Raelism vs. Science: Raelian Baptism NOT validated by Science

From Oh no, Ross and Carrie

A Raelian website titled Scientific Raelian published an article last year claiming that the Raelian ritual of the Transmission of the Cellular Plan (TCP) or Raelian Baptism has been validated by science.

The Raelian article explains:

Raelian baptism is understood as a wireless transmission of the baptized individual's genome to an orbiting computer set up by the Elohim to record the information at the precise time of the ceremony.

In 1979, Marcel Terrusse, a chemical engineer and Raelian Guide, suggested that future science would be able to read human genomes by some kind of spectral analysis, every DNA sequence having distinct vibrational (sic.) properties. This hypothesis was largely dismissed as preposterous by mainstream scientists at the time.

The Raelian article then proceeds to link an article from the MIT Technology Review as evidence that Raelian Baptisms are scientifically plausible. It claims:

Today, 35 years later, Russian scientists have reported being able to distinguish DNA molecules based on how they vibrate. According to their research, DNA oligonucleotides resonate at frequencies in the terahertz range, which vary depending on the DNA sequence. Evidently, the method is still in its infancy and has only be applied to 50 and 100 nucleotide long DNA fragments so far. However, the proof of concept has now been established. (emphasis mine)

Following the link, one discovers how intellectually dishonest Raelian scientists are in their claims. It turns out that the Russian scientists did NOT identify the DNA oligonucleotides from wave-particles emitted by the molecules themselves, i.e. that they recorded the vibration and electromagnetic radiation that might naturally emit from molecules. Rael had written back in 1975 implicating that such waves could be recorded by the Elohim's computer orbiting the Earth. It is understood from Rael's writing that some kind of wave is constantly being emitted from a person that is transmitted to the Elohim's computer that records it.

Rather, the Russian scientists took "a short, single strand of DNA, [and zapped] it with terahertz waves and [watched] how it [vibrated]." The scientists basically blasted a strand of DNA with terahertz radiation and measured the reflected resonance that bounced off the oligonucleotides in order to identify them. In Raelian terms, this would mean the Elohim's computer picking up the resonance from a person after the former sends out some kind of energy towards the subject.

The MIT article explains:

Chernev and co’s idea is based on the way these molecules resonate. They say that the sequence of bases in an oligonucleotide determines the way in which the strand resonates at frequencies in the terahertz range. Their idea is to capture a single oligonucleotide in a cavity filled with terahertz waves that stimulates this resonant behaviour.

They begin by producing a signal as close as possible to the resonant mode. By measuring the output from this cavity, they can determine when the input spectra exactly matches the resonant modes of the molecule. That tells them exactly what sort of oligonucleotide they have.

The Raelian article references Raelian Bishop Guide, Marcel Terrusse's essay on this subject that appears in Rael book published in 1979. There, he mentions spectroscopy that can distinguish elementary particles after electrons emit light after being agitated by heat or another form of energy. It seems that a human body would have to be burned or electrocuted in order for such emissions to occur! Spectroscopy can also be used on radioactive elements or on hot objects such as stars. Terrusse also mentions nuclear magnetic resonance, which also requires an intense magnetic force bombarded on atomic nuclei to resonate the force back in order to capture an image (MRIs work on that principle). Yet, Terrusse concludes, "Thus the human body is an electric and electromagnetic wave emitter." (Intelligent Design, pp. 332-334)

One of the central tenets in the Raelian belief is that "huge computers" record every person's actions since conception to death in order to choose who will be worthy of eternal life (p. 171, 175, 192, 298). It assumes that these computers can record thoughts (and any brain activity). Raelism also holds the belief in telepathy and how long hair can facilitate the transmission of thoughts between people over a distance acting as an antenna (p. 36). However, for such a transmissions to occur, proximity to Earth is crucial since according to Rael's writings, the Ark of the Covenant was actually a strong nuclear-powered transmitter-receiver that facilitated inter-planetary communication between humans and the Elohim (p. 37). In the Raelian baptism ritual, an initiated Guide wets his/her hand and places one on the forehead and the other to the back of the devotee's neck to "establish a good electrical contact" according to Terrusse (p. 334), after which the Guide in intense thoughtfulness with eyes closed utters the words, "The Elohim has recognized you!" as if to telepathically seal the new initiate's fate.

