 Rael's first published book, the basis of the Raelian movement Raëlism is the belief system promoted by the Raëlian Movement, a religious organization which believes that scientifically advanced extraterrestrials known as the Elohim (derived from a Hebrew word appearing in the Torah) created life on Earth through genetic engineering, and that a combination of human cloning and "mind transfer" can ultimately provide immortality. Most people would consider the Raëlism group a cult.
Claude Vorilhon (born 1946), also known as Raël, was an aspiring entertainer and performer who had produced a short-lived automobile racing magazine entitled Auto Pop, before he allegedly received a vision from the celestial Elohim on December 13, 1973 in the crater of a volcano near Clermont-Ferrand in central France. Following what he claimed were the instructions given to him, he founded the Raëlian Movement, which claims to have about 60,000 members from almost 100 different countries. Membership may be particularly high in France, Japan, Canada (especially Quebec), and the United States (especially Florida). The Movement spreads its message via Raël's books, Raëlian gatherings, and its web site.
The Raëlians promote the social ideas of sexual self-determination and a spirit of sharing and responsibility, which, they claim, will bring a new age of wealth and peace. The philosophy is based on humanitarian values including human rights and freedoms.
The Elohim
According to Vorilhon a message of the human origin was dictated to him in December 1973 in personal meetings with a 25,000-year-old extraterrestrial who came in a UFO. The story goes that after terraforming of Earth, aliens (the "Elohim") created humans and all life on earth via DNA manipulation and genetic engineering.
The Raëlians claim that the Elohim sent all the prophets at the origin of the main religions (Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad,...).
The Raëlians believe, furthermore, that when enough people on Earth become peaceful and come to know the message of the Elohim, the Elohim will come in the embassy they want to build for them and share their advanced scientific knowledge with us, their creation. Thus one of their major goals is to inform as many people as possible about this extraterrestrial race.
 The Raëlian symbol, before 1991 and after The symbol initially chosen by Raël for his movement was the source of considerable controversy: it resembled a Star of David with the image of a swastika embedded in its center. According to official Raëlian statements, the swastika " represents infinity of time, and trace its origins to Sanskrit and Buddhist symbols, to the Chinese character for temple, and to ancient catacombs, mosques, and synagogues." In 1991, the symbol was changed to remove swastika, which had the effect of deflecting criticism of Raelism as a "Nazi cult". Another possible motive was to gain acceptance in Israel for the building of a Raëlian "embassy" to greet the anticipated Elohim space vessels, although Israel still flatly denies their request. The official reason given was a request from the Elohim to change the symbol.
Immortality through science?
The Raëlians claim to have learned from the Elohim the outlines of a technological process for achieving human immortality. The process involves three steps:
- creating a genetically identical copy of someone by human cloning
- causing the clone to mature much, much faster than normal (maturing from infant to adult in a number of hours or days, rather than years)
- transferring the memory and personality the original person to the mature clone by some kind of scientific process.
The first half of the first step, human cloning, while certainly not trivial, is widely recognized as a goal science is capable of pursuing, if it were desirable to do so. Some scientists and many non-scientists, however, find both ideas ethically troublesome. Raëlians do not, and followers of Raël, including trained scientists, are actively researching this first step. A Raëlian member has founded a controversial cloning research company which claims to have cloned at least one human being; see Clonaid.
It is unclear to non-Raëlians how the second or third step could be accomplished, as they are not considered feasible with current technology.
It is unclear, at least to those outside the Raëlian movement, whether and how this mind/brain transfer could be transformed into a viable science. Nonetheless, if it were possible, it would, when combined with cloning, seem to provide for immortality.
Both options have been explored in science fiction and philosophy of mind.
Confusion about human cloning
It is important not to be confused by different people's different meanings of the word "cloning". In the scientific community, cloning refers only to the creation of a genetically identical individual. Note that "genetically identical" does not mean altogether identical; this kind of cloning does not copy any of a person's memories or experience, for example.
In discussions of Raëlism, cloning sometimes seems to refer not only to biological cloning, but to biological human cloning plus mind and/or brain transfer, or to a process where adult clones can be directly made.
In 2002, a Raël-affiliated company named Clonaid announced its intention to clone a human being for the first time in history, though this goal was seen by medical professionals and scientists as unlikely given current technology. On December 26, 2002, French scientist and Raëlian Brigitte Boisselier claimed the company had assisted in the birth of a girl through Caesarean section, the first of a supposed five total cloned babies. By New Year 2003, the story had spread like wildfire throughout the mainstream press. Claiming the possible destruction of the babies' right to live normally, they did not provide the press or authorities with proof of this birth, such as a chance to obtain DNA samples.
