2000 10 00 Nova Religio - Vol 4 No 1 - Sentes

Magazine Overview

This issue of *Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions*, Volume 4, Number 1, published in October 2000 by the University of California Press, features the article "Presumed Immanent: the Raëlians, UFO Religions, and the Postmodern Condition" by Bryan Sentes and Susan Palmer. The cover price is listed as $14.00.

Article: Presumed Immanent: the Raëlians, UFO Religions, and the Postmodern Condition

Introduction and Raëlian Enigma

The article introduces the Raëlian religion, founded by Claude Vorilhon (later Raël) in 1974, as the world's largest "flying saucer religion" with an estimated 35,000 members across eighty-five countries. It highlights the religion's millenarian and evangelistic goals, coupled with a world-affirming orientation. The authors note that Raëlians defy easy categorization, presenting an enigma by being both fundamentalist and modernist. Their beliefs are rooted in literal interpretations of Raël's accounts of meetings with extraterrestrials, the Elohim, described as "those who come from the sky." This aligns with Robert S. Ellwood's idea that "UFO cults" offer "classic religious eschatologies revamped to meet the fears and dramas of the modern world." The study aims to explore Raëlian eschatology within this modern context, suggesting that Raëlianism demystifies Abrahamic religions by replacing the supernatural with the extraterrestrial and technological, while simultaneously mythologizing science and technology.

The UFO Phenomenon and Compensatory Antithesis

The existence of UFO religions is intrinsically linked to the UFO phenomenon itself. Carl Jung, in his work *Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies*, proposed that flying saucers represent manifestations of psychic changes occurring at the end of one Platonic month and the beginning of another, signifying transformations in the collective psyche. The authors extend this, suggesting that the appearance of UFOs as objects inspiring religious behavior stands in "compensatory antithesis" to the scientific worldview that emerged from the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions. This antithesis is ambivalent, acting as a critique, affirmation, and transcendence of science and technology, particularly in light of the mortal threats they pose, such as environmental crises and nuclear war. New religious movements (NRMs) arising in this context often articulate their beliefs using the discourse of natural sciences, seeking to harmonize religious sentiments with a scientific worldview.

The Death of God and the Postmodern Condition

The article delves into the philosophical underpinnings of the postmodern condition, characterized by an "incredulity toward metanarratives" and the decline of the Cartesian subject. More broadly, the "death of God" signifies the replacement of theological interpretations of the world with natural scientific ones. Contemporary science and technology no longer require God or the supernatural for their theories or operations, leading to a devaluation of these concepts. This shift has compelled existing religions to justify themselves against the scientific worldview, often unsuccessfully. Secular consciousness now views the Earth and humanity within a vast, ancient, and scientifically understood cosmos, where humans are but one species among many.

NRMs within the Horizon of the Death of God

NRMs emerging in this post-supernatural era often adopt the language of natural sciences, using para- or pseudoscientific arguments. Examples include the Society for Psychical Research's attempts to translate beliefs about the unseen world into scientific discourse. As J. Gordon Melton notes, since 1750, many who claim contact with otherworldly beings have framed their experiences within the scientific discourse of their time. This has led to a situation where new religious intuitions, while seeking to articulate a religious worldview, often take the scientific worldview for granted and attempt to harmonize it with religious sentiments. Consequently, UFO religions, whose deities are extraterrestrial, are seen as operating within a purely immanent horizon, where gods originate from distant planets rather than supernatural realms.

UFO Religions and the Immanence of Technology

These UFO religions' deities are not only extraterrestrial but also immanent in a way that is ambivalent and marginal to the immanence of nature as understood by science. Their miraculous technology is not seen as transcending natural laws but as operating within our current, potentially primitive, understanding of them. John Saliba's work confirms this conflation of the miraculous with the super-technological. The belief that science will eventually understand paranormal phenomena and that ufonauts are technologically and spiritually superior affirms science and technology as natural to all intelligent life. This perspective ideologizes dominant cultural practices and views science as an evolving universal tendency. The solution to humanity's problems, including ecological crises, is often seen in technological ingenuity, as exemplified by the SETI program's hope that advanced alien civilizations might share solutions.