One wonders why such pompous fanfare is required when the all-powerful Elohim's huge computers could establish who has become Raelian from their private thoughts alone. LOL


Advocatus Diaboli

Rael's NON-VIOLENT NON-FATAL legal action

Rael says that to be non-violent does not mean we give up our rights to self-defense. He says, if someone intends to kill us, then we should render our assailant powerless through force if necessary, but never with the intent to kill. (Intelligent Design, p. 204)

But, at the same time, Rael says Raelians should sue people who defame or offend Rael and Raelism (please refer to Contact 252 which is also referenced in White Knights 2). A legal suit, for Rael, is the appropriate non-violent action of self-defense. For Rael, that's using one's strength non-violently; it's to reduce the power of someone who verbally attacks Rael by any non-fatal means. Rael's "means" here is the "non-violent" use of money. And not surprisingly, Rael has a good track record of suing his opponents left and right. A good portion of the IRM's (International Raelian Movement) budget is allocated to paying for legal fees.

 

So wait... what's the result of such a legal action? Money as compensation for slander/libel. Does this mean, people who defamed Rael actually stopped him from getting richer?? If a court decides in favor of Rael, he makes money while the accused loses money. Is that fair? How exactly did the accused harm Rael and his club? Did they steal Rael's money or infringed on his copyrights to make money? Or, did they just throw words at Rael? 

  

Shouldn't Rael and his minions retaliate with intellectual debate and public protests (burning my notes, for example) instead of taking legal action whenever someone unjustifiably offends or defames them? Isn't Rael using the power of money to silence his critics and take away their rights of speech... and even harming them emotionally and physically, especially when there is no evidence for defamation?

Is it my right of speech to say Rael is lying when he claims he met the Elohim? Am I lying? Am I defaming Raelism? If I believe in abiogenesis and biological evolution to be true, is Rael lying to me with his fantastic story? Is Rael defaming and offending Science instead? All one needs to differentiate who is in the wrong is evidence... Rael has no evidence of his alien encounter while science has ample evidence to back up its robust theories.

Can paying off legal compensation destroy an individual's life? Can it be life-threatening? Is suing someone really a non-violent and non-fatal action of self-defense?

The passage in the Messages advising the use of force in self-defense is actually referring to how to address an immediate threat of physical violence upon a person and not to defamation and/or offensive words. But when Rael justifies suing someone for supposed slander/libel, he is essentially being violent towards a non-violent person in the name of self-defense. However, if someone threatens to physically harm or kill Rael or Raelians, then it is clearly justified to use legal means to diffuse that threat.

With regards to forgiveness, Rael says he forgives those who ask for forgiveness and apologize to him. But, in his book, we find written instead:

Forgive those who have done you harm unintentionally, and bear no grudge against those who have willingly done you harm. They are ill, for one must be ill to harm one’s neighbor. Besides, think how unfortunate those people are, who do harm others, because they will not have the right to eternal life in the gardens of the Elohim. (p.204) 

In other words, the Messages advise Raelians to forgive even before someone asks to forgive them. Defend yourself against this, Rael!

As for Raelians, you are well versed in Rael's preaching of being responsible for every action you take... especially when it results in violence or a fatality. So, know that by giving Rael your money, which he then uses to sue people, you may be then be responsible for causing harm to others unjustifiably.

Advocatus Diaboli

p.s. Aren't Rael's critics helping him get rid of pseudo-Raelians who don't really "understand" the Messages he wrote? That's a "win-win" situation, no? : )