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| Raëlism | |
|---|---|
| Name | Raëlism |
| Founder | Claude Vorilhon (Raël) |
| Founded date | 1974 |
| Founded place | France |
| Headquarters | Zinal, Switzerland (movement offices) |
| Scriptures | The Book Which Tells the Truth, The Message Given to Me by Extraterrestrials |
| Theology | Extraterrestrial creators (Elohim) |
Raëlism is a new religious movement founded in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon, known as Raël. It teaches that life on Earth was scientifically created by extraterrestrial beings called the Elohim and that its founder received contact and revelation from those beings. The movement has attracted attention through its advocacy of cloning, sexual liberation, and establishment of an embassy for extraterrestrials, generating international media coverage and academic study.
Raëlism emerged after Claude Vorilhon claimed a close encounter with an extraterrestrial in 1973 near Aurillac, France. Vorilhon published his account in books such as The Book Which Tells the Truth, which led to the formation of the movement and organizations in France, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and United States. Through the 1970s and 1980s Raëlism established national associations and held international conventions that connected adherents across Europe, South America, and Africa. High-profile events included public rallies in Paris and campaigns in Montreal and Tokyo to promote the movement’s positions on biotechnology and sexual freedom. Over decades Raëlism interacted with legal systems in France and Quebec and faced scrutiny by media outlets such as Le Monde and The New York Times, while scholars from University of California, Berkeley and University of Toronto examined its claims.
Raëlism teaches that the Elohim, advanced extraterrestrial scientists, created humans through genetic engineering and are the source of what many call religions, including narratives found in the Bible, Qur'an, Bhagavad Gita, and Book of Mormon. Central scripture includes Vorilhon’s revelations compiled in books that interpret episodes like the Tower of Babel and Noah's Ark as contact events. The movement emphasizes materialist immortality via cloning and cryonics, advocating technologies discussed in forums at institutions such as Harvard University and MIT research symposia. Raëlists endorse universalism and nonviolence and promote a political vision labeled by adherents as a form of libertarian secularism, engaging with policy debates in bodies like the European Parliament and national legislatures. Ethics within the movement stress sensuality and consensual relationships, aligning them with campaigns against censorship brought by organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
The movement is organized through an international hierarchy headquartered in offices established by Vorilhon, with national associations and regional coordinators who manage chapters in cities including Montreal, Paris, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Geneva. Leadership historically centered on Claude Vorilhon, who assumed the title Raël and appointed guides and bishops to oversee ordinations and training. Administrative structures include the International Raëlian Movement and affiliated foundations that have registered as nonprofit entities in jurisdictions like Switzerland and Canada. Internal governance has referenced organizational models similar to those analyzed in studies at Oxford University and McGill University on new religious movements.
Rituals include meditative practices such as the Sensual Meditation developed by Vorilhon, initiation ceremonies for ordination as Raëlian guides, and public demonstrations like the symbolic construction of embassies for extraterrestrials. Consecration rites resemble those described in ceremonial accounts of modern movements studied at University of Oxford and University College London. Raëlists participate in conferences that host speakers from biotech circles associated with Stanford University and cryonics advocates from groups with ties to Alcor Life Extension Foundation and other longevity organizations. Festivals and commemorations occur on dates derived from Vorilhon’s revelations and are observed at communal gatherings in community centers across Europe and North America.
Raëlism has provoked controversy for its stance on human cloning after the founding of cloning advocacy groups that claimed affiliation or inspiration from the movement; these disputes drew attention from regulatory bodies like the World Health Organization and national ministries responsible for bioethics. Legal challenges and accusations—ranging from alleged misconduct to disputes over fundraising—have been litigated in courts including those in France, Canada, and Belgium. Critics include scholars of religion at institutions such as University of Cambridge, journalists at The Guardian, and activists from International Campaign for Women's Rights (criticisms focus on sexual ethics and leadership practices). The movement’s public pronouncements and media strategies prompted parliamentary questions in assemblies including the French National Assembly and policy reviews by ethical committees at University of Paris.
Raëlism has influenced popular culture through coverage in magazines like Time (magazine), television programs on networks such as BBC and NBC, and documentaries screened at festivals including Sundance Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival. The group’s high-profile actions—public rallies, provocative art exhibitions, and proposals for an embassy—have been referenced in novels, films, and academic analyses from scholars at Columbia University and University of California, Los Angeles. Notable public figures and journalists who covered the movement include commentators from Le Monde, The New York Times, and presenters on France 24.
Estimates of membership have varied widely; scholars using survey methods from centers at Pew Research Center and University of Oxford have reported adherents across continents, with concentrations in France, Canada, Japan, and Brazil. Demographic profiles indicate diversity in age and professional background, with some members employed in fields like biotechnology, arts, and academia, including links to alumni networks of Université de Montréal and Sorbonne University. Membership trends have been tracked by researchers at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and demographic centers in Europe and North America.