Raël's First Encounter and the Founding of MADECH

The Raëlian religion, initially known as MADECH, traces its origins to December 13, 1973, when Claude Vorilhon reported witnessing a flying saucer land and meeting a humanoid occupant who identified himself as an Elohim. Over six days, Vorilhon was allegedly told the "true" meaning of the Bible, which forms the core of Raël's "Message." This message posits that life on Earth is the creation of extraterrestrial biotechnologists who synthesized DNA, creating Homo sapiens "in their own image." The Elohim's revelation reinterprets the Bible as a story of an extraterrestrial biotechnological research project, undertaken because the Elohim's home planet feared the consequences of their own experiments. Yahweh is presented as the leader of these scientists, the Serpent as those who gave knowledge of good and evil, and Satan as a leader of a dissenting faction.

This narrative resonates with contemporary anxieties about biotechnology, as evidenced by the Raëlians' reference to the cloning of Dolly. The message includes a set of "New Commandments" and a vision of humanity as a material creation. Vorilhon was given the name "Raël" and tasked with promoting world government based on "Geniocracy," where leadership is determined by intellectual coefficient. This vision includes a single world currency, an international artificial language, and an economic system called "Humanitarianism" based on the abolition of inheritance. The ultimate goal is for the Elohim to land on Earth and share their advanced scientific knowledge, ushering in a "Golden Age," provided a sufficient number of humans believe in them and abandon warfare. The practical implementation began with the founding of MADECH in 1974 and the publication of Raël's first book.

Raël's Second Encounter and the Consolidation of the Movement

Raël's second alleged encounter occurred on October 7, 1975, detailed in his book *Les Extra-terrestres M'Ont Emmené Sur Leur Planète*. In this account, Raël visits a paradisal planet and learns that Yahweh is the "president of the council of eternals," and that figures like Jesus, Moses, and Buddha are immortals maintained through serial cloning. The planet is inhabited by a council of eternals and 8,400 "people from Earth" who contributed to humanity's progress. The technology for instantaneous cloning is shown, used by the Elohim and deserving humans for immortality. The text also describes "biological robots" performing labor and providing erotic pleasure. Upon returning to Earth, Raël received supplementary commandments and "Keys," reaffirming Humanitarianism and Geniocracy. A system of tithing was introduced to support Raël's mission, and a code of behavior covering diet, sexual conduct, and child-rearing was presented.

In 1976, the Raëlian Movement International emerged from a schism within MADECH, dividing members into "Guides" and "Raëlians." Raël later published *Accueillier Les Extra-Terrestres* (translated as *Let's Welcome Our Fathers from Space*), amplifying his claims, including that Eloha Yahweh is his father and Jesus his half-brother. The movement's message has remained largely consistent since the mid-1980s, with some additions that attempt to harmonize its concerns with mainstream society, particularly regarding biotechnology and "terraforming."

Present-Day Raëlian Religion

Today, Raël receives annual instructions from Eloha Yahweh, designating a specific nation as the movement's focus for the year. The movement organizes its history by year and country and instituted "Planetary Week" in 1985. To gain press attention, the movement often engages in outrageous acts, such as distributing condoms to Catholic high school students in Montreal in 1992. The religion advocates for racial integration through interracial sexual relationships and opened UFO Land, a theme park, near Valcourt, Quebec, in 1997.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the intersection of UFO phenomena, new religious movements, and postmodern thought. The articles explore how these movements interpret contemporary anxieties and scientific advancements, particularly in biotechnology, within a framework that replaces traditional religious concepts with extraterrestrial and technological explanations. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and academic, examining these phenomena without overt judgment, providing historical context and theoretical frameworks for understanding their appeal and structure.

This issue of Nova Religio, titled "Sentes and Palmer: Raelians," focuses on the Raëlian religion, detailing its core beliefs, values, and political stances. The article highlights the religion's unique interpretation of biblical narratives through the lens of an ancient astronaut hypothesis and its radical embrace of scientific and technological concepts.

