SCIENCE FICTION APOCALYPSE
"The religion of science does not come to destroy the mythologies of old religion; it does not come to destroy but to fulfill"
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"These days, miracles have become comprehensible"
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Just before the start of the new millennium in 2000, people were captivated by the threat of Y2K, which warned of a catastrophic meltdown of the world’s computer systems. Some American Christians expected the event to trigger a complete collapse of society, ushering in an age of suffering and chaos on earth.[1] Fourteen years later, we can look back at the societal panic caused by the (mostly) failed prediction of Y2K and study it as a form of belief. The eschatological implications of the coming millennium that was expressed by some Christians, as well as the secular population, reflects the current dependency and integration of technology in society as well as the widespread perception of its destructive potential.
Imagining the end of the world is hardly a modern phenomenon. The New Testament Book of Revelation, written sometime in the late first century,[2] is categorized within the realm of “apocalyptic literature”.[3] Its influence remains significant today.[4] It, as with other apocalyptic stories, is essentially “a literature of hope, in a time of crisis”.[5] It warns of punishment and worldly annihilation, but promises rebirth in a superhuman utopian paradise to those who remain faithful, though they must first suffer.[6] The corruption of the society as well as the individual is replaced with godly perfection. After roughly two thousand years, the message of Revelation is often reinterpreted to fit the modern experience. This is not only evident within Christian circles, but the themes of Revelation—its world-ending imagery and social critiques—can be found in unlikely places.
Imagining the end of the world is hardly a modern phenomenon. The New Testament Book of Revelation, written sometime in the late first century,[2] is categorized within the realm of “apocalyptic literature”.[3] Its influence remains significant today.[4] It, as with other apocalyptic stories, is essentially “a literature of hope, in a time of crisis”.[5] It warns of punishment and worldly annihilation, but promises rebirth in a superhuman utopian paradise to those who remain faithful, though they must first suffer.[6] The corruption of the society as well as the individual is replaced with godly perfection. After roughly two thousand years, the message of Revelation is often reinterpreted to fit the modern experience. This is not only evident within Christian circles, but the themes of Revelation—its world-ending imagery and social critiques—can be found in unlikely places.
Modern science is widely considered to be the antithesis to traditional religion.[7] Yet, it can serve a similar role, resembling a type of “secular religion” within developed societies in the form of science fiction.[8] For this paper, I define “science fiction” by its thematic components, rather than as a form of literature. Frederick Kreuziger views sci-fi fantasies of as “contemporary ‘books of revelation,’ the modern stories which give hope to a people”.[9] The eschatological doctrines of International Raelian Movement, for example, directly engage with the Book of Revelation, interpreting its prophetic meaning within the context of an extraterrestrial-centered ideology, while at the same time asserting its scientific objectivity.[10] There are other examples of “technological millenarianism”[11] that do not directly reflect on the biblical apocalypse, yet embody the essence of its hopeful message of human redemption. This is seen in so-called “tencho-utopian movements”,[12] of which scientific “futurism” (defined as a concern for “events and trends of the future”)[13] is one example. The apocalyptic factor of these “techno-spiritual”[14] belief systems will be addressed in this paper. There is, however, one important distinction between “the religion of science fiction”[15] and traditional Christian theology, in that the all-powerful, all-knowing, creative function of God is replaced with the deification of science and technology.[16] Scientific knowledge is believed to be immeasurable, the human harnessing of which can bring about perfection or annihilation.
It is said that we are currently living in an “age of technology”,[17] one that is defined by dominant scientific paradigm.[18] Scholars point to the Second World War as the starting point for the new era.[19] Similarly, the Raelians locate the arrival of “the scientific age” at the moment the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.[20] The development and proliferation of nuclear weaponry appears as a defining characteristic of the era. It is also fundamental for an understanding of the current age as a “time of crisis”, which inspires apocalyptic thinking.[21] The concept of a “war to end all wars” can now be fully realized by the world-ending capacity of nuclear weapons,[22] which appear to have the potential to perform biblical descriptions of the Apocalypse,[23] wiping out all life on earth. The eschatological imaginations of both secular and religious ideologies[24] are attributed to the “dangerous world” of the twentieth century[25], and many utilize the nuclear scenario for their conception of the end. The threat of total nuclear annihilation which dramatized the Cold War remains a nightmarish memory in the minds of many.[26] That psychological distress is comparable to what many scholars describe as the alienation felt by the ancient Christians of John’s time, who criticized the diseased, immoral society around them.[27] The similar mindset of the two historically disconnected generations supports compatibility between the themes of the Book of Revelation and present day apocalypse narratives. In today’s age of technology, Revelation and the apocalyptic genre are interpreted from the dominant scientific and technological perspective of modern society.
It is said that we are currently living in an “age of technology”,[17] one that is defined by dominant scientific paradigm.[18] Scholars point to the Second World War as the starting point for the new era.[19] Similarly, the Raelians locate the arrival of “the scientific age” at the moment the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.[20] The development and proliferation of nuclear weaponry appears as a defining characteristic of the era. It is also fundamental for an understanding of the current age as a “time of crisis”, which inspires apocalyptic thinking.[21] The concept of a “war to end all wars” can now be fully realized by the world-ending capacity of nuclear weapons,[22] which appear to have the potential to perform biblical descriptions of the Apocalypse,[23] wiping out all life on earth. The eschatological imaginations of both secular and religious ideologies[24] are attributed to the “dangerous world” of the twentieth century[25], and many utilize the nuclear scenario for their conception of the end. The threat of total nuclear annihilation which dramatized the Cold War remains a nightmarish memory in the minds of many.[26] That psychological distress is comparable to what many scholars describe as the alienation felt by the ancient Christians of John’s time, who criticized the diseased, immoral society around them.[27] The similar mindset of the two historically disconnected generations supports compatibility between the themes of the Book of Revelation and present day apocalypse narratives. In today’s age of technology, Revelation and the apocalyptic genre are interpreted from the dominant scientific and technological perspective of modern society.