As of 2004, there has been no further evidence of these claims. As a result, the claims of cloning are generally viewed as dubious or discredited in the mainstream press. In regards to cloning, Clonaid and the Raëlian Movement are seen by the public as having orchestrated an enormous hoax.
Confusion about reincarnation
The Raëlians seem to have an interest not only in immortality but also in reincarnation. They are willing to bring back famous individuals such as Jesus or Hitler, either for inspiration or to allow for retroactive punishment. In fact, they do not believe in reincarnation as dictated by mystical writings because they do not believe that an etheral soul (free of physical confinements) exists. They consider human cloning as the only step toward eternal life. It is clear that in the final stages, DNA alone would be enough to bring someone back. Prior to the final stage, reincarnation would require a "recording" of the individual's mind, for use in mind transfer into a fully grown adult clone which has not been exposed to any sensory input. According to Raël's book Yes to Human Cloning, it seems that mind transfer really is a required first step.
Geniocracy
The Raëlians promote a new form of government that they refer to as geniocracy, or rule by geniuses. It advocates a requirement of having at least 50% more than the average intelligence potential (though not IQ) as based on a test in order to run for office, and at least 10% above average in order to vote. Thus, even though electorally structured as a democracy, such a regime would be a representative oligarchy.
Allegations of Raëlism as a cult
Aside from the social ideas promoted by the Raël movement, various facts can identify Raëlism as a more common communautarian cult. For example, each member has to materially contribute to the movement by a given amount of its revenue. Claude Vorilhon, an ex auto journalist, often uses part of the large resources provided by the movement for expensive personal hobbies, like car racing.
The sexual structure of the movement also fit Vorilhon's personal interests, with various categories of adepts. One of them can be considered as his personal harem, since the members can only have sexual intercourse with a prophet, and he is the only prophet right now. This is called the "plucks" system. In March 2001, some Raëlians were sentenced to jail by the court of Saint-Etienne for sexual intercourse in "blooming centers".
A great part of Raëlism thoughts are inspired by the 1970s New Age movement. For example, the description of the Elohim is very linked to our present day vision of other forms of intelligence: small human-shaped beings with pale green skin and almond eyes in flying saucer. Raël in front of an Elohim space ship Saying that life was created 25,000 years ago, Raël faces the same problems as creationists, who must confront scientific evidence that life predates this time frame, requiring that such scientific evidence is also part of Elohim creation.
Raëlians are also alleged to have falsified a 2000 UNESCO document, "2000 Manifesto for a culture of peace and non-violence," linking UNESCO's objectives to Raëlian views. They falsely claimed to be on the list of the UNESCO messengers. On the other hand, they denounced UNESCO when it recognized Veda as a world heritage of oral history.
The Raëlian movement has received harsh criticism in the French press, with two noteworthy incidents cited as the cause of much anti-Raëlian sentiment. As described in a Web publication ‘’The Raël Deal (http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol4No2/Rael.htm),’’ hosted by The Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life:
- [In 1991,] "...a French journalist signed up for the week-long nudist Sensual Meditation Camp, and covertly taped couples making love in the tents. This was played over the radio, and subsequent news stories presented the Raëlian Movement as an unbridled sex orgy where brainwashing was perpetrated and perversions were encouraged.
- “The biggest media brouhaha arose in 1992 when Raël appeared on the French TV talk show Ciel mon mardi, hosted by the popular journalist Christophe Dechavanne. Towards the end of the show (where Raël’s liberal views on sex were critiqued by a priest, a social worker, and a psychologist), an ex-Raëlian suddenly appeared and unleashed a diatribe claiming that Raël was holding his wife and children prisoner, had engineered the breakup of his family, and personally presided over child sacrifice and pederastic orgies at the Sensual Meditation camp.
- ”The Raëlians inundated Dechevannes’s TV station with letters of protest from all over the world. Dechavannes retaliated by suing Raël for "incitement to violence" and the judge appointed to the case decided to call Raël in for questioning. Raël then agreed to ask his members to stop sending letters, but demanded a public apology, and the two parties agreed to drop the feud.” -- The Raël Deal by Susan J. Palmer
In 1991 Raël sued French journalist Jean-Yves Cashga in 1991 for defamation; however, he lost and was ordered to pay court costs. The judgment remains uncollected. Amidst growing legal problems Raël decided to leave France. He emigrated to Canada, where he is a resident and has achieved tax-exempt religious status for his Raëlian movement.
References
- Raël, Claude. Yes to Human Cloning: Immortality Thanks to Science. Tagman Press, 2001. ISBN 1903571057; ISBN 1903571049.
- Raël and Marcus Wenner. Yes to Human Cloning: Eternal Life Thanks to Science. Raelian Movement, 2001. ISBN 2883950105. (Possibly the same book?)
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