Beliefs

The Raëlian religion rigorously rejects any transcendent or supernatural realm, instead proposing an infinite regression of causes for existence. Cosmologically, they view the universe as infinitely extending in both past and future, with material orders (atoms) mirroring macrocosmic structures (solar systems) and vice versa, described as "as above, so below." Raël explains this by stating that Earth is a particle within a larger being's atom, which itself is part of an even larger being's atom, ad infinitum. This cosmology is characterized by absolute immanence, where the divine is entirely material and the concept of God is derided. The religion dismisses traditional notions of a "heavenly God" and devils, aligning with a more secular understanding of existence.

Regarding the origins of humanity, Raëlians interpret the biblical account of "Sons of God" and protohuman females as a literal creation of humans by extraterrestrial beings, the Elohim, through biotechnology. They reject evolution, viewing it as incapable of developing complex organisms, and liken the creation of life to a watchmaker creating a watch, emphasizing intelligent design.

Immortality and Cloning

The Raëlian promise of immortality is maintained through cloning. The religion views human beings as self-programming, self-reproducing biological computers, where identity is tied to one's genetic code. The process involves surgically removing a part of the body for preservation. Later, a full recreation of the individual, including their knowledge and personality, is possible from this preserved part. This concept is further refined to suggest that an "enormous computer" records genetic codes, allowing deserving individuals to be "recreated young." This technological approach to immortality is presented in terms familiar to a modern populace, leveraging the science of genetics and biotechnology.

Values and Biotechnology

Given the centrality of cloning, the Raëlian religion strongly supports advancements in biotechnology. They endorse genetically-altered foods and animals, arguing that since all life is artificial, more artificial organisms are more "natural." Their support for cloning is not just rhetorical; Raël founded Valiant Venture Ltd., which offers "Cloneaid" for parents wishing to clone a child and "insuraclone" to store cells for future cloning. The religion also financially and morally supports scientists like Dr. Richard Seed, who claimed he would clone a baby by mid-1999. The Bahamian government's freezing of Valiant Venture Ltd.'s assets and the controversy surrounding Dr. Brigitte Boisellier's involvement highlight the societal reaction to these advancements.

Sexuality and Sensuality

The Raëlian affirmation of reproductive technologies is linked to their approach to individual sexual behavior. They advocate for the emancipation of heterosexual sex from procreation through artificial means like contraception and abortion, also addressing overpopulation. All forms of polymorphous consensual sexual activity, including hetero-, bi-, and homosexual, are affirmed. Cloneaid even offers services to homosexual couples. Raël states that each individual has the right to do with their body as they see fit. The religion places extreme value on sexuality, exemplified by "sensual meditation," a practice of directed hedonistic sensuousness aimed at achieving altered states of consciousness, mystical oneness, and telepathic communication with the Elohim. Sexual activity is believed to produce brain cells and improve neural links.

Politics and Social Vision

The Raëlian religion aligns with contemporary trends in global industrial and technological development. They advocate for universal automation of production and criticize organized labor's resistance. Their ideal social system is a one-world, geniocratic government with a single global currency and language, reflecting trends like the European Economic Union. Raël emphasizes that the "Messages of the Elohim" are paramount, with the building of an "Embassy" for their creators being his primary reason for existence. The religion's belief in the determinable intelligence of citizens through "scientific" testing underpins their political ideology. Despite criticism of geniocracy as "fascist," the Raëlian religion has increasingly emphasized tolerance and human rights, viewing all religions as stemming from misinterpretations of supertechnological phenomena. They have posted the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights on their website, stating it aligns with the Elohim's message and promotes respect for differences.

Utopia and Biological Robots

The Raëlian utopia, brought about by technological developments, is depicted as a planet of "eternals" with material ease, achieved through automated production and a workforce of "biological robots." These artificial beings are identical to humans but have limited intellect, designed for specific practical purposes and are voluntarily submissive. They are created by machines, are specialized, have no personal aspirations or pleasure beyond their function, and are incapable of suffering or reproduction. Their lifespan is around seven hundred years, and they are replaced by new ones when they age. This vision is compared to eugenic social engineering, offering a life of ease, security, and pleasure through immortality via cloning.

