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G-d's Hotline, Please Leave a Message!

by Swan | March 7, 2009 at 08:10 am

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Finally, a phone number where I can speak directly to G-d, even if I do have to leave a message!

Before someone accuses me of blasphemy because of my story, let me say that I am a staunch believer in G-d, I respect, love and pray to Him regularly, however, I also believe He has a pretty decent sense of humor.

An art exhibition opening in the Netherlands will allow people to call a telephone number designated for God - but they will have to leave a message.

Dubbed God's Hotline, it aims to focus attention on changes to the ways Dutch people perceive religion.

We have artist Johan van der Dong to thank for this little discovery, or blasphemy, which ever way you look at it. The voicemail message says:

This is the voice of G-d, I am not able to speak to you at the moment, but please leave a message.

Van der Dong is accused of mocking G-d, however, Radio Netherlands says it is supposed to demonstrate that G-d is available anywhere and anytime.

1,000 messages have already been left for G-d and one hopes that he has an efficient secretary (St. Peter perhaps?) to sort them all out for Him. While the G-d Hotline forms part of the exhibition, the messages do not and will be kept private.

Van der Dong told Radio Netherlands:

"I'm not a pastor, I'm an artist and I won't listen to the messages." [...] "It's a secret between the Lord and the people who are calling."

On the whole, I don't see anything wrong with this method of speaking to G-d. You can do so within the privacy of your own home and it will give some people the distinct feeling that their prayers are definitely being heard.

Personally, I prefer praying privately without a phone as a go-between.

The 'G-d phone line' is planned for 6 months only - then people will have to return to their old-fashioned way of praying.

Source Story and Image:

BBC News
Dutch Leave Messages on God Phone

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amyjudd

at 08:43 on March 7th, 2009

I like this idea. To me, it's like the Peter Pan statue in Regent's Park in the UK where children can leave notes to Peter Pan - I did it when I was young; it's all about faith.

Swan

at 09:00 on March 7th, 2009

Hello Amy,

I agree! It is about faith, (nicely put Amy) but there will be many detractors calling out "blasphemy!" before the exhibition is over.

As for Regent's Park, I lived in Earls Court for a few years as a child and remember wanting to see Peter Pan over and over - and yes, I also left a note for him. I even remember what I wrote: