Raëlian beliefs and practices
Part of a series of articles on the |
Raëlian movement |
---|
Doctrines |
Raëlian beliefs and practices are the concepts and principles of
Active followers of Raëlianism have exhibited their sex-positive feminism and pacifism through outdoor contacts such as parades.[10][11] 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.[12]
Beliefs
Structure of the Universe
Raël says that "everything is in everything". He says that, inside the atoms of living things, are living things that are made of atoms, which themselves contain living things that are 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 of a living thing's atoms would undergo many millennia before enough time passes for that living thing to take a single step. Raëlians believe that the universe is infinite, and thus lacks a center. Because of this, one could not imagine where an ethereal soul would go, due to the universe's infinite nature. They believe that infinity exists in time as well as in space, for all levels of life.[13]
Raëlians believe that humanity would be able to create life on other planets only if humanity is peaceful enough to stop war. In that case, humanity could travel the distances between stars[14] and create life on another planet.[15] Progress in terraforming, molecular biology,[16] and cloning would enable these teams to create continents and life from scratch.[17] Progress in social engineering would ensure that this creation would have a better chance of both surviving and having the potential to understand its creators.[18] Research on how civilization 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.[19] The progress achieved by the science teams would ultimately sustain a perpetual chain of life.[20]
Intelligent Design
Creation of life on Earth by extraterrestrials
In his book The Message Given to me by Extraterrestrials (now republished as Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers 2006
Yahweh gave
According to Vorilhon, Elohim contacted about forty people to act as their prophets on Earth, John the Baptist,[34] Jesus,[29][30][31] Muhammad,[30][31][33] and Joseph Smith.[30][33] The religions thought to be from Elohimic origins include Judaism,[29] Buddhism,[33] Christianity,[29] Islam,[33] and Mormonism.[33]
According to Vorilhon, multiple religious texts indicate that the Elohim would return at the age of
The controversy surrounding the origins of Raelian beliefs centers on the writings of several authors in the late 1960s. Jean Sendy, a French writer, translator, and author of books on the esoteric and UFOs wrote several novels detailing the creation of Earth by extraterrestrials.[35] One of the best known researchers in this field is Erich von Däniken, the 'father' of the Ancient Astronauts theory, which postulates that Earth might have been visited by extraterrestrials in the remote past.
With the publication of Chariots of the Gods? in 1968, Erich von Däniken introduced the intervention theory to the general public. Von Däniken wrote that the technologies and religions of ancient civilizations were granted by extraterrestrials worshiped as gods. Von Däniken argued that only extraterrestrial intervention can explain the higher technological knowledge presumed to be essential for the production of ancient artifacts such as the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge and the Moai of Easter Island. Humans in ancient times considered this extraterrestrial high-tech to be supernatural and the aliens themselves to be 'gods'.[36] One can find direct parallels to the messages that Vorilhon claimed to have received and written about in his books. Marie-Hélène Parent, ex-guide Raëlian priest, describes Sendy and Vorilhon meeting several times for drinks and conversation throughout the years of 1973 and 1974, prior to Vorilhon's claimed extraterrestrial encounter.[37]
Humanity's chance of creating life on other planets
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 stars[14] and create life on another planet.[15] Progress in terraformation, molecular biology,[16] and cloning would enable these teams to create continents and life from scratch.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19] The progress achieved by the science teams would ultimately sustain a perpetual chain of life.[20]
A coming judgement
Raëlians do not believe in reincarnation as dictated by mystical writings because they do not believe that an
Practices
Initiation of new members
The major initiation rite in the Raëlian Church is the "baptism" or "transmission of the cellular plan". That rite is enacted by upper-level members of the Raëlian clergy who are called "guides".[12] Canadian sociologist Susan J. Palmer says that in 1979, Raël introduced the "Act of Apostasy" as an obligation for people who are preparing for their Raëlian baptism.[43] CTV Television Network states that apostasy from other religions is required for new Raëlian members.[44] Joining the Raëlian Church through transmission of the cellular plan happens only on certain days of the year. There are four of such days, all of which mark anniversaries in the Raëlian calendar.[45]
The Raëlian baptism is known as "transmission of the cellular plan", where "cellular" refers to the organic cells of the body, and the "plan" refers to the genetic makeup of the individual. That Raëlian baptism involves a guide member laying water onto the forehead of the new member.[46] That practice began on "the first Sunday in April"[47] of 1976, when Raël baptized 40 Raëlians.[47] Raëlians believe that their genetic information is recorded by a remote computer, and would become recognized during their final hour, when they will be judged by the extraterrestrial Elohim.[48]
