Although the wider UFO movement has very little in the way of formal organizational

Transcription

1 Introduction to Organized Spiritual UFO Groups Although the wider UFO movement has very little in the way of formal organizational structures, there are several groups within the UFO movement that have emerged with distinct histories, worldviews, beliefs and practices of their own. These groups are usually quite small, but are often also quite well known, because they become the more visible aspect of the spiritual UFO movement. These groups are usually organized like a school or a classroom, in which teachings communicated by extraterrestrial "teachers" are passed down to interested human "students." Invariably in these groups, the wisdom of extraterrestrial entities is understood to be far in advance of current human learning and knowledge. As a result, extraterrestrials become figures of reverence. It is NOT correct to say, however, that they become objects of worship. Within these organized spiritual UFO groups, extraterrestrial entities are seen to be more spiritually advanced than we are, but they are simply farther along the spiritual path to God than humans, they are not gods themselves. Most organized UFO spiritual groups also believe in the existence of less advanced, "evil" alien entities who work to oppose our continued learning and spiritual evolution. The spiritual task of believers is therefore to overcome the evil alien influence under the guidance of benevolent alien teachings, and sometimes with the direct assistance of the "good" aliens. The three best known UFO spiritual groups are the Aetherius Society, Unarius, and the Raelian Movement. The Aetherius Society One of the earliest organized UFO spiritual groups to be founded was The Aetherius Society. It was founded in 1955 by a man named George King. King was very interested in Theosophy and Spiritualism, both precursors to the New Age Movement as discussed previously. He was also very interested in Yoga, and was known to practice it for up to nine hours a day. He

2 was known as both a psychic and a spiritual healer. In 1954, King was in a meditative trance when he heard a voice say "Prepare yourself, you are to become the voice of Interplanetary Parliament." i A few days later, a "man" walked through his closed and locked apartment door and told him he had been selected by the Cosmic Intelligences as their Primary Terrestrial Channel. He was to become the person through whom these "Cosmic Intelligences" could transmit their important spiritual messages to the people of the earth. The Cosmic Intelligences, or Masters, were beings from other planets in our solar system, and they were occasionally present here on earth in the flying saucers that had been reported since The Message of the Master Aetherius Following this initial contact, King worked to develop the yogic exercises that his mysterious visitor had taught to him. A few months later he succeeded in making telepathic contact with a Cosmic Master named Aetherius who lived on Venus. King's task, he learned, was to spread the teachings of the Cosmic Masters, initially those of Aetherius, and later those of the Master Jesus, who was also reportedly from Venus. He was also contacted by other Cosmic Masters, including members of the Great White Brotherhood, and alien entities called Mars Sector 6, Mars Sector 8, and Jupiter Sector 92. They also communicated spiritual messages to King. Most of these beings come from within our solar system. According to the Aetherius society, the fact that we cannot observe physical life on other planets in our solar system does not mean that these beings do not exist. Instead, they exist on different spiritual or astral levels. Their website states: A word here about life on other planets in this solar system. Many will say that there cannot be any life on other planets, but it is not life as we know it. When we die we go on to one of the subtle planes of existence around this Earth. We normally cannot see these planes because of their different vibratory nature compared to this physical level. Nevertheless the other planes of existence around Earth are very real, as we will all experience when we pass on.in a similar way

3 people on Venus, Mars and the other planets in this solar system are living on higher vibratory planes and even if we go there we will not see anybody unless they decide to make themselves visible to us. ii In order to communicate these teachings, King began to give public lectures while in a trance state similar to that of some of the channelers discussed in our section on the New Age movement. George King's first public lecture was held in January He did not gain a lot of converts initially, but he persisted with his public talks, and gradually developed a devoted following. He travelled throughout England, the United States, and Canada giving these lectures. The teachings of the Master Aetherius that King talked about in these public lectures focused on health and healing, the friendliness of visiting "space people," the dangers of atomic experiments, and the nature of the other inhabitants of earth's solar system. These other inhabitants, King taught, were more spiritually advanced than the people of earth, and they were actively working, through the manipulation of spiritual energies, to prevent mankind from destroying ourselves in our greed and shortsightedness. The Message of the Master Jesus In 1958, the Master Jesus began to communicate with King. Jesus transmitted a new set of teachings which he suggested were suitable for the Aquarian Age. Jesus, who also comes from Venus, is believed to be an Avatar of cosmic consciousness. His teachings were published in a book titled The Twelve Blessings. According to the teachings of the Master Jesus, it is time for human beings to focus on our own spiritual development, which has been neglected for too long. We are, according to Jesus, divine beings, like Christ himself, and we exist in an unlimited universe of Oneness. We are not alone in this universe, however - there are many sentient races in the universe, who share in the oneness of the Universe, the oneness of God. Humans need to realize their oneness with the universe and their divine natures, as well as their place in the cosmic brotherhood of races. The way to facilitate this learning and growth is to practice