Like the simultaneous punishing and rewarding God of the Book of Revelation, technology is not only a force for destruction; it also possesses radically beneficial capabilities. Technological innovations and scientific discoveries have already improved the lives of many. However, at the same time it has failed to live up to its “promise” to “deliver the world from poverty, ignorance, disease, war, famine, plague, and death”.[28] Believers in the positive potential of technology view it as the means to undo its own failures, or as Kreuziger suggests, “the answer to bad science, science fiction argues, is good science”.[29] The modern “techno-utopian movements” described by one author as the hope for “a radically transfigured body and society through science and technology”,[30]are viewed as a “merger between apocalyptic religious thought and scientific research”.[31] These belief systems are apocalyptic in a distinctly “progressive millenarian”[32] sense; their eschatology does not include a violent destruction of the world. Instead, ideologies like “Singulatarianism”,
[are] centered on the idea that the world will soon witness an ‘information singularity’, where the trend-line produced by the exponential growth of information production goes vertical in the near future, and information presumably floods the world, causing ‘a fundamental reordering of both the consciousness of individuals and of the greater society[33]
Included as a major goal of human development through technological advancement is the conquering over death.[34] Immortality is considered possible through the integration of human consciousness with machines. It will not only defeat death, but it will greatly improve individual intelligence and purify society. Ray Kurzweil is the most well known “Singulatarian” alive today. He believes that the merger of biology and technology will usher in an age of peace and perfection, which would include an end to hunger and climate change.[35] He also believes he can resurrect his deceased father by uploading his data collection into an artificial intelligent life form.[36] The “posthuman”[37] imaginations of futurists like Kurzweil, can be attributed to concerns over the limitations of worldly existence and the desire for an abrupt, total transformation of the current environment.[38] This scientific “New Jerusalem” conforms to the traditional apocalyptic model;[39] it critiques the flaws of the current society, and offers a superhuman solution.[40]
[are] centered on the idea that the world will soon witness an ‘information singularity’, where the trend-line produced by the exponential growth of information production goes vertical in the near future, and information presumably floods the world, causing ‘a fundamental reordering of both the consciousness of individuals and of the greater society[33]
Included as a major goal of human development through technological advancement is the conquering over death.[34] Immortality is considered possible through the integration of human consciousness with machines. It will not only defeat death, but it will greatly improve individual intelligence and purify society. Ray Kurzweil is the most well known “Singulatarian” alive today. He believes that the merger of biology and technology will usher in an age of peace and perfection, which would include an end to hunger and climate change.[35] He also believes he can resurrect his deceased father by uploading his data collection into an artificial intelligent life form.[36] The “posthuman”[37] imaginations of futurists like Kurzweil, can be attributed to concerns over the limitations of worldly existence and the desire for an abrupt, total transformation of the current environment.[38] This scientific “New Jerusalem” conforms to the traditional apocalyptic model;[39] it critiques the flaws of the current society, and offers a superhuman solution.[40]
The religious dimensions of science fiction are additionally evidenced in the myth of UFO sightings and alien abductions. Contemporary accounts of extraterrestrial encounters are said to have originated with Kenneth Arnold’s 1947 experience flying over Washington, when he witnessed a number of unexplainable shiny objects “like saucers skipped over water”.[41] Carl Jung, in his 1959 book Flying Saucers, views the emergence of the UFO phenomenon as restoring a psychological deficit related to the instability of the present time, with technology possessing both the positive and negative potential to radically change the future of humanity.[42] Benevolent space aliens, or “extra-terrestrial ‘heavenly’ powers”, [43] more socially and scientifically mature than humans, are hoped for as saviors.[44] For Jung, UFO belief is a reaction to the memory of WWII and the tension of the Cold War.[45] Corresponding to themes of traditional Christian apocalypticism, alien apocalypticism is typified by a persistent theme in which kindhearted spacemen will either “rescue human beings from worldly cataclysm or help humanity transform the world and usher in a new age of peace and enlightenment”.[46]
The classic apocalyptic scene imagined by believers in the existence of a relationship between aliens and humanity is well represented in the theology of the International Raelian Movement. It also has a much more explicit connection to the Book of Revelation and the Christian tradition as a whole. The movement was founded in 1973 by the prophet Claude Vorilhon (now called Rael), after he was contacted by space aliens called “the Elohim”.[47] The Elohim revealed “the Truth” of creation, the Bible, and the key to salvation, and told him to deliver a “final message”[48] to the world, that the “Age of Apocalypse” has come, and humanity must prepare properly for the return of the Elohim to Earth.[49] He considers the movement purely atheistic, in that it rejects the notion of God.[50] Yet, it displays very similar characteristics to the apocalyptic conception of traditional religion. Supposedly, roughly 22,000 years ago, the Elohim came to Earth from their home planet and used advanced cloning technology to create mankind in their image.[51] From then on, the creators have guided humanity through forty prophets, of which Jesus, Mohammad, and Buddha are some; Rael is the last.[52] The “golden age” of humanity’s scientific development has finally been reached, and the time has come for us to be judged;[53]
The “Last Judgement” will enable great individuals to live again. Those people who have acted positively for humanity and who have truly believed in their creators and followed their commandments will be welcomed with great joy by the people of the era when this will happen. On the other hand, all the wicked people will feel shame before their judges and will live in eternal regret, as an example for the rest of humanity […]. The geniuses will be the most highly esteemed and the most highly rewarded. Those just individuals, who allowed the geniuses to blossom, or the truth to triumph, will also be rewarded.[54]
According to this system, one must not only act morally, but he or she must also accept science as the only true source of knowledge. And contemporary society, as a whole, fails to achieve either criterion.[55] With respect to Rael’s understanding of the way that earthly society will come to an end, there are contradicting reports. It appears that there are three possible scenarios: humanity’s misuse of technology will result in its own demise and nuclear weapons will destroy the world and all of its inhabitants, the Elohim will destroy the Earth if it becomes a threat to other planets,[56] or the unlikely scenario that humanity will realize its failures and build an embassy to welcome its creators and be rewarded with “25,000 years of scientific knowledge”.[57] If destruction does occur, immortality for the righteous few is achieved through cloning, which can be done by using DNA samples taken from the worthy “awakened” by a “friendly surveillance spacecraft” above.[58] Rael devotes the entirety of a key chapter of his book, Intellegent Design: Message From the Designers, to his interpretation of the Book of Revelation in light of the knowledge he is given.[59] Conforming to the same model, Rael’s envisioned apocalypse instills hope and fear in its intended audience, adding an appeal to the modern scientific paradigm.