There is continuing debate on whether Raëlians can be identified as a cult. The government of
Activism
Raëlians routinely advocate sex-positive feminism and
In July 2001, Raëlians on the streets attracted Italians and Swiss people as they gave leaflets in protest to over a hundred child molesters in existence among Roman Catholic clergy in France. They recommended that parents should not send their children to Catholic confession. The Episcopal vicar of Geneva sued the Raëlian Church for libel but did not win.[54][55] The judge did not accept the charges for the reason that the Raëlians were not attacking the whole of the Catholic Church.[54]
In October 2002, Raëlians in a Canadian anti-clerical parade held handed out Christian crosses to high school students. They were invited to burn the crosses in a park not far from Montreal's Mount Royal and to sign letters of apostasy from the Roman Catholic Church. The Quebec Association of Bishops called this "incitement to hatred", and several school boards attempted to prevent their students from meeting Raëlians.[56]
Topless Rights of Women
Several Raëlian groups in the United States have organized annual protests, based upon their claim that women should have the same legal right to go topless in public, which men can do without fear of arrest for indecent exposure.[57] Some people have called that a publicity stunt that serves to recruit new members. "Go Topless Day" is their annual event, in which women protest while topless, except for nipple pasties to avoid arrest. That event is held near August 26th, which is the anniversary of the day that women were given the right to vote in the USA.[58]
Advocacy
Embassy for Extraterrestrials
Raëlians believe that life on earth—as well as many religions of the world—was the work of extraterrestrial influence. They believe these were scientists and that ancient people saw them as "gods" and gave the name "
The International Raëlian Movement envisions having an entrance with an
In February 1991, the Raëlian Church modified their symbol to remove the swastika to help in negotiations with building the "Third Temple of Israel". The official reason given was a telepathic request from extraterrestrials called
On 13 December 1997, the leader of the International Raëlian Movement had decided to extend the possibility of building the embassy outside of Jerusalem and also allow that a significant portion of the embassy property be covered with water. The area of the proposed embassy property is still envisioned at a minimum of 3.47 square kilometers, with a radius of at least 1.05 kilometers.[69]
In 2005, the Israeli Raëlian Guide Kobi Drori stated that the Lebanese government was discussing proposals by the Raëlian movement to build their "interplanetary embassy" in Lebanon. However, one condition was that the Raëlians did not display their logo on top of the building because it mixes a swastika and a Star of David. According to Drori, the Raëlians involved declined this offer, as they wished to keep the symbol as is.[70]
Ideas of how government and the economy should run
According to the book Geniocracy, creating a peaceful worldwide political union requires a form of government that favors intelligence over mediocrity. While having a democratic electoral apparatus, it differs from traditional
In Raël's book, Extraterrestrials took me to their Planet, Raël claims that an extraterrestrial gave him the idea of Humanitarianism. Under the establishment of 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 up to 49 years or when they die, whichever is later. Any rents not inherited by relatives after 49 years would go to the State.[73] 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.[74]
In his much later book, Maitreya, Raël says that the road to a world without money is capitalism and globalization, as opposed to communism. Capitalism would allow people 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.[75]
An anti-cult organization called Info-Cult argued that Geniocracy was a fascist ideology.[76] However, Geniocracy is not a political party, because it allows for differing ideologies.[77]
Liberal sensuality
According to Vorilhon's book Sensual Meditation, one should develop the ability to break free of habitual thoughts that prevent one from appreciating everyday phenomena.[78] The book describes in detail six different meditations involving making full use of the lungs' capacity to expand and contract, oxygenating the blood and the cells within, imagining heat travelling upwards from toe to the head, allowing the skin to feel under itself, and experiencing touch with another person's body and examining their figure.[79]
According to the book Maitreya by Vorilhon, love involves experiencing different varieties and possibilities that allow one to break habits in order to make life more pleasant and interesting[80] and that it is the only thing that can stop war and injustice that persists in today's world.[81] Raëlians believe in the right to form new religions or new political parties as long as they do not promote violence.[82] As individualists, Raëlians believe that the one who gives the order to harm others is less at fault than the one who executes it.[83]
Raëlians say they encourage adult homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual relationships and that society should recognize them legally.[84] 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.[85] The Raëlians disagree with those fears and stated that sex education done properly would involve educating parents as well as children.[86]
