The
Montreal Gazette
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
Those who view the
Raelians as wacko anti-Catholics should consider that in 2002 our constitution
still bars any non-Protestant from being our head of state. Canadian law also
forbids our highest official to marry a Roman Catholic, and a woman can become
our head of state only if she has no brothers. Some call it
"monarchy," but it's really institutionalized medieval nepotism.
Jonathan Makepeace
Westmount
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Raelians
no worse than other Groups
The Gazette
Thursday, October 10, 2002
I completely agree
that the Raelians deserve to be criticized for their plans to burn crosses
(Editorial, Oct. 5, "Raelians' campaign has gone too far"). I do not
understand, however, why you choose to mock them as if you were standing on some
higher pedestal of knowledge.
Of course, the theory that scientists from another world are responsible for our
existence is quite "amusing," as you describe it. But really, is it
any less credible than the creation myth put to us by the three dominant
monotheistic religions of our time? It can be argued that the Raelian version of
events is actually less laughable than the creation story, as it does not go
against the known laws of nature.
To an atheist, whether you are a Raelian, Christian, Muslim, Jew or of another
religion is all the same. The same mind-set is involved when belonging to any
one of those groups.
As for the Raelians targeting high-school students who might not be able to
respond in a "mature" way, how about mentioning the fact that
religious indoctrination takes place on babies, who are not even able to walk or
talk or understand language. If a high-school student is considered immature,
then what chance does a child, who will so easily believe in Santa Claus and the
tooth fairy, have?
The Raelians are no better or worse than any other religious group. If you are
going to question their tactics, that is fair. But if you are denigrating their
beliefs, then at least be fair and do it in in comparative way.
Alan Ganem
Laval
© Copyright 2002 Montreal Gazette
Journal
HOUR , 3 OCT. 02 , PAGE 6 ,
JOURNALIST , MARTIN PATRIQUIN
CROSSING THE RAELIANS
Everyone's favourite race car driver turned messianic prophet RAËL has found
yet Another way to enrage the Catholic church , it seems .The Montreal chapter
of the Raëlians , followers of the UFO- obsessed religion, is currently touring
local high schools and CÉGEPS trying to get students to- you guessed it
-publicly abandon their Catholic faith .
" Jesus gave us a message of love and hope , and the catholic Church has
misured that symbol" Raëlian spokesperson NICOLE
BERTRAND says matter -of- factly " They did it to the Protestants during
the Spanish Inquisition , they protected the Nazis and they condemn the
homosexuals ."
Participants in the ceremony are asked to burn a small wooden cross,
handed out on site and given out in press packs to curious journalist (
see above) . P olice already showed up at one session outside ECOLE
SECONDAIRE JEANNE-MANCE , after parents complained of anti- Catholic
behaviour . BERTRAND says she isn't worried about any confusion
people might have with that other symbol of tyranny and intolerance, Namely the
KLUKLU KLAN. As for why the group picked hight school and CÉGEP Students, she
is forthright.
" They were babies when they were baptised , and we think they are old
enough to choose on their own . Whatever you want to face it or not , teenagers
have sexuality."
Following the ceremony , the newly de- baptised will be invited to a " big
protest demonstration against the atrocities committed by several
representatives of Catholic church ". According to the press
release .
A representative of the Catholic Church " according to the press release.
For those interested in the travelling apostasy extravaganza, they'll be at
CEGEP Maisonneuve , 3800 Sherbrooke East , at 7.30 a.m. .bring your cross . Or
don't .
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The Raelian Movement: Vatican to Face Its
Paedophilia Crimes before The United Nations - Monday October 14, 7:02 am ET
GENEVA, Switzerland, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Raelian Movement and its
attorneys have filed an "Urgent Request for Action" with Mr. Miguel
Petit, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography, to further investigate and stop the
countless crimes of not only paedophilia by priests and bishops, but also the
procurement, trafficking, & abuse of children worldwide. The Raelian
"Urgent Appeal" which was lodged at UN Headquarters Geneva on October
1 and is in transit to Mr. Petit in Uruguay was, according to one UN official,
the first complaint filed with the UN about the Vatican's involvement in an
international child sex scandal. The UN official, a representative for Mr.
Petit, said, "There has been a lot of talk about the Vatican, but you are
the first to address the child abuse issue." A copy of the Urgent Request
for action filed with the UN can be viewed at: http://www.rael.org/int/english/freedom/unrequest/UNRequestforUrgentAppeal9-
13ver2.pdf
ADVERTISEMENT
The following is a portion from, "A Request for an Urgent Appeal By
the Raelian Movement In the Matter of: The Holy See (Vatican): Procurement,
Trafficking, & Abuse of Children Worldwide":
"The Vatican has violated international law by covering up their crimes
through reassignment of paedophile priests to different regions and paying
millions of dollars to silence victims, the Vatican is in direct violation of
treaties they have sworn to uphold: 1) the Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC) and 2) the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography -- OPCRC.
"Will the power of the Vatican to influence the world to ignore these
crimes stop at the U.N.? Or will the U.N. be able to turn away from the
thousands of documented facts, including signed treaties by the Vatican?
"Furthermore, the Vatican holds an official observer status at the U.N.,
another "privilege" it enjoys since it does not possess any of the
normal aspects required by every other government. The Vatican claims that its
sovereignty is based upon the Roman Catholic Church's conception of itself as a
sovereign entity on par with secular sovereign states. No other organization is
allowed this status by just claiming sovereignty. The truth, however, is that
its power comes directly from its cultural domination and annihilation of
countless indigenous cultures ... which will also be brought to the U.N.
soon."
