"The Golden Phone"
There was a man who decided to write a book about the different churches of the United States. He flies to San Francisco and begins taking photographs in the very large Grace Cathedral. Suddenly he spot a golden telephone on a wall. Above it a sign reads $10,000 a minute.
Intrigued, the writer seeks out the priest who explains that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven, and if he wants to use it, he can talk directly to God. "Thank you very much," the man says and continues on his way.
His research takes him to churches in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York. Each time he notices the same type of phone with exactly the same sign. Each time he seeks out the parish priest, asks the same question, and gets the same answer: it is a direct line to God. He thanks the priest and continues on his way.
This continues through many other states until finally, he arrives in Texas.
Upon entering a small rural church he is about to walk right by the standard golden telephone when the sign above it grabs his attention. This time the sign reads "Calls 25 cents." By now he is fascinated. He finds the Pastor and says to him, "Sir, I have been in cities all across the country, and in each church I found this golden telephone and was told that it was a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God. But, in all of the other churches it was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 'Calls 25 cents.' Why?"
The Pastor smiles benignly and says, "Oh, my son, that's easy. You're in the South now, it's a local call."
There was a man who decided to write a book about the different churches of the United States. He flies to San Francisco and begins taking photographs in the very large Grace Cathedral. Suddenly he spot a golden telephone on a wall. Above it a sign reads $10,000 a minute.
Intrigued, the writer seeks out the priest who explains that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven, and if he wants to use it, he can talk directly to God. "Thank you very much," the man says and continues on his way.
His research takes him to churches in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York. Each time he notices the same type of phone with exactly the same sign. Each time he seeks out the parish priest, asks the same question, and gets the same answer: it is a direct line to God. He thanks the priest and continues on his way.
This continues through many other states until finally, he arrives in Texas.
Upon entering a small rural church he is about to walk right by the standard golden telephone when the sign above it grabs his attention. This time the sign reads "Calls 25 cents." By now he is fascinated. He finds the Pastor and says to him, "Sir, I have been in cities all across the country, and in each church I found this golden telephone and was told that it was a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God. But, in all of the other churches it was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 'Calls 25 cents.' Why?"
The Pastor smiles benignly and says, "Oh, my son, that's easy. You're in the South now, it's a local call."
