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Abstract

Content

Introduction

1. Theme urgency

Relevance of the chosen research topic due to current situation in the world. The last decade of XX century was the beginning of a profound change in the ideological orientations and world-view notions of society. There is still a long time to comprehend this profound reassessment of the ideals and values that officially ruled for seven decades in our spiritual heritage and determined political life of the country Significantly changed the religion that now has taken a completely different place in the outlook of many people in everyday social life.

2. Goal and tasks of the research

Purpose of the work is an analysis of religious practice and creed of International Raelian Movement as a scientific and logic trend of NRM (new religious movement).

Implementation of set purpose determines necessity to solve following tasks:

  1. To study Raelian movement as a subject of Religious Studies.
  2. To examine premises of Raelian rise and formation as a religion of new time.
  3. To analyse activity of Raelian Movement as a scientific and logic trend of new religious movements.

Subject matter of the study is Raelian as a religious phenomenon.

Scope of the study is a specific of Raelian development and activity.

Methodological bases of the work clarified itself by list of problems which author states in the course of the search of the basic research tasks.

Among them are

  1. historical method;
  2. comparative analysis method;
  3. nonconfessional method;
  4. complex approach;
  5. philosophical method.

In addition there were used universal methodological principles of objectiveness, systemacy, determinism, integrity, unity of historical and logical one.

Scientific novelty of the research consists in the attempt to analyse systematically Raelian activity in order to discover religion study looks, features, world-view notions that has made for the first time.

Theoretical and practical amount of the research is determined by statements and deductions which are in the research and which permit to widen notion of Raelian Movement activity as a new religion.

3. Main content of the research

At all times, religion has played a vast role in human life. Religion gave an explanation of sense of his or her existence, gave hope, promised freedom and happiness, allowed not to have a sensation of loneliness.

And man gave as good as it gets. He proved his faith in practice – sacrificed, accomplished rites, shared his faith with kinsmen, defended it with arms. Merely in such a way he could expect that his faith didn’t appear vain. And the best prove of choice rightness are adherents.

In the process of development religion acquired a great mount of details: divers and sometimes contradictious sacred texts, complex rituals and concrete images of gods and prophets. Thus there is a wide field of activity for any rebel – another interpretation, change of rites, invention of new system with other details but after finished example after all.

Along with ruling churches from time to time there are alternative organizations, trends, movements, e.g. cults and sects.

All this religious organizations differ at their features. Some are famous nowadays for its illegal and dangerous activities; peak of the influence of others fell down to past centuries; others are tremendous, recognized in all the countries as religious corporations.

Nature of new religions is varied and complicated. In the research one understand by New Religious Movements (NRM) cults of new type that are characterized as religious new formation which appeared after World War II that propose religious or philosophical world view with the help of what it can be reached some higher goal: spiritual enlightenment, development. Notion "new religious movement" itself is one of the typical phenomenon of modern spiritual life. Its essence lies in spread of religious doctrines in non- familiar traditional religions [18].

Among new religious movements that have emerged at last sixty years, one can hardly find more attractive and more contradictious then those associated with unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial civilizations. The so-called UFO-religions also are called UFO-cults or "flying saucer of cults". In the base of the religious movements of UFO-cults lies teaching of aliens and their key role in the past, the present time or the past of all the humans (e.g. divine nature of aliens, descent of man from them, or rescue humanity by them etc.). It frequently postulates the necessity of religious worship by spacemen from space. The most important fact of religious UFO-cults appearing and development is wide-raging extension of information about UFO and anomalous phenomena by secular UFO-movements. Religious UFO-cults include: Celestial Gate, Society Eteriusa, Raelian Movement etc. [19]

Rael movement

Currently, Raelian Movement is the largest and widespread UFO organization in the world, the number of followers reaches 70 thousand. As a basis of doctrine was assumed the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations Elohim which is alien civilization of highly developed spiritually and technically people. Raelian Movement sees in extraterrestrial life forms, what they think is missing in "terrestrial" world. As Jung said, "Of course, UFOs do not reflect our modern conception of the human soul, it likely represents a non-controlled, archetypical image of a certain range, which expresses the integrity of the individual and is generated by the unknown" [17]. So belief in UFOs replaces religious faith, which is cannot meet their spiritual needs.



The Raelian Movement Symbolism

The Raelian Movement Symbolism
(animation: 7 frames, repetition cycle - infinitely, 92,8 kilobytes)

Model of the future of the Elohim Embassy

The main objective of doctrine is a scientific and technical process, namely the development of cloning [14] to achieve immortality. Because of this Raelian Movement followers many times appealed to authorities with a demand to remove the ban on cloning. In fact, for many people they have become known due to this its operations. Also one of the important features of this movement is the idea of "free love", which is expressed in orgies and is considered as a way of communication among adherents. Not least place rages the idea of geniocracy [13], which sets out the views of human nature and possibilities of its improvement. In the new ideal state only the smartest will be given the right to vote. Only geniuses can be elected i.e. 0.5 % of the population. It becomes clear that we are talking about the idea of creating a world government under the leadership of geniuses.

Claude Vorilon (Rael)

Attitude to human sexuality lay, if not at the heart of faith, but it made a significant part of it. Implementing the principle of "free love" Raelian actually realize cult of "life". It is also important to say that the feature movement is dependent on the leader. Currently, Raelian quite actively engaged in their activities because their leader is active in the field of promotion of their faith. Claude Vorilona is a founder of Raelian Movement (better known as Rael) can be described as a strong and confident person who is not afraid of difficulties and possibilities of defeat in their endeavors. The decision to establish a publishing house is a proof of the statement, and further and Raelian Movement. Due to his charisma, Rael manages to attract attention of many people and lead and convince them of the truth of his words; as a result people become exposed to his influence.

Conclusion

So in conclusion we can assert that active religion creation is caused by general orientational crisis of eurocentrical civilization that incites to try to synthesize western and eastern religious traditions, intensifies religious experiments in general. In conditions of spiritual crisis people are looking for any generally significant values and found them in certain religions. It forms a thought of exiting universal primary religion that was eventually lost. Therefore modern religious consciousness goes beyond the scope of whichever confession, make it universal, syncretic.

This master's work is not completed yet. Final completion: December 2014. The full text of the work and materials on the topic can be obtained from the author or his head after this date.

References

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