This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A Christian organization that for decades has simply handed out free Bibles is being blocked from its mission by a Georgia hospital, and sources report it's because of the leftist ideology there involving "diversity, equity and inclusion."

A report from the Daily Wire notes the issue involving Gideons International is happening at the Phoebe Putney Health System.

That corporation provides health services to "hundreds of thousands of people in over 40 Georgia counties," the report explains.

The Wire reported, "Gideons hasn’t had its Bibles in the system’s hospitals for months after maintaining a working relationship for several years."

The questions being raised is why "inclusion" practices "would be used to exclude Christians from sharing Bibles with those who are sick or on their deathbed," the Daily Wire said.

The Gideons, a group that dates back to 1899, has handed out more than two billion Bibles in more than 95 languages in 200 countries and territories, the report said.

Many people see the group's work mostly in the Bibles found in hotel rooms.

The report said, "A source familiar with intimate knowledge of the situation said that Gideons was first restricted during the response to the coronavirus pandemic from entering Phoebe. The organization wasn’t let back in after COVID restrictions were relaxed and they attempted to resume their work last year."

The report said the Gideons were informed by the hospital corporation that their work was "a violation of the DEI policy" so they were being banned.

The Wire explained, "The source said that the policy was 'clearly anti-Christian' and that citing DEI to restrict the Gideons made no sense because Christians were being excluded instead of included."

Hospital corporation officials declined to respond.

The report noted that the company took a "leftward drift" after Scott Steiner, CEO, was brought on staff several years ago.

"Steiner is a member of the Georgia Diversity Council, which describes itself as the 'premier resource for diversity best practices and leadership development in the state of Georgia,'" the report said.