Raëlian beliefs and practices

Raëlian beliefs and practices concern the concepts and principles of the Raëlian Church, the religious mission of Claude Vorilhon, a former French auto racing journalist. [http://www.rael.free.fr/75/autopop.htm AutoPop, la revue des pilotes] "Raël : Messie ou Menteur ?". Retrieved 20 June 2007] Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 135-6.] Followers of Raëlianism are believers in "Elohim", an advanced race of extraterrestrials who created life on earth.Raël, "Intelligent Design"] Raëlians are individualists who believe in sexual self-determination.Raël, "Sensual Meditation"] As advocates of the universal ethic and world peace, they believe the world would be better if geniuses had an exclusive right to govern.Raël, "Geniocracy"] As believers of life in outer space, they hope that human scientists will follow the path of the Elohim by achieving space travel through the cosmos and creating life on other planets.Raël, "Intelligent Design"] As believers in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they hope to extend life through cloning,Raël, "Yes to Human Cloning"] however critics outside are doubtful of its possibility. [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec02/cloning_12-27.html THE CLONING DEBATE] , MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. 27 December 2002. Retrieved 10 February 2007.]

Active followers of Raëlianism have exhibited their sex-positive feminism and anti-war views through outdoor contacts such as parades. [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/photo/2006/05/01/2005052957 raelity show] , "Associated Press". Retrieved 13 March 2007.] [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/chinese/news/newsid_2766000/27662791.stm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/chinese/news/newsid_2766000/27662791.stm%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DXmu Translation: Global anti-war rallies map series] , "Agence France-Presse". 15 March 2003. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] The major initiation rite in the Raëlian Church is the "baptism" or Transmission of the Cellular Plan and is enacted by upper-level members in the Raëlian clergy known as "guides".Palmer, p. 58–9.]

Beliefs

Extraterrestrial Elohim

According to the book "The Message Given to me by Extra-terrestrials" (now republished as "Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers" 2006 ISBN 2940252203), Claude Vorilhon found a spacecraft shaped like a flattened bell that landed inside Puy de Lassolas, a volcano near the capital city of Auvergne in December 13, 1973. A 25,000-year-old human-like extraterrestrial inside the spacecraft named "Yahweh" said that Elohim was the name that primitive people of Earth called members of his extraterrestrial race—who were seen as "those who came from the sky".Yahweh explained that Earth was originally void of life, with thick clouds and shallow seas, but the Elohim came, broke apart the clouds, exposed the seas to sunlight, built a continent, and synthesized a global ecosystem. Solar astronomy, terraformation, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering allowed Elohim to adapt life to Earth's thermal and chemical makeup.Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 11-15.]

Yahweh gave materialistic explanations of the "Garden of Eden", a large laboratory that was based on an artificially constructed continent,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 279.] "Noah's Ark", a spaceship that preserved DNA that was used to resurrect animals through cloning,Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 20-22.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 240-242, 280, 332.] They believe that the "Tower of Babel", was a rocket that was to supposed to reach the creators' planet,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 22.] and the "Great Flood", the byproduct of a nuclear missile explosion that the Elohim sent.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 20.] After tidal wave floods following the explosions receded, Elohim scattered the Israelites and had them speak the language of other tribes.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 22.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 23.]

According to Vorilhon, Elohim contacted about forty people to act as their prophets on Earth,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 165.] including Moses,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 114.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 312.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 324.] Elijah,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 114.] Ezekiel,Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 45-53.] Buddha,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 312.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 324.]
John the Baptist,Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 293-306.] Jesus,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 114.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 312.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 324.]
Muhammad,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 312.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 324.] and Joseph Smith.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.] Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 312.] The religions thought to be from Elohimic origins include Judaism,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 114.] Buddhism,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.] Christianity,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 114.] Islam,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.] and Mormonism.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 89.]

