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»	The New Middle Ages of the US With every progressive milestone this nation achieves, such as the legalization of gay marriage in 2015, Christian fanaticism grows. Certainly, in retaliation against these commendable policies, they strangle liberties elsewhere, like reversing Roe v. Wade and ending the once-lauded constitutional right to abortion. If US citizens do not take an adamant stand against these changes, we may find ourselves no better than those living in Islamic theocracies. Louisiana citizens are the latest to befall such medieval decisions. On June 19, 2024 state Governor Jeff Landry passed a law mandating every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. They must be shown prominently and clearly, and schools must have them in place by 2025. While Landry justifies this by saying the Commandments have 'historical significance,' this is a weak argument when confronted by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights - another document with historical significance yet is not required to be displayed in every classroom - which states we 'shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...' The law is just part of this religious trend with conservative lawmakers. Last month, Louisiana legislators also banned abortion, declaring abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances. Elsewhere, states like Texas and Florida passed laws allowing religious chaplains to provide mental health services or support for public school students. There are critics of these laws. Maitreya Rael, founder and leader of the Raelian Movement, advocates for freedom in all things, including religion. He spoke in 2006 about the Western world potentially sliding backward towards religious policies that favor discrimination and constrict peoples' rights. "...he western world must continue to accelerate its progressive reforms which allow it to completely destroy the last puritanical and conventional traces inherited from the oppressive Judeo-Christian traditions," he said that year. That was almost 20 years ago, and it seems like the US is struggling in this regard. In order to destroy these last traces, as Maitreya Rael says, we must start with the children. We must reconsider the values we expose to them. How much time and effort is taken teaching the names of military generals, brutal colonizers, and tyrannical kings compared to the names of the brilliant inventors of daily objects like toilets, laundry machines, dishwashers, and the automobile? How can we drill the details of the Magna Charta but omit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? This is the document that should be in every classroom. If we are thoroughly examining our children's education, we must critique religion itself - monotheistic beliefs in particular. After the World Trade Centers were attacked in 2001, Maitreya Rael said, "Whether it is the Bible, the Gospel, or the Koran, all these sacred books spread hatred, intolerance, and encourage violence and barbarism." The very nature of monotheism and its traditions endorse discrimination and conflict - after all, if there is only One God and you believe a different one then one must be wrong and the other right. He continues in his speech, ...such texts must no longer be taught to children! Because the fact is that while the world cries over the victims of Manhattan, there are children who are receiving a religious education that will turn them into the terrorists of tomorrow who will in turn create new strife among different religious schools. To post the First Commandment in a classroom, which says, 'You shall have no other gods before me,' is to instill intolerance of those who believe in a different one! We must embrace tolerance and celebrate the differences among each other. However, we cannot impose them onto others, nor throw out decades of freedom and liberty, all of which are happening more and more in this country. We must teach our youth tolerance, respect, and fraternity for all other men and women, regardless of their ethnicity, culture, or religion. Rob Sansone
»	A New Hope I have been around the idea of peace and love for over the last decade of my life, but my expectatio ...
»	How far does media madness go: the accusation of sexual slavery. The ultimate safeguard for truth: accountability As a preamble, let us recall that "the reduction to slavery and the exploitation of people reduced t ...
»	The Eye of Cain The Eye of Cain With what is happening in the world, some Raelians are wondering if they have the m ...
»	THE MASHIACH RAËL PROPOSES A PEACE PLAN FOR THE MIDDLE EAST Imagine that in 1948, the Jews who survived the terrible genocide perpetrated by the Nazis hadn’t cr ...

Date published: Sun, 06 Oct 2024 06:49:34 +0000

Rael names Yoram Kaniuk “Honorary Guide of Humanity” - Title conferred after famous Israeli writer officially renounces Judaism

JERUSALEM, Nov. 3 – Following Yoram Kaniuk’s public apostasy from Judaism, Rael, founder and leader of the International Raelian Movement (www.rael.org), named Kaniuk an “Honorary Guide of Humanity.”

Kaniuk cited personal reasons for departing from his native Judaism. For Raelians, it simply makes sense to leave a religious group when its actions are in contradiction to its founding philosophy and principles.
“Considering the way the religious state of Israel is treating the neighboring Palestine, we should expect a massive departure of true Jews from Judaism,” said Leon Mellul, Grand Rabbi for Israel’s Raelian Movement. “True Jews are meant to bring love and harmony to all, according to their scriptures, and although we don’t see a massive departure from Judaism, the Raelians of IsRael are glad to see that Yoram Kaniuk showed such a courageous path.”

Mellul said Kaniuk is the latest in a succession of Israeli-born Jews to denounce injustices carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians, and then receive the Honorary Guide of Humanity title from Rael. Others thus honored include Gilad Atzmon, Yoav Shamir, Norman Finklestein, Ilan Pappe and, of course, Mordechai Vanunu, for his lifelong effort to make the Middle East nuclear free.

Mellul said Rael has long encouraged people of all faiths to apostatize if they find themselves in conflict with any part of their religion.

“Rael founded apostasynow.org many years ago to help people of all faiths officially and publicly apostatize if their consciences are not in perfect harmony with the teachings or policies of the religion in which they were raised,” Mellul explained. “For example, anyone who supports women in the priesthood, or who supports contraception, abortion or homosexuality, should officially leave the Catholic religion because the Vatican accepts none of those things. And anyone opposed to the suppression of women should leave any of the monotheistic religions, since they all very much keep women in a subservient societal role. Apostatizing will decrease the number of members these religions can claim, which will eventually greatly reduce the social and political power these religions currently have. So the act of apostasy is not a selfish act. It is a way to denounce the system and lead the way for change. We deeply hope that Mr. Kaniuk will inspire many others in Israel to leave Judaism!”

Thursday 03 November 2011