The Revelations of Ashley
- All religious scriptures are the words of humans about God, not God’s words to humans. They were written by humans no holier than you or I.
- Just because lots of people believe a scripture is absolutely true, that doesn’t mean that it should make any more sense to you than a Kyrgyz road map, assuming, of course, that you aren’t Kyrgyz.
- Anything in a religious scripture that looks like a myth probably is one.
- Myths in scriptures can provide important insights and valuable guidance for living. But that might come as much from your own interpretation of them than from what they actually say.
- Not all the advice given in scriptures is worth following and not all the rules given in them are worth obeying.
- People who claim to have been chosen by God to give final and definitive messages to humanity should not be trusted, especially with children.
- People who invite you to discover God for yourself might be worth listening to.
- Religious rituals and customs can help you to be more kind and loving. But you can be kind and loving without them, too.
- God is love. If there is more to God than love, I don’t know about it and I don’t think I have the time to find out because trying to figure out how to love other people well, or even at all, takes up most of my time.
- Religion is good when it brings people together to help each other love.
Attestation of Ashley — source of revelations
I, Ashley Anderson [not my real name], was parking in the staff lot at the Great Mall on my way to work at the Yogurt Shop, when I received revelations which I immediately recorded on my iPhone and sent to my friends.
In my job scooping yogurt, I had the occasion to meet many interesting people. Some were perfectly kind and pleasant folks who belonged to various religions, but not to the True Faith to which my family belonged. One day a lovely Hindu woman ordered pistachio yogurt on a sugar cone. She was wearing a sari and was a most enchanting person in every way. Looking at her, listening to her, I could not imagine that she would not join me in the third celestial paradise after we die. It did not seem fair or right.
So I began to read the sacred scriptures of the world’s religions. I had long conversations with people who belonged to other faiths. This led me to further questions about matters spiritual and religious, but I never dared to talk about them with those closest to me.
But on that day, sitting in my mom’s car, I lost my fear.
I do not know whether or not they are inspired by God. But if you get something out of them, well, that’s cool.
Photo: sculpture in Dushanbe Teahouse, Boulder, Colorado USA; photo by Ana Gobledale
