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

Raelism: Claude Vorilhon Part II

Seminars

The Raëlian Church holds week-longsummer seminars called "Stages of Awakening." Theseinvolve daily lectures by Raël, sensual meditation sessions, periodsof fasting and feasting, testimonials, and various alternativetherapies. Activities that have attracted press attention haveinclude dressing in the clothes of the opposite gender as part of anexercise to play with the fluidity of gender expression, andobserving one's own genitals and masturbating.

Raëlians use these seminars as anopportunity to form friendships or sexual relationships. Attendeeswear white togas with name tags; they have also used coloredbracelets to indicate whether they wanted to be alone, be in acouple, or simply meet people. In 1991, a French journalist attendeda seminar and taped couples having sexual intercourse in tents,something then much-publicized. Following these seminars, a secondseminar, this time restricted to members of the Structure, takesplace.

History

Origins

Claude Vorilhon was born in Ambert,France on 30 September 1946. He was the illegitimate son of a15-year-old mother; his father had been a Sephardi Jew then in hidingfrom the Nazi authorities. Vorilhon later recounted being raised asan atheist by his grandmother and aunt, although for a time attendeda Roman Catholic boarding school. As a teenager, Vorilhon hitch-hikedto Paris where he pursued a career as a singer, having severalsuccessful[dubious – discuss singles using the name "ClaudeCeller." He then married a nurse and had two children withher. In 1973, he founded the racing car magazine Auto Pop and alsoworked as a test driver for such vehicles. In November 1973, a newlaw was introduced in France banning speeding on the highway, endinghis work as a test driver. Auto Pop ceased publication in September1974.

There had been a range of reported UFOsightings in 1970s France, and the ancient astronaut theory was "verymuch in vogue" in the country by the middle of that decade.In early 1974, Vorilhon announced that in December 1973 he had beencontacted by the Elohim while walking along the Puy Lassolasmountain. He began promoting these ideas in interviews on Frenchtelevision and radio. He began lecturing on his alleged experiencesin Paris, where he attracted a group of followers, many of whom werescience-fiction fans or amateur ufologists. In December 1974 anorganization based on his ideas, the Mouvement pour l'accueil desElohims créateurs de l'humanité (MADECH; "Movement for theWelcoming of the Elohim, Creators of Humanity"), waslaunched. Vorilhon began referring to himself as "Raël."A newsletter, Apocalypse, began publication in October 1974. MADECHbegan raising money for the self-publication of Vorilhon's firstbook, which appeared as Le livre qui dit la verité that year.Raëlians treat his first book with reverence, often referring to itsimple as Le livre ("the book").

Some members of MADECH wanted theorganisation to take a broader interest in Ufology beyond Raël's ownclaims and also desired to restrict his authority within the group.Amid an internal power struggle, Raël called an emergency meeting inApril 1975; the feud continued and in July he dismissed MADECH'sexecutives and replaced them with seven of his own supporters. Raëlalso announced that he had been contacted by the Elohim for a secondtime and that on this occasion they had taken him to visit theirplanet. He outlined these claims in his 1975 book LesExtra-Terrestres M'ont Emmené sur Leur Planète. Opposition to Raëlremained evident in MADECH and in 1976 he disbanded the group,beginning the Raëlian Movement as a replacement in February 1976. Itoperated along a strict hierarchy, with Raël as its director,referred to as the "Guide of Guides." Unlike MADECH,it promoted a broader religious structure, including ritualpractices. It continued publication of Apocalypse to spread itsmessage.