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? : )
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