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Raël

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Raël is the founder and leader of the Raëlian Movement. This is an international UFO religion. Before his religious career, he was known as Claude Maurice Marcel Vorilhon. He was born on 30 September 1946, in Vichy, France. He lived in Ambert with his maternal grandmother. His mother was a devout atheist. His father was Jewish, but his identity remains unknown. Raël's life before his religious leadership was quite varied. He was once a rising teen pop star. He used the name Claude Celler and released six singles. One of his minor hits was called "Le miel et la cannelle."

A gathering of Raëlians in South Korea
A gathering of Raëlians in South Korea

Vorilhon later became a sports journalist. He started a car magazine called Autopop in May 1971. This job allowed him to enter the world of motor racing. His life changed significantly in December 1973. He reported an encounter in a secluded French volcanic crater. He described seeing a bright, flashing light. A shiny metal craft, which he said looked like a bell, descended silently. An extraterrestrial being emerged from the craft. Raël claimed this being spoke to him in French. He identified the being as Yahweh. Raël said his mission was to share a message from these visitors with all of humanity.

Raëlian beliefs focus on a group called the Elohim. He describes them as advanced scientists from another planet. According to his writings, these scientists have 25,000 years of scientific progress. He claims the Elohim created all life on Earth through DNA manipulation. Raël believes the Elohim sent about 40 prophets to Earth throughout history. However, he argues that humans distorted these prophets' messages. This happened because of the gap between Earth's civilization and the Elohim's advanced level. To prepare for their return, Raël aims to build a residential embassy in neutral territory.

A gathering of Raëlians in South Korea
A gathering of Raëlians in South Korea

Raël has written many books to explain these ideas. One notable book is titled "Extraterrestrials Took Me To Their Planet." In this work, he describes a second encounter on 7 October 1975. He claims an Elohim took him to another planet. There, he says he met figures such as Buddha, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. He describes these beings as peaceful and free from money, sickness, and war. In 1974, he stopped publishing his magazine to focus on this mission. He eventually formed a group called MADECH, which became the International Raëlian Movement.

Raël also advocates for specific technological advancements. In his 2001 book, "Yes to Human Cloning," he discusses genetic engineering. He believes this could prevent inherited diseases and reduce economic burdens. He also promotes the use of nanotechnology. He suggests nanotechnology could allow for micro-distributive power in homes. He envisions self-cleaning furniture with moving, hair-like fibers. He even believes machines could grow meat and salads through molecular construction. Raël argues that humans are not made to work. He believes machines should handle labor so humans can focus on creativity and thought.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Raël participated in professional auto racing. This was supported by wealthy Japanese Raëlians. He did not use member tithes or embassy funds for this. He drove cars such as the Mosler Raptor and the Viper GTS R. In 1997, he achieved a 3rd place finish in GT1 at Lime Rock. In 1999, he finished 7th at Watkins Glen in an FIA GT race. He competed in the 1999 BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series and the 2000 Speedvision GT Championship. He announced his intention to retire from professional racing in November 2001.

Despite his following, Raël has faced significant criticism. Many former members have accused him of plagiarism. They claim he copied passages from author Jean Sendy. These alleged copies include concepts like infinity and geniocracy. Others claim his book "Sensual Meditation" was derived from the Silva "Mind Control" Method. Researcher Maryse Péloquin also published research on his life. She suggested he paraphrased many ideas from other UFO authors from the 1950s and 1960s. These controversies continue to surround his leadership and his writings.

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