4 spiritual prayer. Each of the twelve blessings is followed by a prayer, which acts to focus spiritual prayer power on specific desired goals. For example, one is designed to channel spiritual energy into Mother Earth. By studying the twelve blessings, and focusing our spiritual energy on desired spiritual goals, we help bring about our own and our planet s spiritual evolution. In addition to this spiritual message, the Master Jesus also informed George King, however, that there are some evil invaders from outer space who are trying to take over our planet by capitalizing on the negative energies which we as earthlings generate. These evil forces are attempting to bring about our destruction with the aid of Black Magicians, who are the embodiment of the Forces of Evil. Earth falls easy prey to the forces of evil, because of all the bad Karma that we have accumulated over the years. Karma is the spiritual law of cause and effect, in which good deeds result in positive consequences, and bad deeds result in negative ones. The black magicians live on the lower astral planes, and have demonic powers. The forces of evil and the black magicians used to be forced to work through human beings, such as Hitler, but now they are stronger and can work directly. It is only through the intercession of the Cosmic Masters that life on earth has been saved. In order to help save the lives of earthlings and of Earth itself, the Master Aetherius and the Master Jesus and other Cosmic Masters wished to send transmissions of spiritual power to replenish Earth's depleted supply. According to the Aetherius society, a specific UFO called Satellite No. 3 has been visiting earth since 1955, sending us spiritual energy that the society collects and stores in Spiritual Energy Radiators. Anyone engaged in spiritual work can draw on the energies being sent by Satellite No. 3, and are encouraged by the Aetherius society to do so. According to the society, during these Magnetization Periods the karmic effects of each

5 spiritual action are enhanced approximately three thousand times, thereby speeding up the evolution of both the individual and humanity as a whole. iii The dates during which Satellite No. 3 are in orbit around earth are: April 18 - May 23; July 5 - August 5; September 3 - October 9; November 4 - December 10. According to the Aetherius society, George King was directed to become the "essential link between Earth and the Higher Forces" so that this energy could be used to "charge" several mountains throughout the world. iv In order to "charge" these mountains, members of the Aetherius Society practice "spiritual pushes", in which prana is channeled into the earth through focused meditation and prayer. This prana comes from themselves, and also from the space ships of the Cosmic Masters as they orbit the earth. The project to spiritually charge nine of England's mountains was named Operation Starlight. Other operations have been carried out since then, including Operation Sunbeam, in which some of the stored spiritual energy was released to help restore Earth's Karmic balance, and Operation Karmalight, in which George King battled alongside the Cosmic Masters to prevent our enslavement by the alien forces of evil. Worldview: Aetherius Society The worldview of the Aetherius Society is clearly dualistic, hierarchical, evolutionary, monistic, nature-based and millenial. The Dualism of the Aetherius Society worldview is apparent in the strong theme of "good vs evil" to be found in most of King's channeled messages. Drawing heavily upon the influence of Theosophy, King taught that the Great White Brotherhood were highly evolved spiritual masters, and that all the world's religions reflected the teachings of these masters. King went further than Blavatsky, however, in arguing that the members of the Great White Brotherhood not only lived on higher astral planes than we

6 earthlings, but that they lived on other planets. Jesus, therefore, came from Venus, and Krishna, one of the Hindu gods, came from Jupiter. Just as there are "higher" astral planes or planets, however, so too are there "lower" planes or planets of existence. Evil entities, therefore, also come from outer space. Both groups of aliens, good and bad, move from planet to planet and galaxy to galaxy fighting to overcome the influence of the other. The dualism of good and evil is central to the teachings of the Aetherius Society. The dualism of the Aetherius Society leads to the next aspect of the group's worldview. The worldview of the Aetherius society is hierarchical. The universe is understood to be organized on a spiritual hierarchy, with beings of "ill" intent, such as the Black Magicians and the Alien Forces of Evil, occupying the "lower" astral planes, and beings of "good" spiritual intent occupying the "higher" spiritual planes. Earth is understood to have great spiritual potential, but at the same time is in grave danger of sinking into a lower spiritual plane of existence. The spiritual goal of all entities is to climb the ranks to attain a status closer and closer to that of God. The worldview of the Aetherius Society is also evolutionary and monistic. According to the Society, our spiritual goal is to evolve, spiritually, towards union with God. The universe is understood monistically, for everything that exists is understood to be part of God. Some "parts" of God, however, are more fully "evolved" than others. According to the Society, Man came forth from God and all things are part of God. There is nothing but God in the Cosmos, in varying stages of evolution. Everyone eventually will become a wonderful master and will continue evolving from there." v Karma is the mechanism by which spiritual evolution is thought to occur. Good karma, based on our current actions, can lead to spiritual evolution. Bad karma, again based on our current