From the Raëlian point of view, religious texts indicate that the Elohim would return at the age of Apocalypse or Revelation (unveiling of the truth). Humans from another world would appear to drop down from the sky and meet in the embassy they have asked Raël to build for them and share their advanced scientific knowledge with humanity. Thus, one of their stated main goals of the Raëlian movement is to inform as many people as possible about this extraterrestrial race. [http://web.archive.org/web/20030409164435/www.rael.org/english/pages/embassy/emb_overview.html An Embassy for Extraterrestrials] , "International Raëlian Movement". Retrieved 20 July 2007.]

ensuality

According to Vorilhon's book "Sensual Meditation", one should develop the ability to break free of habitual thoughts that prevent one from appreciating everyday phenomenon.Raël, "Sensual Meditation", p. 66.] The book describes in detail six different meditations involving make full use of the lungs capacity to expand and contract, oxygenating the blood and the cells within, imagining heat travelling upwards from toe the head, allowing the skin to feel under itself, and experiencing touch with another person's body and examining their figure.Raël, "Sensual Meditation", pp. 90–91.]

According to the book "Maitreya" by Claude Vorilhon, love involves experiencing different varieties and possibilities that allow one to break habits in order to make life more pleasant and interestingRaël, "Maitreya", pp. 19, 71, 99, 182, 251.] and that it is the only thing which can stop war and injustice that persists in today's world.Raël, "Maitreya", pp. 18, 165.] Raëlians believe in the right to form new religions or new political parties as long as they do not promote violence.Raël, "Maitreya", pp. 165, 137-41.] As individualists, Raëlians believe that the one who gives the order to harm others is less at fault than the one who executes it.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 321.]

Raëlians say they encourage adult homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual relationships and that society should recognize them legally. [http://www.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz010203.asp Left Clones] , "National Review". Retrieved 9 September 2007.] However, government authorities such as those in Switzerland fear that Raëlians are a threat to public morals for supporting liberalized sex education for children. The authorities believe that such liberalized sex education teaches youth how to obtain sexual gratification which would encourage sexual abuse of underage children. [http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=24268&sec=42&cont=all Cult leader Raël denied residence in Switzerland] , "Agence France-Presse". 19 February 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] The Raëlians disagree with those fears and stated that sex education done properly would involve educating parents as well as children. [http://raelianews.org/news.php?extend.235 Pedophilia accusations are pure discrimination] , "Raelianews.org". 23 August 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2007.]

Human cloning

In the scientific community, reproductive cloning refers only to the creation of a genetically identical living thing. "Genetically identical" does not mean altogether identical; this kind of cloning does not reproduce a living thing's memories or experiences, for example. However, in discussions of Raëlianism, cloning sometimes seems to refer not only to reproductive cloning, but also reproductive human cloning "plus mind and/or brain transfer", or to a process of making adult clones.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 366.] Raëlians take this even further and say that humanity can attain eternal life through the science of cloning.Raël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 35–37.]

According to the book "Yes to Human Cloning", the first stage of this extended cloning process is creating a human embryo through human cloning. Raëlian bishop and Clonaid CEO Brigitte Boisselier claimed that an American woman underwent a cloning procedure of this type that led to the birth of a girl named Eve in December 26, 2002. Claude Vorilhon told lawmakers that banning the development of human cloning was comparable to outlawing medical advances such "antibiotics, blood transfusions, and vaccines."Susan J. Palmer, [http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol4No2/Rael.htm "The Raël Deal"] , "Religion in the News", Summer 2001, Vol. 4, No. 2.]

The second stage of cloning, according to Raëlians, is causing the clone to mature faster than normal. Raël says that in the future, scientists will discover an "accelerated-growth process" [http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/30/cnna.cloning.rael/ Sect leader: Cloning is just the beginning] , "Cable News Network". 31 December 2002. Retrieved 2 August 2006.] in which a process like guided self-assembly of rapidly expanded cells or even nanotechnological assembly of a whole human body can form in a very short time.Raël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 35–37.]

The third stage is the transfer of memory and personality from the original person to the mature clone.Raël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 35–37.] For the process to maintain one branch one personality and memory, as opposed to two, a recording of the individual's mind would be required before the time of death, and would be transferred to an adult clone body after the original has passed away.Raël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 35–37.]

In the final stages of development, hitherto unknown information contained within undamaged DNA would be enough to bring others back from the deadRaël, "Intelligent Design", p. 167.] including their memories and personality.Raël, "Geniocracy", pp. 47, 78.] [http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2001/9/21/cloning-solution-terrorism-some-say/ Cloning solution to terrorism, some say] , "The Maneater". 21 September 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2007.] This would be done by taking a small sample would be taken from someone's body and preserved at the time when the level of the brain's efficiency and knowledge is highest. On the day of death, a cell would be taken from the sample for the cloning to take place, and the memories and personality would be restored to their peak level.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 109.]