The classic apocalyptic scene imagined by believers in the existence of a relationship between aliens and humanity is well represented in the theology of the International Raelian Movement. It also has a much more explicit connection to the Book of Revelation and the Christian tradition as a whole. The movement was founded in 1973 by the prophet Claude Vorilhon (now called Rael), after he was contacted by space aliens called “the Elohim”.[47] The Elohim revealed “the Truth” of creation, the Bible, and the key to salvation, and told him to deliver a “final message”[48] to the world, that the “Age of Apocalypse” has come, and humanity must prepare properly for the return of the Elohim to Earth.[49] He considers the movement purely atheistic, in that it rejects the notion of God.[50] Yet, it displays very similar characteristics to the apocalyptic conception of traditional religion. Supposedly, roughly 22,000 years ago, the Elohim came to Earth from their home planet and used advanced cloning technology to create mankind in their image.[51] From then on, the creators have guided humanity through forty prophets, of which Jesus, Mohammad, and Buddha are some; Rael is the last.[52] The “golden age” of humanity’s scientific development has finally been reached, and the time has come for us to be judged;[53]
The “Last Judgement” will enable great individuals to live again. Those people who have acted positively for humanity and who have truly believed in their creators and followed their commandments will be welcomed with great joy by the people of the era when this will happen. On the other hand, all the wicked people will feel shame before their judges and will live in eternal regret, as an example for the rest of humanity […]. The geniuses will be the most highly esteemed and the most highly rewarded. Those just individuals, who allowed the geniuses to blossom, or the truth to triumph, will also be rewarded.[54]
According to this system, one must not only act morally, but he or she must also accept science as the only true source of knowledge. And contemporary society, as a whole, fails to achieve either criterion.[55] With respect to Rael’s understanding of the way that earthly society will come to an end, there are contradicting reports. It appears that there are three possible scenarios: humanity’s misuse of technology will result in its own demise and nuclear weapons will destroy the world and all of its inhabitants, the Elohim will destroy the Earth if it becomes a threat to other planets,[56] or the unlikely scenario that humanity will realize its failures and build an embassy to welcome its creators and be rewarded with “25,000 years of scientific knowledge”.[57] If destruction does occur, immortality for the righteous few is achieved through cloning, which can be done by using DNA samples taken from the worthy “awakened” by a “friendly surveillance spacecraft” above.[58] Rael devotes the entirety of a key chapter of his book, Intellegent Design: Message From the Designers, to his interpretation of the Book of Revelation in light of the knowledge he is given.[59] Conforming to the same model, Rael’s envisioned apocalypse instills hope and fear in its intended audience, adding an appeal to the modern scientific paradigm.
If in the future alien life is discovered, many assume it will have a devastating impact on religious institutions and personal faith.[60] However, there are a variety of responses to scientific achievements that do not require a loss of faith in an ordered universe. Some may decide to reject the assumption of science as an objective truth that can explain the mysteries of existence, purify society, and empower the individual. Or they may chose to adapt their faith in God to suit the changing times, as many today have done with the theory of evolution. As well, the ability to merge scientific and religious belief is not out of reach; it is present today within the technological utopian imaginations of the futurists and in the promise of salvation by an all-powerful race of extraterrestrial beings, which inspire hope in the adherents of Rael’s cosmological vision. In our modern world, the relationship between the function of science fiction and the role of religion is not as hostile as it may appear.
Notes:
[1] Mark A. Kellner, “A Secular Apocalypse?: How a computer bug is breeding prophecy, plans and polemics in the church,” Christianity Today: 54-56.
[2] Christopher A. Frilingos, Spectacles of Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and Revelation, 2.
[3] Frederick A. Kreuziger, The Religion of Science Fiction, 5.
[4] Craig R. Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, 19.
[5] Kreuziger, 6.
[6] Koester, 195.
[7] Pia Andersson, “Ancient Alien Brothers, Ancient Terrestrial Remains: Archeology or Religion?” in Alien Worlds, 265. Also, Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion
[8] Andersson, 265.
[9] Kreuziger, 9.
[10] Susan J. Palmer and Bryan Sentes, “The International Raelian Movement,” in The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements, 171.
[11] Mervyn F. Bendle, “Teleportation, Cyborgs and the Posthuman Ideology,” Social Semiotics: 51.
[12] James J. Hughes, “The Politics of Transhumanism and the Techno-millennial Imagination, 1626-2030,” Zygon: 757.
[13] “Definition of futurism,” Oxford Dictionaries, accessed March 17, 2014, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/futurism
[14] Debora Battaglia, “’For Those Not Afraid of the Future’: Raelian Clonehood in the Public Sphere,” in E.T. Culture: Anthropology in Outerspaces, 149.
[15] Kreuziger, Title.
[16] Bendle, 46.
[17] Umberto Galimberti, “Man in the Age of Technology,” The Journal of Analytical Psychology: 12.
[18] Bendle, 45.
[19] Galimberti, 12.
[20] Rael, Intellegent Design: Message from the Designers, 80.
[21] Kreuziger, 6 -11.
[22] Ira Chernus, Dr. Strangegod: On the Symbolic Meaning of Nuclear Weapons, 99.
[23] David Dowling, Fictions of Nuclear Disaster, 115.
[24] Hughes, 762.
[25] Robert M. Geraci, “Apocalyptic AI: Religion and the Promise of Artificial Intellegence,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion: 146.
[26] Galimberti, 12.
[27] Geraci, 142-143.
[28] Kreuziger, 6.
[29] Kreuziger, 6.
[30] Hughes, 757 & 759.
[31] Geraci, 138.
[32] Daniel Wojcik, “Apocalyptic and Millenarian Aspects of American UFOism,” in UFO Religions, 290.
[33] Bendle, 51.
[34] Geraci, 147.
[35] Hughes, 764.
[36] Transcendent Man, directed by Robert Barry Ptolemy (2009: Ptolemaic Productions), Internet streaming.