7 actions, can lead to devolution. In order to evolve, we must devote ourselves to trying to save the planet, and each other, from the consequences of our own folly, and we must also stop destructive behaviours such as atomic bomb testing and environmental abuse. The worldview of the Aetherius society is also nature-based. According to the society, our planet earth is a highly evolved being, much more spiritually evolved than human beings; earth is, in fact, a Goddess. Mother Earth has nurtured and protected humanity for hundreds of thousands of years. In doing so, she has put up with our wars, our hatreds, our exploitation of her natural resources, and our poisoning of her ecosystems with nuclear and other wastes. Despite our treatment of her, she continues to protect us, both from the perils of outer space, and from her own spiritual status. According to many of the spiritual transmissions received by George King, the Earth is so highly evolved spiritually that she is ready to move on to the next level of evolution. The earth has refrained from doing so, however, because human beings would not survive the transition. Instead of entering into this next stage immediately, therefore, the earth has chosen to evolve to the next spiritual level gradually. This means that the level of her spiritual vibrations is gradually increasing - an increase that spiritually aware people have been picking up on.the earth began this gradual transformation on July 8, 1964, and continues to this day. The Aetherius society participated in helping Mother Earth enter this next stage of evolution by channeling stored spiritual energy into her during Operation Sunbeam. They continue to help the earth in her karmic transformation, and continue to warn people that they must evolve spiritually also, or be left behind when the earth completes her spiritual transformation. July 8 th is the holiest day in the Aetherius Society calendar, and events to celebrate the spiritual evolution of the earth are held each year. Finally, the worldview of the Aetherius society is millenial. Members of the Aetherius society believe that a New Age is

8 coming, which will be ushered in with the coming of a cosmic master named the Lord of Karma. His coming was prophesied by George King in trance in 1958, although the time of his coming was not made clear. According to this prophecy, "There will shortly come Another among you. He will stand tall among men with a shining countenance. This One will be attired in a single garment of the type now known to you. His shoes will be soft-topped, yet not made of the skin of animals. He will approach the Earth leaders. They will ask of Him, His credentials. He will produce these. His magic will be greater than any upon Earth - greater than the combined materialistic might of all the armies. And they who heed not His words, shall be removed from the Earth. This Rock is now Holy - and will remain so for as long as the World exists. Go ye forth and spread My Word throughout the World, so that all men of pure heart may prepare for His coming. (A Lord of Karma, November 23, 1958)" According to the Aetherius society, the single garment of the type now known to you. is a type of spacesuit commonly described by many who have had close encounters with extraterrestrials. They are one-piece suits that seem to cling to the body of the extraterrestrial and do not wrinkle as the being moves. vi The Lord of Karma will arrive in a UFO, and will be able to use his psychic and spiritual powers openly, to aid in our spiritual evolution. His coming will be a pivotal point in the coming of a New Age. Once he arrives, those who have not yet spiritually evolved to a point where they are ready to go forward into a spiritual era of Light will be slowly removed from the Earth and reincarnated on other less evolved planets. There they will continue to evolve spiritually, but their environments will be even more difficult to cope with than our earth is now. For those who are ready to evolve to the next level of Light, they will stay on earth and work towards the building of a new spiritual age. Eventually, they will evolve to another spiritual dimension, and leave the earth free to continue her own spiritual evolution. This New Age might come in ten years, or in a thousand years - only the next master knows for sure. According to the Aetherius society, when humanity evolves to a certain stage, and enough

9 people are firmly on the ladder of spiritual growth, then the karma will be such that he can come. vii One of the central tasks of members of the Aetherius society, therefore, is to help pave the way for the coming of the new avatar, by helping to elevate the spiritual level of as many people as possible, so that this great new spiritual age may come as soon as possible. Organization and Practices: Aetherius Society The Aetherius society is organized like a classroom, focused around the teachings of the Master Aetherius and the Master Jesus as channeled through George King. King was the undisputed leader of the Aetherius Society until fairly recently. Currently, the Aetherius Society is governed by a board of directors established by King before his death. The "students" in the Aetherius Society gain certificates of merit for contributing to Society activities, and gain Temple Degrees as they demonstrate knowledge of King's teachings. The main focus for the Aetherius Society, in addition to spreading the teachings of the Cosmic Masters, is to continue to act as channels for the Cosmic Energy that the Masters periodically send to earth. In addition to "pushing" this energy into mountains, as they do in Operation Starlight, today the members of the Aetherius Society also build spiritual batteries, in which they store the pranic energy sent by the Masters, and in which they also store the prayer energy that members "donate" to the cause. In times of great world turmoil, the Society releases some of the "stored" energy into the earth, to help balance the negative energies with positive ones. Unarius Like the Aetherius Society, Unarius emerged out of the contactee phenomena of the 1950's. In 1954, a Spiritualist medium named Ernest L. Norman began to receive spiritual messages from beings who apparently lived on Mars and Venus. This was also the year that Ernest Norman met his future wife, Ruth. Shortly after meeting Ruth, Ernest Norman began to

