Not Ranked
A man in Charleston, West Virginia, decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco, and started working east from there. Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and making notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued with a sign which read "$10,000 a minute."
Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign.
The pastor answered that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven, and if he pays the price he can talk directly to God. The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way. As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, Austin, Michigan, Chicago, Milwaukee, and around the United States, he found more phones, with the same sign, and the same answer from each pastor.
Finally, he arrived in West Virginia. Upon entering a church in Elkview, West Virginia, behold, he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time, the sign read "Calls 35 cents." Fascinated, he asked to talk to the
pastor.
"Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this
golden telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but in the other churches, the cost was $10,000 a minute.
Your sign reads 35 cents a call. Why?"
I just love this part........
The pastor, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in WEST VIRGINIA now...it's a local call."
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