 Likes

Isn’t that “Two Corinthians?” :wink:

1 Like

How fortunate am I, as a humanist/atheist/buddhist, that we don’t allow the government to establish a religion, or prevent people from practicing theirs. So I agree with the first amendment you’re quoting: government shouldn’t put bible verses on public buildings or other actions that create religious “in” and “out” groups.

But I’m hosting in my home. Amongst other things people could get their panties in a bunch about, I have a Hotei buddha in my yard, Jewish artwork in the hall, and books on several different religions on my bookshelf.
Does that mean I’m disrespectful of my guests’ beliefs? Does it make a difference that you can also find Hawking, Feynman, Hitchens and Dawkins on my shelves?
Or can we be adult enough that someone can take in the quiet demonstration of my interests and beliefs in MY HOME without perceiving that as an attack on their own?

Maybe Airbnb needs to add yet another section to the “Rules” disclosures. Just between “weapons” and “dangerous animals” they can have a disclosure for “Any item, book, or artwork that might possibly offend the highly sensitive” :rofl:

9 Likes

Your home your books. I have a investment property used as a vacation rental. No religious anything to be found here.

RR

1 Like

Is there more than one? Wait, are there several Leviticans as well?! And don’t bother looking up the numbers. They always just indicate the time it was on my computer. :wink:

2 Likes

I am always afraid that someone will actually call me on my Buddha, wanting to know some deep esoterical, spiritual meaning I have gleaned.

Truth be told, it is a candle holder I picked up at a garage sale. They are so happy, those little buddhas! You can’t help but smile!

I should really brush up on my 12 tenets for living a pure life or whatever it is.

4 Likes

After short stints in the past dealing with the general public nothing but NOTHING surprises me. You’ll always get one or two at the extremes of the bell curve

1 Like

We all have our individual lenses. Personally, I’d be fine with tarot cards and Buddhas. But when we stayed at an airbnb that was full of crosses and pictures of Jesus, we were both very uncomfortable. Though it was a great airbnb in other senses, I probably would not stay there again. In our own airbnb we don’t have anything that one could call religious (possibly because we are atheists.)

I do think that if you have a collection of choices in terms of cards, games, literature, that dispels the concentration and should make it acceptable to almost everyone. There can always be a person or two to object.

2 Likes

I can understand an over-abundance of anything of a highly personal nature can be disconcerting. (The commercial of the couple at Grannie’s house with dolls EVERYWHERE -so many eyes- comes to mind)

It sounds as if the pictures of the rental weren’t accurate. I love when pictures are accurate of wall art and more because it helps guests pick the rental that is best for them.

1 Like

In my home/rental I have the same as you, Allison! All sorts of very fun things with stories, with history, original aboriginal art form many cultures, and my totally eclectic library. It is all wonderful, and my guests love it.

1 Like

I’m with you on this one, @Allison_H. No matter what your personal beliefs are, if you decorate your place too “unique” you might find that certain people won’t like it. I definitely won’t chose to stay in a place with framed (or painted) quotations from the bible. I’d find it really, really freaky. Buddhas and such yeah, would remind me of the 60s, but I can see how it could be offensive to people who actually pray to him. Just like Muslims would get offended if there’s anything related or attributed to Mohammed. To me, keepin my listing devoid of anything of religious symbolism is a good business decision. I mean, come on, there are thousands of ways to decorate and make your place unique without religious references. The way I see it and the way I decorated my place is just like a realtor would showcase it to possible buyers. Well, I’d only accept religious symbolism and bible quotations if your rental place was a repurposed church (people do buy them, you know).

2 Likes