e-ISSN: 1309-1719
ISSN: 1309-1786
Period: 2 Issues Annually
Start: 2010
Publisher: Bursa İlahiyat Vakfı

Raëlism An Unconventional Religious Pathway to Transhumanism

Raëlism An Unconventional Religious Pathway to Transhumanism

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Büşra Yeşilyurt
Atatürk University, Erzurum-Türkiye

Muhammet Yeşilyurt
İzmir Katip Çelebi University, İzmir-Türkiye

DOI:

10.12730/is.1442273
How to Cite
Yeşilyurt, Büşra, and Muhammet Yeşilyurt. 2024. “Raëlism: An Unconventional Religious Pathway to Transhumanism”. Ilahiyat Studies 15 (1):31-59. https://doi.org/10.12730/is.1442273.

Abstract

Raëlism is a controversial new religious movement that originated in France in the 1970s and has since spread around the world. The movement’s core tenets are rooted in science, technology, and freedom and can be summarized as a blend of science and spirituality, millenarianism, revelation, story, pseudoscience, and reinterpretation. Raëlians believe in the extraterrestrial origin of humanity and promote the pursuit of higher consciousness, inner peace, individual empowerment, and peace-building. To this end, the movement offers a series of seminars that aim to provide a transformative experience for participants and leads various social initiatives and projects at a global level. Although Raëlism has gained popularity among some individuals, it has also been the subject of substantial criticism and controversy, particularly because of its unconventional views on sexuality and its alleged support for human cloning and genetic engineering. Nonetheless, the movement continues to be a subject of interest and scrutiny for scholars, journalists, and the curious. This article provides an overview of the history, ideology, and practices of the Raëlian Movement and its relationship with transhumanism.

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