Susan J. Palmer writes that in 1991, a French journalist went to a Raëlian Seminar and taped couples having sexual intercourse in tents. These tapes gained widespread publicity—with news stories describing these practices as
Since 1991, Raël's teachings on sexual intercourse have caused controversy among other religious groups. The next year, Catholic schools in Montreal, Canada objected to a proposed condom vending machine as contrary to their mission. In response, Raëlian guides gave the Catholic students ten thousand condoms. The Commissioner of Catholic schools for Montreal said they could do nothing to stop them. Around this time, Raëlians dubbed the event "Operation Condom".[76][87]
Cloning of humans
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.[88] Raëlians take this even further and say that humanity can attain eternal life through the science of cloning.[89]
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 on 26 December 2002. Vorilhon told lawmakers that banning the development of human cloning was comparable to outlawing medical advances such as "antibiotics, blood transfusions, and vaccines."[76]
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"[90] 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.[89]
The third stage is the transfer of memory and personality from the original person to the mature clone.[89] For the process to maintain one branch for 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 died.[89]
In the final stages of development, hitherto unknown information contained within undamaged DNA would be enough to bring others back from the dead[91] including their memories and personality.[42][92] This would be done by taking a small sample from someone's body and preserving it 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.[93]
The Raëlian Church has close links with the controversial company
See also
- Geniocracy
- History of Raëlism
- Raëlism
- Biogenesis
- Exotheology
- Directed Panspermia
- Brigitte Boisselier – French CEO of Clonaid
- singer, guitarist, and former automobile journalist
- Glenn Carter – British singer, actor
- Nayah – French singer
References
- ^ S2CID 151563721.
- S2CID 239738621.
- ^ AutoPop, la revue des pilotes Archived 23 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Raël : Messie ou Menteur ?. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 135–136.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design
- ^ Raël, Sensual Meditation
- ^ Raël, Geniocracy
- ^ Raël, Yes to Human Cloning, p. 87.
- ^ a b "The Cloning Debate" Archived 22 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine, MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. 27 December 2002. Retrieved 10 February 2007.
- ^ a b "raelity show" Archived 2 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ a b Translation: "Global anti-war rallies map series", Agence France-Presse. 15 March 2003. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ a b Palmer, pp. 58–59.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 153–155.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 159.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 70.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 293.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 50.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 153.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 280.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 91.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 11–15.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 279.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 20–22.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 240–242, 280, 332.
- ^ a b Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 22.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 20.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 23.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 165.
- ^ a b c d e Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 114.
- ^ a b c d e Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 312.
- ^ a b c d Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 324.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 45–53.
- ^ a b c d e f Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 89.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 293–306.
- ^ a b "An Embassy for Extraterrestrials", International Raëlian Movement. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
- ^ "Chariots of the Gods"[permanent dead link], Chariots of the Gods.
- ^ "Overview of Jean Sendy's works"
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, pp. 154–155.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 171.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 214.
- ^ "Cult Bids to Clone Hitler for War Trial", Daily Record. 9 August 2001. Retrieved 18 September 2007.
- ^ a b Cloning solution to terrorism, some say Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Maneater. 21 September 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
- ^ Palmer, p. 60.
- ^ Paredes, Noelle, "The Raelians: Roots, beliefs and future plans", CTV Television Network. 27 December 2002. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
- ^ Palmer, p. 64.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 334.
- ^ a b Palmer, p. 58.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 175.
- ^ Thomasch, Paul, "The sportswriter, the aliens, and a cult with 55,000 believers", The Guardian. 28 December 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2007.
- ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2003 Archived 23 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 18 December 2003. Retrieved 6 August 2006.
- ^ Palmer, pp. 1–3.