Government and economics

According to the book "Geniocracy", the form of government most effective for creating a worldwide political union is one that favors intelligence over mediocrity. While having a democratic electoral apparatus, it differs from traditional liberal democracy by requiring members of the electorate to meet a minimum standard of intelligence. The thresholds proposed by the Raëlians are 50% above average for a candidate and 10% above average for a voter.Raël, "Geniocracy", p. 17-20.] Raëlians believe that a world government is only possible by the establishment of a global currency, a common language, and transformation of militaries of the world into civil police.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 100.] An anti-cult organization called Info-Cult argued that Geniocracy was a fascist ideology. However, Geniocracy is not a political party because it allows for differing political viewpoints.Raël, "Geniocracy", p. 21.]

In Raël's book, "Extraterrestrials took me to their planet", Raël claims that an extraterrestrial gave him the idea of "Economic Humanitarianism". Under the establishment of "Economic Humanitarianism", people would not have ownership of businesses or exploitable goods created by others. Instead, people would rent each of them for a period of 49 years. The founders would be able to receive the rents for 49 years, but when they die, the remaining rents would be returned to the State.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 98.] By balancing inheritances, children would be born with enough financial means to forsake menial tasks for endeavors that may benefit the whole of humanity. Family houses could be inherited from generation to generation, free of rent.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 97.]

In his much later book, "Maitreya", Raël says the road to a world without money is capitalism and globalisation, as opposed to communism. Capitalism would allow those who contribute much to society to also contribute to its scientific and technological development. Under capitalism, society would produce as much money as it can. The money would become important in the short run as nanotechnology quickly lowers the cost of goods while putting many people out of work.Raël, "Maitreya", p. 217-8.]

Raëlian cosmology

Raëlians do not believe in reincarnation as dictated by mystical writings because they do not believe that an ethereal soul exists free of physical confinement.Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 154-155.] Instead the Raëlians think that advanced supercomputers of the Elohim are right now recording the memories and DNA of human beings.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 171.] When Elohim release this information for the coming resurrection, people would be brought back from the dead and the judgments upon them would be realized based on actions in their past life. People excluded from physical recreation would include those who achieved nothing positive but were not evil.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 214.] Vorilhon expressed an interest in cloning Hitler for war trials and retroactive punishment. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-77067252.html CULT BIDS TO CLONE HITLER FOR WAR TRIAL] , "Daily Record". 9 August 2001. Retrieved 18 September 2007.] Raël also mentioned cloning as the solution to terrorism by suicide attacks, as the perpetrators would not be able to escape punishment by killing themselves if the Elohim recreated them after their attacks.

Raël says that, "Everything is in everything." Inside the atoms of living things, he says, are living things made of atoms which themselves have living things made of atoms, and so on, to the infinitely small. The universe itself is contained in an atom inside of another universe, and so on, to the infinitely large. Because of the difference of mass, the activity of life inside in a living thing's atoms would undergo many millennia before enough time passes for that living thing to take a single step. Raëlians believe the universe is infinite and thus lacks a center. Because of this, one could not imagine an ethereal soul would go, due the universe's infinite nature. They believe that infinity exists in time as well as in space, for all levels of life.Raël, "Intelligent Design", pp. 153-155.]

Raëlians believe that humanity would be able to create life on other planets only if it is peaceful enough to stop war. If done, humanity could travel the distances between starsRaël, "Intelligent Design", p. 159.] and create life on another planet.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 70.] Progress in terraformation, molecular biology,Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 293.] and cloning would enable these teams to create continents and life from scratch.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 50.] Progress in social engineering would ensure that this creation would have a better chance of both surviving as well as having the potential to understand its creators.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 153.] Research on how globalization would occur on another planet would allow scientists to decide what traces of their origin should be left behind so that their role in life creation would someday be revealed.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 280.] The progress achieved by the science teams would ultimately sustain a perpetual chain of life.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 91.]

