The Encyclopedia of World Religions

. U ,

More substantial was the Aetherius Society, founded in London, England, in 1954, by George King, when a voice told him he was to become “the voice of the Interplanetary Parliament.” The Aetherius Society has established churches in several countries to promulgate these messages from other worlds. It has been particularly inter ested in performing ritual “operations” intended, under higher guidance, to defend Earth against evil assailants. Also founded in 1954 under UFO influence, the Unarius Society, headquartered near San Diego, emphasizes reincarnation and the impend ing return of the visitors. Colorful rituals have been developed to express its UFO-given teachings and to greet friends from outer space. The Raelian movement, established in France in 1973, attracted attention around the end of the 20th century because of its emphasis on biotech nology and its claim to have achieved success ful cloning. This was understandable, for a basic teaching of Raelianism is that human life on Earth was created by scientists from another planet who want to return to Earth to meet their creations. But whether they do so is up to Earth; the religion is intended to spread this news and help make preparations. More ominous than these was the Heaven’s Gate movement, known for its mass suicide on March 27, 1997. Its adherents apparently believed that a spaceship was coming in the wake of Comet Hale-Bopp to meet the faithful, and that by means of death they could attain the “next level” and be ready to enter a new world. Misguided religious belief can have tragic consequences.

UFO religions Religious movements based on messages believed to be communicated by visitors to Earth who have arrived on UFOs (unidentified flying objects, also called flying saucers). Such religions began with reports of “flying saucers” in 1947 and the following years. Before long, “con tactees”—those claiming to have had personal contact with UFO visitors—came forward, deliver ing messages to Earth they said they had received from spacemen. Typically, the messages warned the people of Earth that they must stop atomic test ing and warlike behavior; if they did so, the space people, far in advance of earth both morally and technologically, would help humans make Earth into a paradise and would welcome Earth into the fellowship of advanced worlds across the galaxy. The first important contactee was George Adamski, who said he had met a man from Venus in 1952. But though Adamski was a popular lec turer and writer on this and other UFO encounters, only small and short-lived groups appeared around him. Another 1950s contactee, Daniel Fry, was more successful in forming a group. After a claimed UFO encounter at White Sands, New Mexico, includ ing a half-hour ride from there to New York and back in 1954, Fry founded Understanding, Inc. His contacts professed to be the remnants of a past supercivilization on earth that had destroyed itself through war, and they did not want that disaster repeated. Understanding, Inc., comprised informal discussion “units” based on Fry’s talks and writ ings. As many as 60 such groups were listed at the movement’s heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, but by century’s end Understanding, Inc., was in serious decline.

457 S