[37] “Posthumanism” (also “transhumanism”) is an essential framework from which futurists predict the establishment of a modern “New Jerusalem”. Posthumanism is considered to embrace “all scientific and technological means to move beyond the present stage of human development”, to no longer be merely “human” (Brendle, 48). The evolution of humanity towards scientific perfection is envisioned as the mastering of ideas, which “had previously only been discussed in science fiction, such as genetic engineering, artificial reproductive technologies, and brain-machine interfaces” (Hughes, 762).
[38] Geraci, 147.
[39] Bendle 51.
[40] Kreuziger, 6.
[41] Brenda Denzler, The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs, 4.
[42] Carl G. Jung, Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies, 14.
[43] Jung, 14.
[44] Jung, 6.
[45] Wojcik, 285.
[46] Wojcik, 274.
[47] Wojcik, 283.
[48] Rael, xiii.
[49] Wojcik, 283.
[50] Rael, 173.
[51] Rael, 81.
[52] Wojcik, 283.
[53] Rael, 80-81.
[54] Rael, 54.
[55] Rael, 86.
[56] Rael, 106.
[57] Rael, 90.
[58] Battaglia, 150.
[59] Rael, 291-307.
[60] Denzler, xv.
Notes:
[1] Mark A. Kellner, “A Secular Apocalypse?: How a computer bug is breeding prophecy, plans and polemics in the church,” Christianity Today: 54-56.
[2] Christopher A. Frilingos, Spectacles of Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and Revelation, 2.
[3] Frederick A. Kreuziger, The Religion of Science Fiction, 5.
[4] Craig R. Koester, Revelation and the End of All Things, 19.
[5] Kreuziger, 6.
[6] Koester, 195.
[7] Pia Andersson, “Ancient Alien Brothers, Ancient Terrestrial Remains: Archeology or Religion?” in Alien Worlds, 265. Also, Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion
[8] Andersson, 265.
[9] Kreuziger, 9.
[10] Susan J. Palmer and Bryan Sentes, “The International Raelian Movement,” in The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements, 171.
[11] Mervyn F. Bendle, “Teleportation, Cyborgs and the Posthuman Ideology,” Social Semiotics: 51.
[12] James J. Hughes, “The Politics of Transhumanism and the Techno-millennial Imagination, 1626-2030,” Zygon: 757.
[13] “Definition of futurism,” Oxford Dictionaries, accessed March 17, 2014, http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/futurism
[14] Debora Battaglia, “’For Those Not Afraid of the Future’: Raelian Clonehood in the Public Sphere,” in E.T. Culture: Anthropology in Outerspaces, 149.
[15] Kreuziger, Title.
[16] Bendle, 46.
[17] Umberto Galimberti, “Man in the Age of Technology,” The Journal of Analytical Psychology: 12.
[18] Bendle, 45.
[19] Galimberti, 12.
[20] Rael, Intellegent Design: Message from the Designers, 80.
[21] Kreuziger, 6 -11.
[22] Ira Chernus, Dr. Strangegod: On the Symbolic Meaning of Nuclear Weapons, 99.
[23] David Dowling, Fictions of Nuclear Disaster, 115.
[24] Hughes, 762.
[25] Robert M. Geraci, “Apocalyptic AI: Religion and the Promise of Artificial Intellegence,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion: 146.
[26] Galimberti, 12.
[27] Geraci, 142-143.
[28] Kreuziger, 6.
[29] Kreuziger, 6.
[30] Hughes, 757 & 759.
[31] Geraci, 138.
[32] Daniel Wojcik, “Apocalyptic and Millenarian Aspects of American UFOism,” in UFO Religions, 290.
[33] Bendle, 51.
[34] Geraci, 147.
[35] Hughes, 764.
[36] Transcendent Man, directed by Robert Barry Ptolemy (2009: Ptolemaic Productions), Internet streaming.
[37] “Posthumanism” (also “transhumanism”) is an essential framework from which futurists predict the establishment of a modern “New Jerusalem”. Posthumanism is considered to embrace “all scientific and technological means to move beyond the present stage of human development”, to no longer be merely “human” (Brendle, 48). The evolution of humanity towards scientific perfection is envisioned as the mastering of ideas, which “had previously only been discussed in science fiction, such as genetic engineering, artificial reproductive technologies, and brain-machine interfaces” (Hughes, 762).
[38] Geraci, 147.
[39] Bendle 51.
[40] Kreuziger, 6.
[41] Brenda Denzler, The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs, 4.
[42] Carl G. Jung, Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies, 14.
[43] Jung, 14.
[44] Jung, 6.
[45] Wojcik, 285.
[46] Wojcik, 274.
[47] Wojcik, 283.
[48] Rael, xiii.
[49] Wojcik, 283.
[50] Rael, 173.
[51] Rael, 81.
[52] Wojcik, 283.
[53] Rael, 80-81.
[54] Rael, 54.
[55] Rael, 86.
[56] Rael, 106.
[57] Rael, 90.
[58] Battaglia, 150.
[59] Rael, 291-307.
[60] Denzler, xv.
RAEL: "Are nuclear weapons a danger for humanity?"
THE ELOHIM: "Yes, a great danger. But if humanity does not become wise and peaceful, the existence of your nuclear weapons will mean that if the need arises, we will not have much to do in brining about the destruction of your civilization. Perhaps you might even destroy yourselves"
THE ELOHIM: "Yes, a great danger. But if humanity does not become wise and peaceful, the existence of your nuclear weapons will mean that if the need arises, we will not have much to do in brining about the destruction of your civilization. Perhaps you might even destroy yourselves"
Annotated Bibliography:
Andersson, Pia. “Ancient Alien Brothers, Ancient Terrestrial Remains: Archeology or Religion?” In Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact, 264-274. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2007.
This chapter first focused on the relationship between science and religion as examples of social constructs. The function of both as systems of belief and sources of conviction was enlightening and helpful in understanding the similarities between the two institutions. She then introduces “Ancient Astronaut Theory” which I wish I could have gone into in my paper. She claims that Rael’s unique belief in intelligent design differs from tradition forms of creationism in that God is not involved; instead it is the ancient alien visitors who create humanity. The author talks about the marketing appeal of the science-based label, utilized by the Raelians, granting them more authority to influence potential converts.