10 receive a number of "transmissions" from Mars and Venus. Other planets, named Eros, Orion, Elysium, and Myton, also began sending transmissions. According the Norman, these planets are the universities of the higher astral realms, where enlightened teachers and ascended masters live and from which they transmit their spiritual knowledge. The great teachers on these planets were using Ernest Norman to transmit their teachings to earth, to prepare us for out place in the Interplanetary Confederation of Worlds. In order to become ready to join the Interplanetary Confederation of Worlds, humans must learn to elevate their spiritual vibrations. According to Unarius teachings, the whole universe is made up of energy that vibrates at different rates, and Unarius is the "science" of coming to understand these vibrational energies, so that we can connect with Infinite Intelligence, with advanced spiritual teachers on other worlds, and with our own past lives. Unarius itself is understood as an acronym for Universal Articulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science. The "science" of Unarius is aimed at putting Unarius students in touch with themselves and the universe through focused meditation and past life therapy. Past life therapy consists of visualizations and psychodrama, where students act out their previous incarnations. Ernest and Ruth used these techniques to get in touch with their own past lives. Ruth was apparently Isis, the Egyptian goddess, the Egyptian princess who found the baby Moses in the basket, and Mary Magdalene. Ernest was Osiris, the Egyptian god, as well as the Pharaoh Amenhotep IV and Jesus. Students in Unarius recalled being the persecutors of Isis and Osiris, and of Jesus while he lived, and struggled to come to terms with their guilt for their crimes. In the 1960's, two students of Unarius took on a much more active role in the group, becoming channelers themselves. Their spiritual names were Antares and Cosmon. When

11 Ernest Norman died in 1971, Antares and Cosmon became the primary channelers in the group, until Ruth Norman herself began to gain expertise as a channeler and visionary. In 1973, with the help of Antares, Ruth tuned into a higher vibrational frequency and met a number of ascended masters who had come to the city Parhelion on the planet Eros to witness the marriage of the Archangel Uriel to the Archangel Michiel. Ruth, it emerged, was the Archangel Uriel. She was crowned with the title Queen of the Archangels by the spiritual form of her dead husband. Shortly afterwards, Ruth and her followers reenacted this wedding scene here on earth. She has been known as Uriel ever since. When Uriel died in 1993, Antares once again took a leadership role in Unarius, until his own death in December Both Uriel and Antares continue to send messages to their followers in Unarius from their new lives on other planets. The Landing of the Space Ships When Uriel underwent her visionary experience in 1973, it marked a changing point for Unarius. More and more channeled messages were received, teaching the science of fourth dimensional physics. These teachings were published in a thirteen-volume series of books titled Tesla Speaks! These books record the channeled wisdom of space brothers who had lived lives here on earth in the past, including Albert Einstein, Louis Pasteur, Plato, and Isaac Newton. Each of these great thinkers supported the Science of Unarius, and revealed more details about the Interplanetary Confederation. This Confederation is made up of thirty-two planets, but it is incomplete and out of balance, because the thirty-third planet, Earth, is not yet at a high enough vibratory level to join with the others. As a result, extraterrestrial help will be required before Earth is ready to take her rightful place in the Confederation. The help that earth requires will be arriving, according to Uriel, in the guise of Muons from the Pleiades, who will come to earth to set up a cosmic university for the benefit of

12 mankind. The Pleiadians are space brothers from seven planets in the Pleiadian cluster, in the constellation Taurus. The Muons are the Pleiadians who were prophesied to arrive in the year Once the Pleiadians arrived, they began to initiate a new era of logic and reason that will lead to a new spiritual renaissance for mankind. The Pleiadians have also brought technological devices to cure diseases of body and mind, and new philosophies to help elevate our consciousnesses. The Pleiadians arrived in their space ships in the year Initially, they planned to land on a piece of Atlantis that they would lift above the waves in the Bermuda Triangle. However, upon arriving in orbit in 2001, they discovered that earth has not yet reached the point of spiritual development sufficient to allow them to land. According to a newsletter published by Unarius, The Academy has received many inquiries as to why the Muons from planet Myton didn't land in 2001, as planned. Through a mental transmission last October (see the November E-News) the Unarius Brothers informed us that the Space Brothers were in close proximity in our atmosphere, awaiting the time or cycle when the majority of the earth people would be receptive. A mental transmission received on January 6, 2002, reaffirmed the presence of their spacecraft in the earth's atmosphere. These space scientists are working together with the advanced spiritual beings on the higher nonatomic planes to permeate this world with high-energy love oscillations. The advanced beings are continuing to work diligently with the various world leaders, in their astral or mental state, in preparation for the contact with the Space Brothers, for not all the world leaders are mentally receptive to the Space Brothers at this time. This receptivity or openness needs to happen first before a physical contact can take place." viii Now that the Pleiadians have arrived, we will begin to recognize our spiritual natures, and all of our social and cultural institutions will be transformed. This may take some time, however, for earth is still a warlike place, and our governments are suspicious of the motives of alien visitors. According to a recent question and answer session held during a channeling session at Unarius s yearly gathering, this warlike nature and suspicious governments mean that first contact with the arriving Muons will have to be a cautious one. Part of the question and answer session reads as follows:

