[RAEL FAIL] From MADECH to RAELIAN MOVEMENT

In Rael's 2nd book (end of 1975), he boasts about his 700-strong organization called MADECH* (movement for welcoming the Elohim, creators of humanity):

"Two years! For almost two years now I have been trying somehow to radiate this truth, which is too great for me... There are seven hundred of them as I pen these lines, and I understand how this is both few and many at the same time... Who are these seven hundred? Are they, as the scoffers would no doubt love to believe, average simpletons who could be made to swallow anything? Not at all. Some of them are university graduates or people holding PhD’s in philosophy, psychology, theology, sociology, medicine, physics, chemistry, etc. My admiration perhaps goes as much to those who have no degree, since although they have not acquired knowledge through studying that would allow them to realize that living matter and people like us can be created scientifically, they are still able to feel it intuitively, as people capable of mastering matter and putting themselves in harmony with the universe that they are.
I must say that I am optimistic on the whole, and that I believe that I have so far accomplished the mission that has been entrusted to me. For whatever happens to me, MADECH is up and running, and nothing will ever be able to stop it." (Intelligent Design, p. 122)

He adds:

"It was during June 1975 that I decided to resign as president of MADECH, first of all because it seemed that the movement could now manage very well without me, and secondly because I thought I had made a mistake in structuring the organization in accordance with a 1901 law that likened the movement, which is of such importance to humanity, to a petanque club or a war veterans’ association." (p. 142)

However, according to sociologist Susan Palmer, MADECH was NOT running so well since its inception in September 1974:

"In April 1975, Raël called an emergency general meeting to restructure the organization, and the diverging aims of the leadership became apparent; a major schism was brewing. Charles Aymonier, MADECH’s secretary, complained that the members of the executive were awarding themselves honorific titles like “secretary general” and “administrative director.” At the same time, they were trying to lay down rules to rein in Raël’s charismatic authority and “mettre au pas le prophete” (follow in the steps of the prophet). MADECH officials were becoming less interested in what Raël’s extraterrestrials were saying and more involved in networking with other ufology groups and trekkies. To exploit the entertainment potential of the ET phenomenon, they were planning a moneymaking lecture series, with other contactees as the invited speakers." (Aliens Adored, p. 37)

In July 1975, Rael staged a purging of leaders which hampered his own creativity and established the "Structure" of guides we see today. Later, after Rael wrote his 2nd book, in January 1976, MADECH had lost 90% of its members who were plotting a schism against Rael:

"Two years after its founding, MADECH was still giving Raël headaches, and in January 1976 he asked Jean Gary to move to Paris to help him resolve the mounting tensions within MADECH’s executive. This was difficult for Gary, but he complied and discovered that the Paris directors were “comploter contre” (plotting against) Raël (20 ans, 39). Raël instructed Gary to read the “Prayer to the Elohim” from Raël’s second book at the general assembly, and to order the dismantling of MADECH. Gary had difficulty gaining entrance to the meeting without a pass, but once inside, he showed the gathering Raël’s letter and read the prayer from the stage. Total silence followed, then 90 percent of the members got up and walked out of MADECH (from “Ecoutons Jean Gary” in 20 ans, 39)." (Aliens Adored, p. 39)

Rael subsequently renamed MADECH to the Raelian Movement in February 1976 (Aliens Adored, p. 39). However, a footnote in Intelligent Design, claims that the name was changed in 1975:

"In 1975, with the authorization of the Elohim, Rael changed the name of the movement to the International Raelian Movement." (Intelligent Design, p. 379)

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*In French, MADECH stands for:

M: mouvement pour (movement for)   

A: l‘accueil (the welcoming)

D: des (of the)

E: Elohim

C: créateurs de (creators of)

H: l’humanité (humanity).’