Battaglia, Debora. “’For Those Not Afraid of the Future’: Raelian Clonehood in the Public Sphere.” In E.T. Culture: Anthropology in Outerspaces, edited by Debora Battaglia, 149-179. Durham: Duke UP, 2005.
This article focused mainly on the Raelian political movement to legalize and develop cloning as a way to usher in the return of the Elohim. She describes how the Raelian elect are chosen and why. She also touched on modern event that signal the end times for the Raelians, adding to the urgency of the need to evangelize the world to give up traditional religion and turn to science. “Transhumanism”, again I wish I could have included this, is considered the theoretical root of science fiction inspired visions of the perfect human. Cyborgs, cloning, and biological robots are considered the future of humanity and should be embraced (according to Rael).
Bendle, Mervyn F. “Teleportation, Cyborgs and the Posthuman Ideology.” Social Semiotics 12 (2002): 45-62.
This article was helpful in defining aspects of scientific futurism which focus on the perfection of mankind through technological invention and the “posthuman” imagination of the future of society. It follows Kurzweil’s thinking in suggesting that a global, interconnected super computer that will unite and purify society, is the logical and ideal solution to human flaws. Similarly, it considers teleportation as a posthuman dream, converting a person into data and releasing them from the binds of the body. This was very helpful in understanding the utopian vision of believers in the potential of science to change the world for the better.
Chernus, Ira. Dr. Strangegod: On the Symbolic Meaning of Nuclear Weapons. University of Southern California Press, 1986.
This was an interesting book. I did not get to look at it very thoroughly, but it did include a discussion of the relationship between nuclear weapons and the concept of a final war, which echoes Revelation’s portrayal of a cosmic battle between two opposing sides. It also sees nuclear apocalypse as a feature of science fiction mythology.
Denzler, Brenda. The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.
Denzler’s book provided me with historical context of the UFO phenomenon over the past 70 (and even farther) years of (primarily American) society. It also connected the emergence of reported alien encounters with the anxiety of the Cold War. It was useful for the last section of the paper which questioned the implications of a scientific discovery of extraterrestrial life on traditional religious institutions. For some Christians (Hal Lindsey is one) UFOs are considered demonic and serve as warnings of the approaching apocalypse (wish I could have added that too).
Dowling, David. Fictions of Nuclear Disaster. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1987.
This book is a collection of examples of nuclear apocalypticism from literary and cinematic works. The specific examples did not interest me, but Downling’s discussions at the start of each section were helpful in understanding the function of imagining nuclear catastrophes and the relevant correlation between its presence and modern technological society. He also discusses the dual nature of technology: as a force for both good and bad. Which reminds me of the dual nature of God who destroys and creates. At times he connects nuclear and biblical apocalypticism and notes the similarities between the two types of narratives.
Frillingos, Christopher A. Spectacles of Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and Revelation. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.
I really only cited this book for the historical context it provided. But, it was in the back of my mind while writing the paper and considering the “production of knowledge” of today’s society which is dominated by the scientific paradigm and marginalizes other sources of understanding the world.
Galimberti, Umberto. “Man in the Age of Technology.” The Journal of Analytical Psychology 54 (2009): 3-17.
I only used a small part of this article to connect the beginning of the “technological age” with the Second World War. But it was a very dense section and helped me understand how the dominance of scientific systems of belief can emerge out of wars, in which each side relies on a technological “leg up” over their opponents. Technology develops quickly when it is urgently needed.
Geraci, Robert M. “Apocalyptic AI: Religion and the Promise of Artificial Intellegence.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 76 (2008): 138-166.
This article was really interesting. I wish that I could have talked more about artificial intelligence. In a more general, theoretical sense, this article provided a nice argument for the connection between the imagined potential of scientific research and religious apocalypticism. It emphasized the attainment of immortality as an important aspiration for scientific futurists. It also gave a nice overview of traditional Christian apocalyptic theology, which really helped the argument flow smoothly by explaining all of the factors involved, something that I should have done more of.
Hughes, James J. “The Politics of Transhumanism and the Techno-millennial Imagination, 1626-2030.” Zygon 47 (4) (2012): 757-776.
This article similarly touched on the idea of “techno-utopianism”. It gave a nice analysis of the concept throughout modern history and provided a good synopsis of the “Sigularian” ideology and Ray Kurzweil’s worldview. It connected these ideas with millenarian doomsday beliefs, focusing on the centrality of the desire for “human enhancement” through advanced technologies available in the future.
Jung, Carl G. Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies. Translated by R. F. C. Hull. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959.
Carl Jung is a total mystery, but I tried to decode its message (with the help of Wojcik) because I really wanted to use this book in the paper. His discussion of alien beings as modern angels was particularly enlightening. He described the psychological draw to think of superhuman (super-intelligent) entities as divine, and to reconsider the image of God and the heavens in light of modern circumstances. For a general description of the modern UFO phenomenon, I found Jung’s book to be wonderfully ageless.
Kellner, Mark A. “A Secular Apocalypse?: How a computer bug is breeding prophecy, plans and polemics in the church.” Christianity Today 43 (1) (1999).
I used this source for the introduction to my paper. I felt like the Y2K panic was touched all types of people, not only religious fundamentalists, but the secular population as well. It made for a nice introduction to the concept of scientific worldview presenting characteristics that are normally seen in traditional religion. It helped me understand that a lot of people are susceptible to the power of apocalyptic imagination, not only the ones that are stereotyped to be.
Koester, Craig R. Revelation and the End of All Things. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001.
Again, this was only briefly used in the paper, but greatly influenced the way that I approached the topic. I used Koester’s persistent assertion that the Book of Revelation can be thought of as a message of both warning and promise, depending on the audience, as the core focus of my analysis of science fiction apocalypses. It was helpful to think of it in this general sense, rather than as a prediction of future events, because then it could be more easily applied to science fiction stories, instead of connecting one-to-one each character of the story with some figure in Raelian end-times theology.
Kreuziger, Frederick A. The Religion of Science Fiction. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1986.