Nature and Science

Despite their focus on science and technology, Raëlians express admiration and respect for living organisms, attributing the beauty and variety of nature to the artistic abilities of the Elohim biotechnologists. They see nature's wonders as evidence against evolution, viewing the evolution of life forms as the evolution of creation techniques. The Raëlian Genesis states that different races were creations of scientific teams. They advocate for respecting nature as long as one cannot recreate it, seeing it as respecting their creators. This conception of organic life as artificial fosters empathy for all organisms, vegetable and animal, without leading to extreme biocentricism. They emphasize avoiding animal suffering and acknowledge that plants are also alive and can suffer.

Conclusion

The article concludes by highlighting the centrality of "science" in the Raëlian worldview, describing it as a "demythologization" of the Bible that simultaneously mythologizes science. Raël's view is that "Science should be your religion." Scientific progress is presented as the objective of humanity and all intelligent beings. The Raëlian perspective suggests that societies experience harmony or disharmony based on their technological and moral development. They believe that through the "wise use of science," problems like pollution, overpopulation, and hunger can be solved, leading to a Golden Age. The Elohim are seen as "25,000 years ahead" in scientific and technological development. The Raëlian religion is presented as being directly inspired by contemporary issues arising from the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, offering a new interpretation of traditional structures like Genesis through a technological lens.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

Recurring themes include the radical materialism of the Raëlian worldview, their embrace of science and technology as the ultimate arbiters of truth and progress, and their unique interpretation of religious texts through an extraterrestrial and biotechnological framework. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and descriptive, presenting the Raëlian beliefs and practices without overt judgment, while contextualizing them within broader discussions of new religious movements, scientific advancements, and societal changes.

This document is a bibliography or reference list, likely from an academic or research publication, focusing on the "Sentes and Palmer: Raelians" topic. It primarily lists citations for books, articles, and web resources related to Claude Vorilhon, also known as Raël, and the Raëlian movement. The references span from 1977 to 1999, with a concentration of web sources accessed in June 1999.

Key Publications and Authors The references highlight several key works by Claude Vorilhon (Raël):

• La Geniocratie (1977), published by l'Edition du Message in Brantome.
• Sensual Meditation (1986), published by AOM Corporation in Tokyo.
• Let's Welcome our Fathers from Space: They Created Humanity in Their Laboratories (1986), also published by AOM Corporation in Tokyo.

Susan Palmer is cited for her contribution, "The Raëlian Movement International," which appears in the book "New Religions and the New Europe," edited by Robert Towler and published by Aarhus University Press in 1995. This suggests an academic perspective on the movement.

Online Resources and Communications A significant portion of the references are to web pages, indicating the importance of online information in the study of the Raëlian movement around 1999. These include links related to:

• General Raëlian movement information (e.g., `http://www.netside.net/~valiant/PRO61499.html`)
• Specific Raëlian doctrines or aspects like genetics (`http://www.rael.net/web/genetics.html`)
• Cloning (`http://www.rael.net/aclone.html`)
• Movement aspects (`http://www.rael.net/web/amouv.html`, `http://www.rael.net/web/avaleur1.html`)

These web sources were accessed between June 23 and June 24, 1999.

Additionally, a "Personal communication from Dr. Bridgette Boisellier" is noted, suggesting direct interaction or information gathering from an individual associated with the subject matter.

Content and Themes The references point to themes central to the Raëlian movement, including:

• Ufology and Extraterrestrial Contact: The title "Let's Welcome our Fathers from Space" directly addresses this. The references to messages from Vorilhon (e.g., Message, 90; Message, 121; Message, 263) likely pertain to communications from these extraterrestrial beings.
• Genetics and Cloning: The inclusion of web links specifically on genetics and cloning suggests these are significant topics within the Raëlian ideology, possibly related to their creation myths or future plans.
• Social and Political Organization: The reference to "La Geniocratie" implies a focus on a specific form of governance or societal structure promoted by the movement.
• Spiritual and Meditative Practices: "Sensual Meditation" indicates practices related to personal well-being or spiritual development within the movement.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The document itself is a list of references, not an article with an explicit editorial stance. However, the nature of the cited works—academic analyses, books by the movement's leader, and contemporary web resources—suggests an effort to provide a comprehensive and documented overview of the Raëlian movement. The focus on specific publications and web sources indicates an interest in the movement's doctrines, history, and public presence in the late 20th century.