Practices and history

Throughout the History of Raëlism, members of the Raëlian Church have advocated the use of masturbation, condoms, and birth control.Broughton, Philip D. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/12/28/wclone228.xml Promise of as much sex as you want and everlasting life] , "The Daily Telegraph". 31 December 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] Raëlians hope that genetically modified foodRaël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 35–37.] and nanotechnologyRaël, "Yes to Human Cloning", pp. 69–74.] will allow humankind to eliminate the obligation to work, in a world that embraces science and technology.Raël, "Intelligent Design", p. 156.] In addition to the Clonaid project (now a private project not associated with the Raëlian Movement), the Raëlians have founded the Clitoraid organization whose mission is to repair genitally mutilated clitorises. [http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20061205/CPNOUVELLISTE/612050740/5409/CPNOUVELLISTE "On s'en est fait passer une p'tite vite!"] , "Cyberpresse.ca". 5 December 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2007.] [http://clitoraid.org/ Raëlian effort to promote sponsorship of clitorises] , "Clitoraid.org". Retrieved 9 August 2006.] Vorilhon, other Raëlians, and their critics have characterized Raëlian Church as an atheist religion that believes not in God, but in extraterrestrials. [http://www.cesnur.org/2003/mi_rael.htm Raëlians and Cloning: Are They for Real?] , "CESNUR.com". 16 January 2003. Retrieved 15 September 2007.] [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,404175,00.html Who are the Raëlians?] , "Time Magazine". 4 January 2003. Retrieved 15 September 2007.]

Raëlian structure members have set up exhibitions about their beliefs of extraterrestrial intelligent designers sending crop circles,Bourgeaux, Par Pierre, [http://raelianews.org/download.php?view.135 CROP-CIRCLES in the Streets of Switzerland] , "Raëlian Contact 309". 23 May 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2006.] UFOs, and spaceships for their arrival at an embassy. [http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://webmarch.net/~jrm/modules/myalbum/viewcat.php%3Fcid%3D15 Raëlian Exhibitions in Japan] , "(West) Japanese Raëlian Movement". Retrieved 28 November 2006.] While there have been smaller meetings of Raëlians and non-Raëlians, annual "Raëlian seminars" have been typically larger. [http://rael.org/e107_plugins/raelseminar_menu/raelseminar.php?c=4 Raëlian Seminars in the Americas] , "The International Raëlian Movement". Retrieved August 6 2006.] [http://rael.org/e107_plugins/raelseminar_menu/raelseminar.php?c=5 Raëlian Seminars in Asia] , "The International Raëlian Movement". Retrieved August 6 2006.] [http://rael.org/e107_plugins/raelseminar_menu/raelseminar.php?c=6 Raëlian Seminars in Europe] , "The International Raëlian Movement". Retrieved August 6 2006.] Music has been a feature of large gatherings, where at night, Raëlians have had multiethnic cabaret performances.Palmer, p. 62.] Seminarists have used colored bracelets to indicate whether they wanted to be alone, be in a couple, or simply meet people.Brown, DeNeen L., [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A4047-2003Jan16&notFound=true The Leader of UFO Land] , "Washington Post". 17 January 2003. Retrieved 3 May 2007.] Raëlian structure members who run the seminars have organized group exercises involving meditation with the senses. James R. Lewis—an authority on fringe religious movements—spoke of Raëlians who practiced sensual meditation and discovered "playing fields" where "radical self-reconstruction," "new forms of authority," and "new modes of self-relating" were encouraged.Lewis, p. 133.]