This book was really spot-on what I was looking for. It not only argued for the consideration of science fiction as a type of religious belief, but devoted the majority of its pages to a discussion of the apocalyptic aspects of science fiction belief. It considered “secular religion” as expressing similar qualities and serving the same function as traditional religion. It also helped in arguing for the “age of technology” as a “time of crisis” by carefully describing the trends within apocalyptic literature.
Oxford Dictionaries. “Definition of futurism.” Accessed March 17, 2014. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/futurism.
I only used this to define “futurism”. I wasn’t sure how widely understood the term is.
Palmer, Susan J., and Bryan Sentes. “The International Raelian Movement.” In The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements, edited by Olav Hammer and Mikael Rothstein, 167-183. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2012.
This source was great for explaining certain aspects of Rael’s cosmology that were difficult to discern from his massive, cryptic book alone. Key notions including the description of the “Age of Apocalypse” and its relationship to modern technology, namely nuclear technology, were instrumental in understanding the relationship between Raelian apocalypticism and broader science fiction apocalypses. It also talked in detail about the Elohim embassy (connected to the establishment of the “Third Temple”) and its importance to the Raelian apocalyptic narrative. It also looked at Rael’s “atheistic” claims.
Rael. Intellegent Design: Message from the Designers. Nova Distribution, 2005.
I used this book as the one primary source for the paper. It was very comprehensive, but also a little confusing and possibly contradictory at times. Rael’s account of his revelatory encounter with the Elohim was particularly useful in that it directly referenced biblical passages and reinterpreted them with modern scientific and technological knowledge in mind. I wish that I could have given specific examples of his unique interpretation of Revelation, for instance, because it is very unusual.
Transcendent Man. Directed by Robert Barry Ptolemy. 2009. Ptolemaic Productions, 2009. Internet streaming.
I watched this documentary on the life and beliefs of Ray Kurzweil a couple of time about two years ago. The part that still sticks with me is Kurzweil’s belief that he will bring his father back from the dead. It had me wondering what the essence of a consciousness formed by data would appear like and what made Kurzweil so obsessed with finding the key to immortality and resurrection.
Wojcik, Daniel. “Apocalyptic and Millenarian Aspects of American UFOism.” In UFO Religions, edited by Christopher Partridge, 274-300. London: Routledge, 2003.
This chapter provides a really good overview of UFO or alien apocalypticism as a whole and its defining characteristics, which encompass many different faiths. He includes a discussion of the atomic bomb in UFO apocalyptic literature and its relationship to major contemporary concerns. He explains the common juxtaposition of a catastrophic event (in this case environmental, nuclear, or extraterrestrial) with the utopia which will come after, given to humanity by its benevolent alien guardians. It goes over many different examples of groups which follow the general format of UFO apocalypticism (which there are many) and goes into depth with the subject of Raelianism.
Andersson, Pia. “Ancient Alien Brothers, Ancient Terrestrial Remains: Archeology or Religion?” In Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact, 264-274. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2007.
This chapter first focused on the relationship between science and religion as examples of social constructs. The function of both as systems of belief and sources of conviction was enlightening and helpful in understanding the similarities between the two institutions. She then introduces “Ancient Astronaut Theory” which I wish I could have gone into in my paper. She claims that Rael’s unique belief in intelligent design differs from tradition forms of creationism in that God is not involved; instead it is the ancient alien visitors who create humanity. The author talks about the marketing appeal of the science-based label, utilized by the Raelians, granting them more authority to influence potential converts.
Battaglia, Debora. “’For Those Not Afraid of the Future’: Raelian Clonehood in the Public Sphere.” In E.T. Culture: Anthropology in Outerspaces, edited by Debora Battaglia, 149-179. Durham: Duke UP, 2005.
This article focused mainly on the Raelian political movement to legalize and develop cloning as a way to usher in the return of the Elohim. She describes how the Raelian elect are chosen and why. She also touched on modern event that signal the end times for the Raelians, adding to the urgency of the need to evangelize the world to give up traditional religion and turn to science. “Transhumanism”, again I wish I could have included this, is considered the theoretical root of science fiction inspired visions of the perfect human. Cyborgs, cloning, and biological robots are considered the future of humanity and should be embraced (according to Rael).
Bendle, Mervyn F. “Teleportation, Cyborgs and the Posthuman Ideology.” Social Semiotics 12 (2002): 45-62.
This article was helpful in defining aspects of scientific futurism which focus on the perfection of mankind through technological invention and the “posthuman” imagination of the future of society. It follows Kurzweil’s thinking in suggesting that a global, interconnected super computer that will unite and purify society, is the logical and ideal solution to human flaws. Similarly, it considers teleportation as a posthuman dream, converting a person into data and releasing them from the binds of the body. This was very helpful in understanding the utopian vision of believers in the potential of science to change the world for the better.
Chernus, Ira. Dr. Strangegod: On the Symbolic Meaning of Nuclear Weapons. University of Southern California Press, 1986.
This was an interesting book. I did not get to look at it very thoroughly, but it did include a discussion of the relationship between nuclear weapons and the concept of a final war, which echoes Revelation’s portrayal of a cosmic battle between two opposing sides. It also sees nuclear apocalypse as a feature of science fiction mythology.
Denzler, Brenda. The Lure of the Edge: Scientific Passions, Religious Beliefs, and the Pursuit of UFOs. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.
Denzler’s book provided me with historical context of the UFO phenomenon over the past 70 (and even farther) years of (primarily American) society. It also connected the emergence of reported alien encounters with the anxiety of the Cold War. It was useful for the last section of the paper which questioned the implications of a scientific discovery of extraterrestrial life on traditional religious institutions. For some Christians (Hal Lindsey is one) UFOs are considered demonic and serve as warnings of the approaching apocalypse (wish I could have added that too).
Dowling, David. Fictions of Nuclear Disaster. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1987.
This book is a collection of examples of nuclear apocalypticism from literary and cinematic works. The specific examples did not interest me, but Downling’s discussions at the start of each section were helpful in understanding the function of imagining nuclear catastrophes and the relevant correlation between its presence and modern technological society. He also discusses the dual nature of technology: as a force for both good and bad. Which reminds me of the dual nature of God who destroys and creates. At times he connects nuclear and biblical apocalypticism and notes the similarities between the two types of narratives.