13 "So the contact will come first through our government? Or will we know first and then the government will be informed?" Answer: "The government will be contacted first, for we do not want to anger the leaders we would create more karma if we were to come and cause what might be perceived as a shock." Question: "In other words, it will not be a secret? Information will be covered through the media so the average citizen of the world will know about this wonderful event?" Answer: "The first indication that we have arrived will be through the media the TV. But as we stated it will be months after we do make the first contact in a more physical way." Question: "After so many years of UFO sightings, why are the Muons coming to Earth at this time?" Answer: "The overall purpose, at this time, is to let this warlike earth planet know that we are not warlike; that we mean you no harm. Your government has shot at us, has killed our brothers, has imprisoned our brothers, and we have never fired a shot in anger at you, for we love you. We understand you. Our purpose is to awaken the sleeping spirit within you. So when you see a UFO realize that it is not unidentified; it is a vehicle of Light that is actually helping to change the negative vibration of this planet, just as we are doing here today. "The most important reason for contact with planet Earth is to teach the Unarius science; this is an universal understanding of energy that is practiced on our planet and was introduced to us by RAHL [a spiritual teacher] two thousand years ago. The Unarius Brotherhood is an organization that is so gigantic, so vast that we cannot tell you its size because it has no size. It is the universal consciousness of all like-minded spiritual brothers and sisters who live interdimensionally and work as a unified consciousness with the Father or what you call God, the Infinite Creative Intelligence. "So our main purpose in coming to this planet is to awaken the consciousness of mankind and to serve as examples of how this science has healed us and will also heal you. We will come and we will be channels for the Light, of the Hierarchy, and countless millions of masterminds, archangels, those that you have called the ascended masters, will speak through us." ix According to Unarius, once we have finally come to recognize our true interplanetary spiritual heritage, we will be ready to join the Interplanetary Confederation. Awaiting this great day, space ships from each of the other thirty-two worlds, plus an additional ship to represent

14 Earth, will land on earth, one on top of the other, on a piece of land in the mountains near San Diego, California, that Unarius has purchased for this purpose. These ships were also supposed to arrive in the year 2001, but not to become visible to us for some time, depending upon how long it takes us to elevate our spiritual consciousnesses with the aid of the Pleiadian ambassadors. The thirty-three spaceships have on board thirty-three thousand interplanetary scientists, to help improve the lives of mankind. Each of these ships is approximately five miles in diameter, and the resulting tower of ships, once they finally land, will become the campus for the new Unarius Academy of Science. Worldview: Unarius The worldview of Unarius is monistic, multi-tiered, evolutionary, prophetic and millenial. The worldview of Unarius is monistic, in that it teaches that all things that exist are part of Infinite Intelligence, which is God. The primary lesson book for Unarius students is titled The Infinite Concept of Cosmic Creation, and it teaches that everything in the universe is a form of energy. This energy vibrates at different rates, but it is all ultimately part of the same energy. Channeling of messages from space brothers becomes possible because we are all in tune with this cosmic energy at some level. The realization of this connection, referred to as realizing the interdimensionality of existence, is part of the learning process of Unarius students. Unarius also holds a multi-tiered view of the universe. Although all things are ultimately part of the single, unified whole of Infinite Intelligence, different aspects of Infinite Intelligence exist on different "levels" of reality. Inhabitants of the planet Eros, for example, are thought not only to be distant from us in terms of light years, but in terms of planes of existence. There are higher and lower planes of existence. Satan, for example, once lived on a much lower plane of existence. The deceased Ernest Norman now lives on a much higher plane. Satan, also, now

15 lives on a higher plane, for it is possible, though the elevation of spiritual consciousness, to move from one plane of existence to another. People who reside on one plane are not necessarily able to perceive, or communicate, with people on other planes, unless the person on the higher plane makes an effort to communicate. The belief that one can move from one plane of existence to anther through spiritual progress makes the worldview of Unarius evolutionary. According to the teachings of Unarius, the vibratory levels of all things can be "elevated" through spiritual awareness, gradually climbing the spiritual evolutionary ladder and eventually merging with the Infinite Intelligence from which we came. According to Unarius, The Unarius concept of life is to reawaken the individuals to their inner spiritual higher self. Each person is a reflection of an Infinite Creative Intelligence whose purpose is to evolve positively. The expansion of one's consciousness is to become awake to the interdimensional reality of life lived on thousands, if not millions of extraterrestrial earth planets in millions of galaxies in the universe... this means that evolution is never-ending, and that Homo sapiens is destined to live on non-atomic or higher-frequency worlds, where one lives, to a higher degree, joined in Spirit and in tune with the Infinite. x Consequently, evolution is an ongoing process, and it eventually entails leaving behind the plane of matter and entering higher energy planes. This evolutionary journey, however, is never ending. Jesus himself is continuing to evolve, and Infinite Intelligence or God is also constantly growing to new spiritual heights. In addition to being monistic, multi-tiered, and evolutionary, the worldview of Unarius is also prophetic and millenial. After her husband's death, Uriel became the primary visionary of