The seminars have attracted a diverse mix of sexually adventurous people. [http://www.apologeticsindex.org/r12.html The Sexual Messiah] , "National Post". 7 August 1999. Retrieved 3 June 2007.] "KNBC" called the annual Raëlian seminars "a cross between a nudist camp and new-age retreat." [http://www.nbc4.tv/newslinks/4453262/detail.html 'Clone Baby' & Raëlians] , "NBC 4 Los Angeles". 5 May 2005. Retrieved 12 March 2007.] A Spanish television reporter saw Raëlian men and women in cross-dressing plays. [http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12273/sensual-seminars-and-flying-saucers "Sensual seminars” and flying saucers] , "Agence France-Presse". 22 September 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] Susan J. Palmer said a French journalist went to a Raëlian Seminar in 1991 and taped couples having sexual intercourse in tents. These tapes gained widespread negative publicity—with news stories that described these practices as perverted and a form of brainwashing.Susan J. Palmer, [http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol4No2/Rael.htm "The Raël Deal"] , "Religion in the News", Summer 2001, Vol. 4, No. 2.] Two young adults named Abdullah Hashem and Joseph McGowen were welcomed into a Raëlian seminar and had permission to videotape it. Hashem believes the footage they took makes it clear that the Raëlian Movement is a cult that should disband. He has opened a website, www.hashemsfilms.com, to promote his video series including them. However, a Raëlian guide said in a Wired interview that he was not ashamed of the activities displayed in the video.Philipkoski, Kristen, [http://www.wired.com/news/culture/1,68593-1.html Some Sex With Your Clone Perhaps?] , "Wired News". 31 August 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] [http://home.sailormoon.com/kmarinas86/news273e.pdf A VERY SPECIAL SEMINAR IN LAS VEGAS] , "Raëlian Contact 273". May 26 2005. Retrieved 26 June 2007. " [http://www.raelianews.org/download.php?view.41 (French, raelianews.org version)] "]

The "Associated Press" shared its picture of half-naked Raëlian women wearing pasties as part of an anti-war demonstration in Seoul, Korea. [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/photo/2006/05/01/2005052957 raelity show] , "Associated Press". Retrieved 13 March 2007.] A snapshot by "Agence France-Presse" revealed Raëlians in white alien costumes with signs bearing the message "NO WAR ... ET wants Peace, too!". [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/chinese/news/newsid_2766000/27662791.stm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/chinese/news/newsid_2766000/27662791.stm%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DXmu Translation: Global anti-war rallies map series] , "Agence France-Presse". 15 March 2003. Retrieved 13 March] 2007.] Raëlians have also been reported in Nevada's Burning Man festival of 2006, as verified on the Burning Man website and mentioned in "Raëlian Contact" Newsletter #321. [http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/2006/06_camps_e.html Embassy For Extra-Terrestrials] , "Burning Man". 2006. Retrieved 13 March 2007.] Lara, [http://www.raelianews.org/download.php?view.170 RAËLIANS BUILD EMBASSY AT BURNINGMAN] , "Raëlian Contact 321". 16 October 2006. Retrieved 9 September 2007.]

ee also

* Geniocracy
* History of Raëlism
* Raëlian cosmology
* Raëlism
* Sensual Meditation

* Biogenesis
* Cosmic ancestry
* Exotheology
* Directed Panspermia

*Brigitte Boisselier - French CEO of Clonaid
*Claude Vorilhon/Raël - French singer, guitarist, and former automobile journalist
*Glenn Carter - British singer, actor
*Nayah - French singer

References

reflist|3

Cited texts

*Lewis, James R. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0791423298 "The Gods Have Landed: New Religions from Other Worlds"] "SUNY Press", 1995. ISBN 0791423298.
*Palmer, Susan J. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0813534763 "Aliens Adored"] . "Rutgers University Press", 2004. ISBN 0813534763.
*Raël, [http://rael.org/download.php?view.6 "Geniocracy"] . The Raëlian Foundation, 2004.
*Raël, [http://rael.org/download.php?view.1 "Intelligent Design"] . Nova Distribution, 2006. ISBN 2940252203.
*Raël, [http://rael.org/download.php?view.3 "Maitreya"] . The Raëlian Foundation, 2003.
*Raël, [http://rael.org/download.php?view.5 "Sensual Meditation"] . Tagman Press, 2001.
*Raël, [http://rael.org/download.php?view.2 "Yes to Human Cloning: Immortality Thanks to Science] . Tagman Press, 2001. ISBN 1-903571-05-7; ISBN 1-903571-04-9.

Further reading

*The 2005 novel "The Possibility of an Island" - (translated by Gavin Bowd, original title "La Possibilité d'une île") by the French writer, Michel Houellebecq is seen by reviewers as a description of Raëlism in the future. [http://permanent.nouvelobs.com/people/20051012.OBS1891.html Houellebecq, prêtre honoraire du mouvement raëlien] , "Le Nouvel Observateur". 19 October 2005. Retrieved 2 August 2006.]
*Raël, " [http://rael.org/download.php?view.93 La géniocratie] ". L'Edition du message, 1977. ISBN 2883950032.

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2610795.stm Who are the Raëlians?] David Chazan, BBC News 2002.