In 1973, a French motorsports journalist claimed to have been visited by a UFO that revealed to him the secret origins of humanity. For the next half-century, the man known as Raël would go on to create a new faith with tens of thousands of adherents all around the world.
The media have portrayed the Raelians as not just a cult, but a strange phantasmagoria of extraterrestrials, orgies and clones. But its followers insist it is the only true path forward for humanity.
Featured in this episode: Nicole Bertrand, Susan J. Palmer, Harold Henning
To learn more:
Aliens Adored: Raël’s UFO Religion by Susan J. Palmer
The Prophet and the Space Aliens by Yoav Shamir
The UFO sect campaigning against female genital mutilation by Monica Mark in The Guardian
Credits: Arshy Mann (Host and Producer), Jordan Cornish (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)
Additional music from Audio Network
Sponsors: Douglas, Athletic Greens
If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.
You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
WORK 10 - Prison Labour Industrial Complex
WORK 9 - Working Behind Bars
Introducing Pretendians
WORK 8 - Make and Break Harbour
WORK 7 - Merchants of the Rock
WORK 6 - Emptying an Ocean
WORK 5 - The Westray Disaster
WORK 4 - Reaping the Whirlwind
WORK 3 - Bitter Harvest
WORK 2 - State of Emergency Rooms
WORK 1 - The War on Workers
Introducing our new season… Work
Bonus - Everybody Loves Romana
CANADALAND #914 Stock Buybacks: How Grocers Eat Themselves
RATFUCKER Chapter Two: The Brethren
CULTS 10 - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fandom
CULTS 9 - Romana’s Reign
CULTS 8 - The Eye of the Pyramid
CULTS 7 - Hey #Bossbabe!
CULTS 6 - Being a Blackmore
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Dirty John
Death, Sex & Money
No Such Thing As A Fish
Jalen & Jacoby
Sound Opinions