16 Unarius. It was through her, and through Antares and Cosmon, that the prophesy of the coming spaceship landing in the year 2001 was made. Uriel became the bridge by which spiritual enlightenment could come to the world. Uriel prophesied a coming new age, at the joining of the Interplanetary Confederation, in which all the old ways of earth would be left behind and new era of peace and cooperation would emerge. According to Unarius, The Interplanetary Confederation is a larger wheel, a vortex of great power made up of 33 worlds and the billions of people who are attuned to a higher frequency. Such a joined consciousness, extending the principle of love in action, would mean the end of all war, poverty, and disease. Technology will then be an arm to the development of the higher consciousness. All institutions which form the culture of society will reflect a new spiritual force in the realization that we are all brothers and sisters of the infinite, under the guidance of advanced, spiritual beings. xi This new golden age will represent the coming of the new millennium. Organization and Practices: Unarius Unarius is organized like a school. It has seven New Age Teaching Centers, four in the United States, one in Canada, one in Nigeria, and one in New Zealand. These teaching centers hold three open classes per week, as well as additional workshops, seminars, and symposiums. You do not have to be a member to attend a session, but those who repeatedly attend are usually members. According to Unarius, the purpose of the classes is to: Generate new frequency and to remove the old thought forms, belief systems, etc. These sessions eventually help the individual to learn of the dynamics of the

17 mind, so that he or she may heal themselves. Healing is done from within. Group participation also helps to join the individual to his positive nature. xii The classes focus on study of channeled messages from the space brothers such as the Tesla Speaks! material. Unarius has dozens of books of channeled material published and available for study. The classes are focused on one of seven different fields of study: science, philosophy, teaching, leadership, the arts, healing, and devotion. The workshops are working sessions on various topics such as past life therapy or the physics of consciousness for members only. One such workshop session on past life therapy has since been published by Unarius as The Decline and Destruction of the Orion Empire (1979). Unarius has also made a film by the same name, in which students act out their past-life roles in a psychodrama production. In this session, students recalled the details of their past lives in their Orion Cycle. Unarius members believe they have been reincarnated together in various "cycles" in various times and places throughout the universe. As each student attempted to elevate their consciousness by recalling details of past lives, they recalled the origins of how they came to be born here on earth, where the whole planet is spiritually "backward." The answer lies in the crimes for which these students were guilty in previous incarnation in the Orion sector. In this set of lives, Antares recalled being an interstellar dictator named Tyrantus, and other students recalled being the scientists and starship commanders carrying out his evil bidding. Uriel, in the body of Dalos, leader of the Pleiades star cluster, had come to stop him, but was captured and tortured for a thousand years by the other students. The guilt for this deed has resulted in the "devolution" to the planet earth. In addition to workshops and classes, Unarius also sponsors an annual symposium called The Interplanetary Conclave of Light. It is a two day symposium held in a hotel in San Diego,

18 California, each year, on the weekend of the second Sunday of October. The second Sunday in October is known as Interplanetary Confederation Day. On this day, members of Unarius dress in costume, and meet on their land outside of San Diego where the space ships will land, to act out the inauguration of the Interplanetary Confederation of Worlds. Students carry banners representing each of the thirty-three worlds, and they hold music concerts and art shows to showcase their creative works, and release white doves from a UFO replica to symbolize the coming era of peace. Unarius lessons, films, and channeling sessions also take place. The Raelian Movement We have come to the final section of our course. We are now going to take a look at one of the most controversial varieties of UFO spirituality: the Raelian Movement. As most of you know, the Raelians came to widespread media attention in 2002, when they claimed to have cloned a human being. Since their initial announcement of a cloned human baby on December 26, 2002, the Raelians have issued press releases claiming additional cloned human births. They have also announced that twenty new couples have been selected for the next phase of human cloning, and that the implantation of cloned human embryos for these couples has been successfully accomplished. Clearly, the topic of cloning in general, and human cloning in particular, is a controversial one. For the Raelians, however, cloning is not only a viable scientific enterprise: it is a religious obligation. According to the Raelians, the ability to clone ourselves is a necessary prerequisite to our taking our place in the grand cosmic plan of the universe. Origins of the Raelian Movement The origins of the Raelian Movement lie in the contactee experience of the Movement s founder, Rael, born Claude Vorilhon in Vorilhon was a race car driver and the founding