Frillingos, Christopher A. Spectacles of Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and Revelation. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.
I really only cited this book for the historical context it provided. But, it was in the back of my mind while writing the paper and considering the “production of knowledge” of today’s society which is dominated by the scientific paradigm and marginalizes other sources of understanding the world.
Galimberti, Umberto. “Man in the Age of Technology.” The Journal of Analytical Psychology 54 (2009): 3-17.
I only used a small part of this article to connect the beginning of the “technological age” with the Second World War. But it was a very dense section and helped me understand how the dominance of scientific systems of belief can emerge out of wars, in which each side relies on a technological “leg up” over their opponents. Technology develops quickly when it is urgently needed.
Geraci, Robert M. “Apocalyptic AI: Religion and the Promise of Artificial Intellegence.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 76 (2008): 138-166.
This article was really interesting. I wish that I could have talked more about artificial intelligence. In a more general, theoretical sense, this article provided a nice argument for the connection between the imagined potential of scientific research and religious apocalypticism. It emphasized the attainment of immortality as an important aspiration for scientific futurists. It also gave a nice overview of traditional Christian apocalyptic theology, which really helped the argument flow smoothly by explaining all of the factors involved, something that I should have done more of.
Hughes, James J. “The Politics of Transhumanism and the Techno-millennial Imagination, 1626-2030.” Zygon 47 (4) (2012): 757-776.
This article similarly touched on the idea of “techno-utopianism”. It gave a nice analysis of the concept throughout modern history and provided a good synopsis of the “Sigularian” ideology and Ray Kurzweil’s worldview. It connected these ideas with millenarian doomsday beliefs, focusing on the centrality of the desire for “human enhancement” through advanced technologies available in the future.
Jung, Carl G. Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies. Translated by R. F. C. Hull. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959.
Carl Jung is a total mystery, but I tried to decode its message (with the help of Wojcik) because I really wanted to use this book in the paper. His discussion of alien beings as modern angels was particularly enlightening. He described the psychological draw to think of superhuman (super-intelligent) entities as divine, and to reconsider the image of God and the heavens in light of modern circumstances. For a general description of the modern UFO phenomenon, I found Jung’s book to be wonderfully ageless.
Kellner, Mark A. “A Secular Apocalypse?: How a computer bug is breeding prophecy, plans and polemics in the church.” Christianity Today 43 (1) (1999).
I used this source for the introduction to my paper. I felt like the Y2K panic was touched all types of people, not only religious fundamentalists, but the secular population as well. It made for a nice introduction to the concept of scientific worldview presenting characteristics that are normally seen in traditional religion. It helped me understand that a lot of people are susceptible to the power of apocalyptic imagination, not only the ones that are stereotyped to be.
Koester, Craig R. Revelation and the End of All Things. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001.
Again, this was only briefly used in the paper, but greatly influenced the way that I approached the topic. I used Koester’s persistent assertion that the Book of Revelation can be thought of as a message of both warning and promise, depending on the audience, as the core focus of my analysis of science fiction apocalypses. It was helpful to think of it in this general sense, rather than as a prediction of future events, because then it could be more easily applied to science fiction stories, instead of connecting one-to-one each character of the story with some figure in Raelian end-times theology.
Kreuziger, Frederick A. The Religion of Science Fiction. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1986.
This book was really spot-on what I was looking for. It not only argued for the consideration of science fiction as a type of religious belief, but devoted the majority of its pages to a discussion of the apocalyptic aspects of science fiction belief. It considered “secular religion” as expressing similar qualities and serving the same function as traditional religion. It also helped in arguing for the “age of technology” as a “time of crisis” by carefully describing the trends within apocalyptic literature.
Oxford Dictionaries. “Definition of futurism.” Accessed March 17, 2014. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/futurism.
I only used this to define “futurism”. I wasn’t sure how widely understood the term is.
Palmer, Susan J., and Bryan Sentes. “The International Raelian Movement.” In The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements, edited by Olav Hammer and Mikael Rothstein, 167-183. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2012.
This source was great for explaining certain aspects of Rael’s cosmology that were difficult to discern from his massive, cryptic book alone. Key notions including the description of the “Age of Apocalypse” and its relationship to modern technology, namely nuclear technology, were instrumental in understanding the relationship between Raelian apocalypticism and broader science fiction apocalypses. It also talked in detail about the Elohim embassy (connected to the establishment of the “Third Temple”) and its importance to the Raelian apocalyptic narrative. It also looked at Rael’s “atheistic” claims.
Rael. Intellegent Design: Message from the Designers. Nova Distribution, 2005.
I used this book as the one primary source for the paper. It was very comprehensive, but also a little confusing and possibly contradictory at times. Rael’s account of his revelatory encounter with the Elohim was particularly useful in that it directly referenced biblical passages and reinterpreted them with modern scientific and technological knowledge in mind. I wish that I could have given specific examples of his unique interpretation of Revelation, for instance, because it is very unusual.
Transcendent Man. Directed by Robert Barry Ptolemy. 2009. Ptolemaic Productions, 2009. Internet streaming.
I watched this documentary on the life and beliefs of Ray Kurzweil a couple of time about two years ago. The part that still sticks with me is Kurzweil’s belief that he will bring his father back from the dead. It had me wondering what the essence of a consciousness formed by data would appear like and what made Kurzweil so obsessed with finding the key to immortality and resurrection.
Wojcik, Daniel. “Apocalyptic and Millenarian Aspects of American UFOism.” In UFO Religions, edited by Christopher Partridge, 274-300. London: Routledge, 2003.
This chapter provides a really good overview of UFO or alien apocalypticism as a whole and its defining characteristics, which encompass many different faiths. He includes a discussion of the atomic bomb in UFO apocalyptic literature and its relationship to major contemporary concerns. He explains the common juxtaposition of a catastrophic event (in this case environmental, nuclear, or extraterrestrial) with the utopia which will come after, given to humanity by its benevolent alien guardians. It goes over many different examples of groups which follow the general format of UFO apocalypticism (which there are many) and goes into depth with the subject of Raelianism.