- ^ International Committee Against Christian Calendar Imperialism, icacci.org. Retrieved 30 March 2007.
- ^ "With friends like these, Monsanto needs no enemies", USAToday.com. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ a b Palmer, p. 91.
- ^ "The bishops react to the attacks anti-catholics of the Raëlian movement" (translated) Archived 25 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Infosekten. 22 May 2001. Retrieved 1 August 2007. (translated)[permanent dead link]
- ^ Palmer, p. 92.
- ^ [1], gotopless.org. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
- ^ "Men Wear Bras So Women Can Go Topless" Archived 23 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine, gotopless.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
- ^ a b Raël, p. 370.
- Times of India. Retrieved 3 August 2007.
- ^ a b Yoel Ben Assayag, A Dinner With the Messiah, Raelian Contact 320. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
- ^ "Words of Our Beloved Prophet", Raelian Contact 317. 24 August 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
- ^ "Our Beloved Prophet in Accra", Raelian Contact 257. 4 January 2006. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
- ^ Uriel, "Invitation and welcoming with the Kimbangists", Raelian Contact 269. Retrieved 15 February 2007.
- ISBN 978-0-387-33925-2.
- ISBN 978-1-59102-352-4.
- ^ a b "Elohim's Instructions", International Raëlian Movement. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
- ^ Religious Movements Homepage: Raelians, University of Virginia. 11 April 2001. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
- ^ "Ambassadorial Needs", International Raëlian Movement. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
- Middle East Times. 18 November 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ Raël, Geniocracy, p. 17-20.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 100.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 98.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 97.
- ^ Raël, Maitreya, pp. 217–218.
- ^ a b c d Susan J. Palmer, The Rael Deal Archived 15 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine, Religion in the News, Summer 2001, Vol. 4, No. 2.
- ^ Raël, Geniocracy, p. 21.
- ^ Raël, Sensual Meditation, p. 66.
- ^ Raël, Sensual Meditation, pp. 90–91.
- ^ Raël, Maitreya, pp. 19, 71, 99, 182, 251.
- ^ Raël, Maitreya, pp. 18, 165.
- ^ Raël, Maitreya, pp. 165, 137–141.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 321.
- ^ Left Clones, National Review. Retrieved 9 September 2007.
- ^ Cult leader Raël denied residence in Switzerland, Agence France-Presse. 19 February 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Pedophilia accusations are pure discrimination", Raelianews.org. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 9 September 2007.
- ^ Religious Movements Homepage: Raelians (paragraph on Operation Condom), University of Virginia. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 366.
- ^ a b c d Raël, Yes to Human Cloning, pp. 35–37.
- ^ Sect leader: Cloning is just the beginning Archived 5 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Cable News Network. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 2 August 2006.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 167.
- ^ Raël, Geniocracy, pp. 47, 78.
- ^ Raël, Intelligent Design, p. 109.
- Time Magazine in partnership with CNN. 5 January 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
- Korea Herald. 13 July 2002. Retrieved 19 July 2002.
- ^ a b "Vatican slams 'brutal' clone claim", CNN. 28 December 2002. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
- ^ "Religious Leaders Condemn Report of Cloned Baby", CNN. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
Cited texts
- S2CID 239738621.
- Gregg, Stephen E. (September 2014). "Queer Jesus, straight angels: Complicating 'sexuality' and 'religion' in the International Raëlian Movement". S2CID 147291471.
- ISBN 978-1-349-68146-4.
- S2CID 151563721.
- S2CID 192799092.
- LCCN 2004000305.
- ISBN 0-7914-2329-8.
- Raël, Geniocracy. The Raëlian Foundation, 2004.
- ISBN 2-940252-20-3.
- Raël, Maitreya. The Raëlian Foundation, 2003.
- Raël, Sensual Meditation. Tagman Press, 2001.
- ISBN 1-903571-05-7, 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.
- ISBN 2-88395-003-2.
External links
- Who are the Raëlians? David Chazan, BBC News 2002.
- The Raëlian books compared to Jean Sendy's
- Testimonies by ex-Raelians Site by former Raelian.
- Dunning, Brian (4 August 2007). "Skeptoid #59: Who Are the Raelians, and Why Are They Naked?". Skeptoid.