19 editor of a magazine devoted to motor sports. According to his own account, Vorilhon was taking a break from the race-car circuit by visiting a volcano in the Clarmont-Ferrand region of southern France on December 13, 1973, when he witnessed the landing of a UFO. He recalls being filled with joy to witness such an event, because he had always believed in UFOs, but had never expected to see one. The UFO, or Flying Saucer as Vorilhon called it, measured some seven meters in height, was flat underneath and cone-shaped. On its underside, a very bright red light flashed, while at the top an intermittent white light reminded me of a camera flash cube. This white light was so intense, that I could not look at it without blinking. xiii Upon landing, the UFO opened a door, and an extraterrestrial visitor emerged. According to Vorilhon, First two feet appeared then two legs, which reassured me a little, since apparently I was about to meet a man, In the event, what at first I took to be a child came down the stairway and walked straight towards me. I could see then this was certainly no child even though the figure was only about four feet (1.2 meters) tall. His eyes were slightly almond shaped, his hair was black and long, and he had a small black beard... He wore some sort of green one-piece suit, which covered his entire body, and although his head seemed to be exposed, I could see around it a strange sort of halo.... His skin was white with a slightly greenish tinge, a bit like someone with liver trouble... I asked, Where do you come from? He answered in a strong, articulate voice that was slightly nasal: From very far away. xiv According to Vorilhon s account, the alien told him that the reason he had felt the urge to travel to the isolated Volcano location that day was because the alien had transmitted the impulse via telepathy. He was further told that his recent impulse to purchase a Bible had been telepathically sent. He was told to return the next day with his Bible, and that the extraterrestrial visitor would teach him the truth about human origins. The next day, Vorilhon returns to the Volcano and again meets with his extraterrestrial visitor. The visitor proceeds to go through the Bible and point out how the book contains elements of the truth regarding human origins. Our origins were not divine, however: instead,

20 they were the result of alien technology. For example, where the book of Genesis says In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth, Vorilhon s extraterrestrial visitor told him that Elohim was incorrectly translated as god. Instead, the word meant those who came from the sky, meaning extraterrestrials, and was plural. xv Similarly, when Genesis says, The Elohim saw that the light was good, it meant that the alien visitors determined that our sun was not sending harmful rays to earth, and that earth could therefore support life. In this way, the alien visitor taught Vorilhon that extraterrestrial scientists had created all life on earth. Having done so, they created human beings in their own image. However, they did refrain from giving us their own extended lifespans, for to do so would mean we would have the time to learn enough on an individual basis to rival their own level of scientific and technological abilities. Apparently, however, some extraterrestrial Elohim wished to provide us with precisely that: they wished to give us extended lifespans, and to educate human beings in scientific knowledge to equal their own. These are the beings to whom we have given the collective name Satan. What Satan wanted to do was illegal on the alien home world, and in punishment for trying to break this prohibition, the Elohim who wanted to let us reach our full potential were banished to earth, and all the other scientists were ordered to leave the planet. Before they left, however, they taught human beings the basics of survival. The exiled Elohim made the earth their home. They interbred with human women, and produced exceptional children, whose talents and potential were threatening to those in power on the home world. As a result, a decision was made to destroy all the created life on earth. The home world aliens sent nuclear bombs to destroy us, but our exiled creator scientists sent instructions to Noah on how to build a space ship that would store our genetic material, in the form of a single cell from a male and female of each species, to prevent our annihilation.

21 According to Vorilhon s account, When the explosion took place, life had already been preserved a few thousand kilometers above the Earth. The continent was submerged by a gigantic tidal wave, which destroyed all forms of life on its surface. xvi Proof that Noah s ark really was a space ship is provided in the Biblical passage Genesis 7:17, which reads The ark was lifted above the Earth. xvii Our exiled creators then dispersed the radioactive energies, and directed Noah to release the life he had stored. Life once again flourishes on earth, and humans continue with their relationships both to the exhiled Elohim, who remained here, and with visiting Elohim from the home world, who continued to interfere with human civilizations every time we came close to rivalling their technology and science (i.e., they blew up Sodom and Gomorrah and the Tower of Babel...). Eventually, fortunately for us, the home world realized we were not a threat, we were simply following our genetic imperative to learn and grow scientifically. Now, they no longer wish to destroy us, they wish to teach us. They are simply awaiting a time when we will be ready to hear their message. This is why they contacted Claude Vorilhon: they wished him to prepare the way for their coming, by spreading the truth of our origins. Clearly, the contactee experience of Claude Vorilhon follows the pattern we have seen in other contexts. His contactee experience took place in an isolated location, he was telepathically directed to meet the aliens, they initiated the contact rather than he, light was a dominant symbol, and so on. Also apparent is that the alien message mirrors fairly closely the ideas of Erich von Daniken s ancient astronaut theory. However, von Daniken never claimed to be a contactee, and explicitly denied any intention of founding a church. Vorilhon, on the other hand, was given an explicit messianic role to play in re-establishing contact with these extraterrestrial visitors. He