Appendix: Passages from Rael's Intellegence Design
Abductee = Prophet
Claude Vorilhon (Later Rael): "You are the last of the prophets before Judgement; you are the prophet of the religion of the religions, the demystifier and the shepard of shepards. You are the one whose coming was announced in all the religions by the ancient prophets, our representatives"
"The Elohim" as God
"Elohim, translated without justification in some Bibles by the word God means in Hebrew 'those who came from the sky', and furthermore the word is a plural. It means that the scientists from our world searched for a planet that was suitable to carry out their projects. They 'created', or in reality discovered the Earth, and realized it contained all the necessary elements for the creation of artificial life"
Christ is Elohim Prophet
"'[His] role was to spread the truth of the biblical scriptures throughout the world, so that they could serve as proof for all of humanity when the age of science would finally explain everything. The creators therefore decided to arrange for a child to be born of a woman of the Earth and one of their own people. The child in question would thereby inherit certain telepathic faculties, which humans lack"
Satan
"But one of these Elohim, called Satan, was part of a group, which has always condemned the creation of other intelligent beings on a planet as close as the Earth, seeing them as a possible threat"
Reinterpreting John's Revelation
"John saw seven flying machines made of golden metal, 'seven golden lampstands', in the middle of which stood a little being, 'one like the Son of Man', dressed in a flying suit which was molded to his body, even his feet, and he is wearing a large belt. His skin and his hair are white; his helmet is equipped with two small projectors which John mistook for his eyes"
The Destruction of the World
"The final test of Humanity, that is, the choice between self-destruction or the passage into the Golden Age, is the last opportunity for Satan to prove that he was right in saying that humanity was bad". 666th generation of human beings are those who live during the "Age of Apocalypse" which began at the "first use of nuclear energy for destructive purposes at Hiroshima". The destruction of Earth during the time of Noah was due to the Elohim dropping atomic bombs and explains the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Elohim warn: "if humanity cannot calm its aggressiveness, if peace does not become your only goal, and you allow people to promote war, produce arms, test nuclear weapons, and maintain armies just to seize or retain power, then we will stop such people from becoming a danger to us, and there would be another Sodom and Gomorrah".
Immortality
"'Our body lives on average, ten times longer than yours,' he replied. 'Like the first people of the Bible, that is between 750 and 1,200 years. But our mind, our true self, can be truly immortal. I have already explained to you that, starting with any cell of the body, we can re-create the whole person with new living matter. When we are in full possession of our faculties and our brain is at maximum level of efficiency and knowledge, we surgically remove a tiny sample of the body, which we then preserve. Then, we really die, we take a cell from this preserved sample and re-create the body in full, just as it had been at the time the sample was taken"
A Spacecraft brings the New Jerusalem, Heaven as the Elohim planet
"Looking from the spacecraft, the primitive has the feeling that the city towards which the spacecraft is going, is 'coming down out of the Heaven", while it is evidently the spacecraft that is approaching. [...] The description of the planet of the Eternals, where all the people that we will save from the final cataclysm will live with us while wait to be re-implanted on Earth when it will be habitable again, in order to re-create a peaceful civilization. This is the outcome with which Humanity is faced, if it does not reach a level of wisdom as high as its level of technology"
Claude Vorilhon (Later Rael): "You are the last of the prophets before Judgement; you are the prophet of the religion of the religions, the demystifier and the shepard of shepards. You are the one whose coming was announced in all the religions by the ancient prophets, our representatives"
"The Elohim" as God
"Elohim, translated without justification in some Bibles by the word God means in Hebrew 'those who came from the sky', and furthermore the word is a plural. It means that the scientists from our world searched for a planet that was suitable to carry out their projects. They 'created', or in reality discovered the Earth, and realized it contained all the necessary elements for the creation of artificial life"
Christ is Elohim Prophet
"'[His] role was to spread the truth of the biblical scriptures throughout the world, so that they could serve as proof for all of humanity when the age of science would finally explain everything. The creators therefore decided to arrange for a child to be born of a woman of the Earth and one of their own people. The child in question would thereby inherit certain telepathic faculties, which humans lack"
Satan
"But one of these Elohim, called Satan, was part of a group, which has always condemned the creation of other intelligent beings on a planet as close as the Earth, seeing them as a possible threat"
Reinterpreting John's Revelation
"John saw seven flying machines made of golden metal, 'seven golden lampstands', in the middle of which stood a little being, 'one like the Son of Man', dressed in a flying suit which was molded to his body, even his feet, and he is wearing a large belt. His skin and his hair are white; his helmet is equipped with two small projectors which John mistook for his eyes"
The Destruction of the World
"The final test of Humanity, that is, the choice between self-destruction or the passage into the Golden Age, is the last opportunity for Satan to prove that he was right in saying that humanity was bad". 666th generation of human beings are those who live during the "Age of Apocalypse" which began at the "first use of nuclear energy for destructive purposes at Hiroshima". The destruction of Earth during the time of Noah was due to the Elohim dropping atomic bombs and explains the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Elohim warn: "if humanity cannot calm its aggressiveness, if peace does not become your only goal, and you allow people to promote war, produce arms, test nuclear weapons, and maintain armies just to seize or retain power, then we will stop such people from becoming a danger to us, and there would be another Sodom and Gomorrah".
Immortality
"'Our body lives on average, ten times longer than yours,' he replied. 'Like the first people of the Bible, that is between 750 and 1,200 years. But our mind, our true self, can be truly immortal. I have already explained to you that, starting with any cell of the body, we can re-create the whole person with new living matter. When we are in full possession of our faculties and our brain is at maximum level of efficiency and knowledge, we surgically remove a tiny sample of the body, which we then preserve. Then, we really die, we take a cell from this preserved sample and re-create the body in full, just as it had been at the time the sample was taken"
A Spacecraft brings the New Jerusalem, Heaven as the Elohim planet
"Looking from the spacecraft, the primitive has the feeling that the city towards which the spacecraft is going, is 'coming down out of the Heaven", while it is evidently the spacecraft that is approaching. [...] The description of the planet of the Eternals, where all the people that we will save from the final cataclysm will live with us while wait to be re-implanted on Earth when it will be habitable again, in order to re-create a peaceful civilization. This is the outcome with which Humanity is faced, if it does not reach a level of wisdom as high as its level of technology"
- Brynn Grossman