A controversial UFO cult which champions human cloning and ‘sexual freedom’ is at the centre of a new Netflix docu-series.
Raelism was started by former journalist Claude Vorilhon, originating in the central French region of Auvergne. Claude, better known as Rael, now 77, claims he was visited by an extra-terrestrial being in a secluded area of a French volcanic crater on December 13, 1973.
The creature informed him, in French, that it had come especially to meet Rael and that it was the former sports writer’s purpose to share its message with the people of Earth. Rael claims to have visited aliens on their UFOs on a number of occasions.
Try MEN Premium now for FREE… just click here to give it a go.
The movement, dubbed a ‘UFO religion’ but described by the French government as a cult, is thought to have around 90,000 members across some 90 countries today. A new Netflix series, Rael: The Alien Prophet, features interviews with his followers, critics and Rael himself, tracing how a UFO-inspired religion spiralled into a controversial cult.
Rael teaches that the Elohim, which means ‘those who came from sky,’ created life on Earth. He says the Elohim – small green aliens which cannot be drawn or photographed – had cloned themselves and created human beings 25,000 years ago.
(Image: Netflix)
They elected people to act as their prophets on Earth, with Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad – and, of course, Rael, among them. Rael even claims he was taken to another planet to meet the other Elohim in one of his 10 books, Les extra-terrestres m’ont emmené sur leur planète (Extraterrestrials Took Me To Their Planet).
Among the Raelien’s unusual beliefs is human cloning – and this has resulted in the alleged birth of the first human clone, which was supposedly conducted as part of the belief that cloning would lead to reincarnation. Brigitte Boisselier, a Raelian and the Chief Executive of biotechnology company Clonaid, claims they had successfully created a clone of her, a baby girl named Eve. The claim landed both Boisselier and Raël in US Congress – but there was never any proof the cloning had even taken place.
The movement also champions sexual liberation – which has caused a stir among governments. Raelians encourage adult homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual relationships, while its teaching states that through the pursuit of sexual pleasure, new pathways between the neurons in the brain are forged, thus enhancing an individual’s intelligence.
The cult encourages its members to explore their sexuality and Rael, while often photographed with women, encourages homosexual experimentation. Rael himself has been married three times and his third wife was a 16-year-old follower who was baptised as a Raelist the year prior.
Raelism also endorses sexual education for children. This includes teaching kids as young as five years old about masturbation.
Government authorities such as those in Switzerland fear that Raelians are a threat to public morals for supporting liberalized sex education for children. The authorities believe that such liberalized sex education teaches youths how to obtain sexual gratification which would encourage sexual abuse of underage children. The Raelians disagree with those fears and stated that sex education done properly would involve educating parents as well as children.
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link
Among the UFO religion’s many national holidays is Go Topless Day, a campaign organised in the USA which reckons women should have the same legal right to go topless in public that men. It sees women protest topless one day each August, with the exception of nipple covers to avoid arrest. It has been scrutinised as a publicity tool to recruit new members.
After facing legal problems, Rael emigrated to Canada and in 2007 he made the move to Japan, where he currently resides. He continues to spread his teachings, despite criticism and controversy.
All four episodes of Rael: The Alien Prophet are streaming now on Netflix.
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
Más historias