True Crime-Paranormal-Conspiracy Theories Stories Part V #Wattys2023

Aertherius Society

The Aetherius Society is a newreligious movement founded by George King in the mid-1950s as theresult of what King claimed were contacts with extraterrestrialintelligences, to whom he referred as "Cosmic Masters".The main goal of the believer is to cooperate with these CosmicMasters to help humanity solve its current Earthly problems andadvance into the New Age.

It is a syncretic religion, basedprimarily on theosophy and incorporating millenarian, New Age, andUFO religion aspects. Emphases of the religion include altruism,community service, nature worship, spiritual healing and physicalexercise. Members meet in congregations like those of churches. JohnA. Saliba states that, unlike many other New Age or UFO religions,the Aetherius Society is for the most part considereduncontroversial, although its esoteric and millenarian aspects aresometimes ridiculed. The religion may be considered to have arelatively conventional praxis, attracting members from mainstreamsociety. The society's membership, although international, isrelatively small. David V. Barrett suggested in 2011 that theworldwide membership was in the thousands, with the largest numbersin the United Kingdom, United States (particularly SouthernCalifornia) and New Zealand.

Overview

The theology of the Aetherius Societyis regarded as firmly based in theosophy, the Aetherius Societycombines UFO claims, yoga, and ideas from various world religions,notably Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. The society assertsitself as a plural or liberal religion, stating "nor does Godfavor people of one religion over another – and certainly notpeople of one country or race over another". Stefan Isakssonnotes that it has "become a complex religious belief systemthat includes an extraterrestrial hierarchy of various spiritualmasters and such concepts as universal karma and religious healing."The religion's goal is to prevent worldly destruction by improvingcooperation between humanity and various alien 'masters', andby using 'spiritual energy' to improve the spiritual calibre of theworld. The society has claimed that various disasters may beprevented or relieved by prayer, often aided by "SpiritualEnergy Batteries" meant to store healing psychic energy Thesociety also believes that it is to prepare the way for the "NextMaster," a messianic figure who will descend upon Earth in aflying saucer, possessing "magic" more powerful thanall the world's armies. The society is named after Aetherius, a beingKing claims to have telepathically contacted and channeled. Aetheriusis believed to be a Cosmic Master from Venus, as are Buddha andJesus.

History

George King was born on 23 January1919, in Wellington, Shropshire, England and brought up in aProtestant family with strong occult interests. Before founding theAetherius Society, King had been deeply involved in spiritual healingand had joined various theosophically-based metaphysical groups inLondon that were a marginal part of the religious scene. In 1944, hetook up yoga, allegedly mastering bhakti, gnani and kundalini yogasand attaining the state of "Samadhi" and, accordingto the Aetherius Society, developed psychic powers that allowed himto learn many of the secrets of the universe.

King claimed that in 1954, a voice toldhim "Prepare yourself! You are to become the voice ofInterplanetary Parliament." A week later, an unnamed butsupposedly world-famous swami was reported to have entered King'slocked apartment. King claims that the swami instructed him to form agroup dedicated to helping the planet and that the swami furthertaught him yoga, prayer, and meditation. According to King, thistraining enabled him to receive telepathic messages from Venus, thefirst coming from Aetherius. King rented space in Caxton Hall inLondon, in which he allegedly channeled Cosmic Masters and recordedtheir messages. Based on his experiences and these messages, Kingfounded the Aetherius Society. It appears that immediately prior tofounding the Society, King was earning his living as a London taxidriver.