Wednesday, September 30, 2009

WEIRD WEDNESDAY

I found myself heading in this direction after noting that today, 30 September, is the birthday of one Claude Vorhilon aka "Rael", founder of a UFO religion known as "Raelism". (I'll feature other Weird Wednesday subjects from time to time - there are a lot of 'em about!)

Vorhilon holds that he "had an alien visitation" in December 13, 1973. "According to Vorilhon, in a secluded area within a French volcanic crater, an extraterrestrial being came out of a craft which had descended gently from the sky, and told him, in French, that he had come for the sole purpose of meeting with him. Vorilhon claims he was given a message by this alien and told that it was his mission to pass this message on to the people of Earth." (Wikipedia)

Yeah, yeah yeah, I thought, I bet he's made lots of money out of it all. It's not a case of "cherchez la femme" in these instances, it's more "cherchez le motif" (hope that's correct French!) His foundation of a cultish religion has led to all kinds of shenanigans, including some supposed human cloning.
See Sydney morning Herald, 2002.

The debate over the morals of cloning humans has degenerated into farce with the claim by a religious sect that it has a cloned a baby ready to, as it were, go. While religious leaders, scientists and ethicists have argued, the Raelians say they have duplicated a human as part of their quest for "perpetual orgasms through cloning".

Jest or genuine? The truth of the matter eludes all. But it is clear the Raelians have turned cloning into a situation comedy.

The man behind such a peripatetic quest had something of a wandering career before finding his true calling as a prophet of free love, cloning and the return of aliens to Earth. Nearly three decades ago, Claude Vorilhon, a sportswriter and race car driver, stood at the top of a volcano and began a movement that now lies behind what is either a stunning scientific breakthrough or a staggering hoax.

Vorilhon, a Frenchman who calls himself Rael, claims to have held six meetings with space travellers at the volcano, after which he founded a religion based on the belief that aliens created humankind through cloning 25,000 years ago. Now, a research company with close ties to his sect, called the Raelians, says it has followed suit: cloning a baby girl called Eve from cells provided by a 31-year-old woman. Clonaid, the company, offered no proof of its success when it announced on Friday what it claims is the first human cloning. But it said independent tests backing its claims would be finished in about a week.

Let's have a quick look at this man's natal chart. Born 30 September 1946 in Ambert, France, at 5am (Astrodatabank).



First thing I notice is that it's a rather unbalanced chart - so many planets clustered together with lots of empty space elsewhere. Other than two outer, generational planets there's only Saturn outside of that Libra/Scorpio cluster which overflows very slightly into Sagittarius. This is not to say that there's anything inherently wrong in a blend of Libra-Scorpio, but I find it significant that Mons. Vorhilon has no planets in Earth signs - saving grace may be Virgo rising, but it has a lot to talk down to common-sense Earth level, Airy Libra and Watery Scorpio seriously outweigh it.

Sun is conjunct imaginative Neptune, with Mercury close enough on the other side to be conjoined also. I think there's little doubt that this man's imagination and creativity leads him, and rather than drawing him into art or music, it has led him to spread his imaginings to others, forming a cult-like following. Saturn, the planet of organisation and business is in outgoing Leo, sign of showmen. No doubt this has assisted him in combining showmanship with business throughout this and his previous careers (motor racing, pop musician). The time of birth given by Astrodatabank puts Uranus, the planet most associated with UFOs in communicative Gemini and right at midheaven, the career and public status area of the chart; not only that, but trining natal Mercury, planet of communication as well.

This all seems highly appropriate, given his story.


6 comments:

R J Adams said...

Oh, God, these morons declaring they're on a "mission" make me nauseous. I vaguely remember this idiot pretending he was contacted by aliens. What was he on, I wonder. They're usually 'on' something at the time. And why do they all have long hair and bushy beards? Although, if that's a later image of him at the end of the post, it looks as though he's sheared a load from his head and stuck it on his chin.
I grow weary of the human race, Twilight.

Candela said...

Interestingly, I'm a 7'59 Libra with Virgo rising. My chart shares several elements with this one. I'm interested in ufology. But if I had to describe my approach to it, or life in general, it's analythical, more than anything. Must be the Mercury in Virgo - that usually "grounds" Libra's airy thoughts quite nicely - and Moon in Capricorn - somehow I think people with Moon Capricorn are unlikely cult followers.

That said, it's interesting how there were numerous UFO sightings in the early 1970's. I've actually talked to numerous "unsuspectable" people who've seen strange things around 1969-71. They could have something to do with the Superpower weaponrace, but not everything is explainable by that.

anthonynorth said...

I've kept a close eye on the Raelians over the years.

Twilight said...

RJ Adams ~~~ I have him down as a clever business man, preying on the weakness of others. As you say the initial inspiration could have arrived when he was "under the influence" of something or other, but he has certainly put it to profitable use. As with most religion it's about the $$$$$$$$$$$$, and the control.I grow tired of religion, and with humans for not seeing through it.

Twilight said...

Candela ~~~ Hi there!
Ah yes! You have good grounding with Virgo Mercury and Capricorn Moon. :-)

I'm interested in UFO tales myself, I think it's unwise not to be curious, but I'm always suspicious of motives of the reporter in question.

Twilight said...

anthonynorth ~~~ Have you? I'd not heard of this cult before.
I'm amazed that enough people to form a cult accept what the guy says as truth!