Monday Miscellany

Raelians 45th Anniversary 




Chatting on Facebook sometimes leads to a mention of strange things and sects that I hadn't heard of or looked at in years. Just as part of a "passing remark" the Raelians were mentioned. So I went and had a look.

It seems the Raelians who believe that life on Earth was implanted by aliens they call the Elohim.

They "preach" that Moses, Jesus, Buddha & Mohammed amongst others were sent by aliens to help us. OK. Noah's Ark was a spaceship and the great flood was caused by the Elohim who then scattered the Israelites around the globe. Bizarre.

Here's a taste of their thoughts on this auspicious occasion:

Welcome to the 45 anniversary of the first encounter between Maitreya Rael and Yahweh, the president and representative of the extra-terrestrial scientists known as the “Elohim”, when they told him how they made all life on earth, including “man in their image”, thousands of years ago. Together we will celebrate this historic encounter with love, laughter and kindness, because that is the essence of the message that Yahweh gave to Maitreya for humanity.

This meeting 45 years ago was the beginning of the Raelian Movement, a wonderful adventure that we are all part of, and which is catalysing the peaceful transformation of humanity from a primitive warlike group of tribes into the golden age of freedom, love and supraconscioiusness.

This encounter also represents the final chapter of a succession of meetings between the Elohim and the prophets of old, who were their contactees, charged with passing on their message of love, adapted to each epoch.

Finally in this age of science, where we are beginning to experiment with DNA ourselves, we can understand how we were created in laboratory by these expert scientific artists, and how these creators love us like their children and hope to meet us at The Embassy.

So this encounter is both the end of the darkness and the beginning of the new light, the first rays of a new dawn for humanity, and it is right and fitting that it should happen in the land of the rising sun.

Anti-Semitism in Derry

Image:www.derrycity.gov.uk

The Belfast Telegraph reports:

The homeland of the Jews, the one state in the world that provides the Jewish people with assured sanctuary and is the only real democracy in the Middle East, is singled out as the global Great Satan. And it is that singling-out that is the crucial point.

No other country attracts such opprobrium.

Israel gets it from the right, from the left and from just about anyone who doesn't want to provoke a maelstrom of hate on Twitter.

This week we learn that Steven Jaffe, who is co-chair of Northern Ireland Friends of Israel, has been banned from addressing Derry City and Strabane District Council.

So much then for diversity, inclusivity, respecting minorities and 'it's good to talk'.

I know Steven Jaffe well. He's one of my heroes. Steven is fiercely intelligent, passionate about his Belfast Jewish heritage - and has a brilliant, dry sense of humour.

Listening to him, you will not be bored. You may not agree with him. You may not agree, even, with a word he says.

But here's what baffles me: why would any elected representative, supposed to be serving the whole local community, not want at least to listen to what he has to say?

It is enormously brave for any Jew in Ireland to stand up and speak out these days. I think we all accept that. We should also be shocked by that.

Doubtless those elected representatives in our second city who voted down the proposal to listen to Steven are smug in their conviction that they are open-minded, even-handed, liberal thinkers. But their actions suggest something very different.

Atomic Rooster- Tomorrow Night

And finally just for fun is one of my school day favourites from Atomic Rooster. Great Band!