As part of his ongoing exploration of Religious Technological Artifacts, New York-based Canadian artist Paul Davies has built the Prayer Antenna, a porcupine-like helmet that allow its wearer to receive signals from God.
The thrift-store motor-cycle helmet is covered with antennae quills, and fitted with sufficient surveillance technology to receive signals from the gods. The helmet is mounted to the wall on an ornate arm and a small kneeling stool is provided. To use the Antenna the worshipper must kneel on the stool and inset their head into the helmet. The visor is blacked out. Integrated headphones allow the supplicant to experience the signals. Sufficient controls allow him/her to tune the signals.
Paul Davies explained me that "the helmet works very simply. There are two radio transmitters out in the museum/gallery/whatever and they transmist the amibiant sounds (people talking, etc) to the left and right channel of radio recievers hooked up to headphones inside the helmet (so each ear is a distinct source). The interactivity is the simple act of kneeling and putting your head into the helmet. What you hear is other people (what is god if not other people.)"
I don't see it that way, though maybe it's just the crowd I hang with.
As Celia Green points out, it's a rather dubious theological proposition:
The philosophers have discarded metaphysics and have a tinkling song of their own which says, "In the beginning was the word and the word is mine and the word was made by me." This is rather a strong position in its way, because if you try to criticize it they will point out that you can only do so in words, and they have already annexed all the words there are on behalf of humanity. (And the meaning of the words is the meaning humanity gave them, and they shall have no meaning beside it.)The theologians are finding theology rather an embarrassment, and one can only suspect they would be happier without it. Their tradition does make it a little more difficult for them to put God in his proper place, but all things considered, they're keeping up with the times pretty well. Sartre said "Hell is other people"; the up-to-date theologian says "God is other people".
No worries, mate. If this God thing doesn't work out, you can always get a job as a street busker:
Mike Wood is the Comedy Engineer. He was born too late for vaudeville and too early for what will be its intergalactic counterpart. Still he manages to flout all the rules of the universe known to man. Relying heavily on his engineering degree, Mike will defy the laws of physics with nothing more than his tight pants. He�ll test quantum theory by impaling a catapulted cabbage on a spike atop his head.
I don't know if he's praying for cabbages, but they've got to be coming from somewhere.