22 was also given a new name - Rael - which means messenger, light of God, or Ambassador of the Elohim. xviii He has gone by this name ever since. Worldview: The Raelian Movement The worldview of the Raelian Movement is atheistic and materialistic, monistic and multi-tiered, hedonistic, messianic and millenial. The message of Rael is determinedly atheist, in that any traces of supernaturalism have been avoided. Although the primary document for unraveling human history is the Bible, all mention of God or divinity is replaced by an emphasis on extraterrestrial action. There is no divine creator in the Raelian system of thought, no first cause of the universe. Instead, the universe is conceptualized as infinite - as having always existed, and always existing. Rael s extraterrestrial guide told him, there is no God, and obviously, no soul. After death there is nothing, unless science is used to create something. xix Human beings were created through the scientific experiments of extraterrestrials, not divine causation. According to Rael s teachings, we owe honour and respect to our extraterrestrial parents, but we do not owe worship or adoration. They are not gods. Rael s guide, it is revealed, is actually Yahweh - but he is an extraterrestrial humanoid, not a god. The worldview of the Raelian Movement is also therefore materialistic. Everything within the Raelian universe is understood in materialistic terms, including things like human personal identity. Materialism is perhaps the most important element of Raelian worldview, for it encapsulates so many elements of the Raelian system of thought. The first implication of the materialism of the Raelian system is that there is no supernatural or metaphysical element to human identity. According to Rael s guide, If one can imagine an immortal soul escaping from the body after death - an image that is very poetic but rather naive since it comes from the minds of primitives - one cannot imagine where it would go, given that the universe is infinite. The quantity of energy that flies off at the time of death disperses in a

23 random way, losing all identity as it blends with all the energies suspended in the surrounding air. That identity is obviously engraved only in organized matter, such as the cells of a living being that has just died. This matter is organized according to the blueprint, which the genes of the male and the female determined at conception while creating the first cell. xx According to Raelian teachings, our cells record not only a genetic blueprint determined at birth, however, but also the learned characteristics attained during life, such as scientific knowledge and personality. This teaching is a variation of something called Lamarckian genetics - the nonorthodox scientific theory that we can inherit not only biological, but acquired, characteristics. According to Rael s guide, cloning on the alien homeworld has reached such a point that it is possible to recreate not only the physical body from the cellular blueprint, but the knowledge and personality also. Rael s guide told him, When we are in full possession of our abilities and our brain is at its maximum efficiency and knowledge, we surgically remove a tiny part of the body which is conserved. When we die, from a minute particle of our body which had already been preserved, we fully recreate the body, as it was at that time. I say as it was that time, meaning with all its scientific knowledge, and of course, its personality. xxi This means that there is some biological mechanism whereby our selves get stored in the cells of the body - we do not have some etheric or metaphysical component that records these things. The second implication of the materialism of Raelian worldview is that life as we know it always requires material intervention to create. There is no such thing as divine creation within the Raelian system of thought. However, there is no such thing as natural evolution either. Raelians reject the theory of evolution, and argue instead in favour of the theory of

24 extraterrestrial causation. Evolution, Rael argues, is incapable of creating advanced life forms - just as we are the creation of extraterrestrials, so to are they the creation of other extraterrestrials even more advanced than they. This chain continues into infinity - there is no first naturally occuring species. Because of this infinite chain of creation, it is our religious responsibility to learn to clone ourselves, as the first step in being able to create the next species in the created chain of beings that populates the galaxy. Our creators, the Elohim, want us to reach this ability, because they have realized that their own creators, and those who came before, are no longer present in the universe - they have vanished. The Elohim wonder if they, too, are destined to vanish, and so to ensure that humanity does not die out in the universe, they wish us to reach the point where we can pass along our own genetic code to our own cloned offspring elsewhere in the universe. xxii Another implication of the materialism of the Raelian worldview is its overwhelming emphasis on science. According to Rael s guide, Science is the most important thing of all for humanity. You will keep yourself in touch with the advances made by scientists, because they can solve all your problems. Do not let scientific discoveries fall into the hands of those who think only of making profit, nor into the hands of them military, who keep certain inventions secret in order to retain a hypothetical supremacy over illusory enemies. Science should be your religion, for the Elohim created you scientifically. By being scientific, you please your creators, because you are acting as they do, and you show them that you understand that you were made in their image, and are anxious to take advantage of all the potential that you have within you. Science must be used to serve and liberate humankind, not to destroy and alienate it. Trust those scientists who are not being manipulated by financial interests, and only them. xxiii Science therefore is the path to wisdom, peace, harmony, progress, immortality, and so on. The Elohim are said to be 25,000 years in advance of us scientifically. It is our task to emulate their scientific knowledge, and in doing so become worthy of their future contact with earth. Only when enough of the earth s population has rejected religion, and adopted science as the basis of