Not mine - but I wish I had written it

Obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.!
No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as
knowing when to come in out of the rain,
why the early bird gets the worm,
life isn't always fair, and
maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and
a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer panadol, sun lotion or a band aid to a student - but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.!
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge financial settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.
He is survived by three stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights,
Someone Else is To Blame, and
I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so Few realized he was gone.

What is it about organised religions???

There has always been a long and weary examination of religion.

Ever since man first created a reason for death and the resultant comfort and quelling of his fears of it, the religious leaders of this world have been powerful people. They have been able to establish rules and impose regulations upon their peers with, semingly, little real objection from them.

In the modern world, with wide and instant communication, the religious orders are happy to use the mechanics to account for their enormous wealth, but have become, generally, far too fond of their life style to try to change the way they do things.

What is the most common characteristic of most established churches today?

Good works? No.
Instant response to requests for help? No.
The distribution of largesse? No.

It is the acquisition of even more wealth.

Look at any of the apostolic television programmes featuring 'priests' in the USA. These priests are not humble men. They dress expensively. They spend a small fortune publicising themselves.
They spend an even bigger fortune ensuring that their 'collections' from their audiences are instant and maximised (all credit cards accepted).

Are they walking in the footsteps of the man they say they worship?
I don't think so.

One day I was walking past a large church, here, in Spain. It was a magnificent building in one of the wealthiest parts of town. I am told that a great number of people died during the construction and subsequent maintenance of this magnificent building. It was filled with works of art, valuable fittings and furniture and the gleam from gold and highly polished silver and brass was everywhere.

The church occupied a prime real estate plot worth a great deal of money.
Just inside the enormous double doors was an exquisitely carved, antique table.
On this table was a small collecting box.
On this collecting box was a lable.
On the lable was written "For the poor"

What is wrong with this picture?