Editing Raëlism (section)

=== Member hierarchy ===

The Structure is divided along a six-tiered system.{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2004|1p=58|2a1=Palmer|2a2=Sentes|2y=2012|2p=176}} Raël is at the top of the Raëlian Church, being referred to as the "Guide of Guides".{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=173}} Senior members of the Structure re-elect him to that position each seven years.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=58}} Below Raël are the "Bishop Guides", then the "Priest Guides", then the "Animators", then the "Assistant Animators", and finally the "Probationers".{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=176}} Those who are characterized as "Guides" are expected to be exemplars for the rest of the movement, for instance by strictly adhering to the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and recreational drugs.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=157}} Race, gender, and sexual orientation are no barrier to rising through the ranks of the group's leadership structure.{{sfn|Palmer|2014|p=185}} However, Palmer noted that by the mid-1990s, there were few women in leadership positions within the organisation.{{sfn|Palmer|1995|p=105}}

Members of the Raëlian structure begin as level 0 "trainees" during annual seminars. The Raelian structure was said in 2007 to have about 2,300 members,<ref name="For our pleasure...">[http://www.raelianews.org/download.php?view.202 For our pleasure...], ''Raelian Contact 331''. 7 April 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2007</ref> 170 "Raëlian guides",<ref name="Raelian Press Site">[http://www.raelpress.org/ Raelian Press Site], ''The International Raëlian Movement''. Retrieved 25 April 2007.</ref> and 41 bishops.<ref name="Rael Offers Excommunicated Archbishop Milingo to Become a Raelian Bishop">[http://www.raelianews.org/news.php?item.187.6 Rael Offers Excommunicated Archbishop Milingo to Become a Raelian Bishop], ''Raelianews.org''. 27 September 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2007.</ref>

Three Raëlian Bishops sit on a "Council of the Wise", which monitors [[heresy]] and arranges punishment for transgressors.{{sfnm|1a1=Palmer|1y=2004|1p=39|2a1=Palmer|2a2=Sentes|2y=2012|2p=176}} When they seek to punish an individual, it is usually for a seven-year "excommunication". It lasts seven years because Raëlians believe that it takes this long for every cell in the human body to be replaced.{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=176}} In more severe cases, the council can oversee a "demarking", by which they cancel the transmission of the cellular code, believing that this revokes the individual's hope for immortality through cloning.{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=176}}

Members pay an annual membership fee to the Raëlian Movement.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=58}} Full members of the Movement are encouraged to tithe 10% of their income to the organisation.{{sfnm|1a1=Barker|1y=1989|1p=201|2a1=Barrett|2y=2001|2p=394|3a1=Palmer|3a2=Sentes|3y=2012|3p=177}} This tithe is then divided up, with 3% going to the national branch and 7% to the International Movement's central administration.{{sfnm|1a1=Barker|1y=1989|1p=201|2a1=Palmer|2y=2004|2pp=63–64}} An additional, 1% may go to Raël himself.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=64}} Tithing is however not enforced.{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=17}} In her research, Palmer found many practitioners who admitted to not paying the tithe.{{sfn|Palmer|1995|p=132}} A 1991 survey of Raëlians found that a third of respondents did not pay,{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=209}} while in an interview, Raël suggested that over 60 percent do not.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=64}} It is these tithes and membership fees, coupled with the sales of Raël's books, that represent the International Raëlian Movement's main income.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=63}} This money is then saved toward the construction of the Elohim Embassy or spent on the production of flyers, books, videos, and other material that is used to disseminate the Raëlian message.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=64}}

The group initially owned a country estate in [[Albi]], France, before later obtaining one in [[Valcourt (city)|Valcourt]], Quebec.{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=176}}