Editing Cosmic Circle of Fellowship (section)

== Beliefs and practices ==
The Cosmic Circle of Fellowship was a [[UFO religion]].{{sfn|Saliba|1995|p=45}}{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} Religious scholars [[J. Gordon Melton]] and George M. Eberhart listed the group as one of the "major contactee groups" in 1995, while Michael K. Schutz classified them as a "UFO-oriented religious cult".{{sfn|Melton|Eberhart|1995|p=253}}{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} In an article on the group's meetings, the ''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'' called the Cosmic Circle of Fellowship "the space-age religion".<ref name="SanFranciscoExaminer1960" /> Ferguson claimed the group's teachings were based "upon the revelation of the Blessed Jesus" and that they were "in harmony with the laws of the Expressed Creation".<ref name="SanFranciscoExaminer1960" /> A key belief of the CCF, shared with many other UFO movements, is that benevolent [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] beings communicate with the group members and leader directly and often.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} They also incorporated Christian elements, and were described by scholar [[Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi]] as a "UFO-Christian" religion.{{sfn|Beit-Hallahmi|1993|p=141}}{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} 

The entity Khauga, a "Celestial Being" who Ferguson had claimed contact with, was worshiped as a figure called the Comforter, the leader of a group called the "Universal Brotherhood of the Sons of the Father", which was said to have members from various [[solar systems]].{{sfn|Clark|2000|p=143}}{{sfn|Melton|2009|p=783}}{{sfn|Lewis|2000|p=92}} This brotherhood was preparing the [[Earth]] for the [[Second Coming]] of Christ. The beliefs of the group were that there was a Father of Creation, a being of pure intelligent energy, and a Mother of Creation, who was made of pure universal substance; things were created when the father's rays of life impregnated the Mother's substance. When the [[New Age]] arrived, they believed that materialism and evil would be overthrown, with humanity being lifted into "fourth-dimensional consciousness".{{sfn|Melton|2009|p=783}}{{sfn|Lewis|2000|p=92}} Various other beings who were said to communicate with CCF members included Melchizedek and Zestra, viewed as the male and female rulers of the [[Solar System]] who lived inside the sun.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} The CCF viewed themselves as linked to both mainstream Christianity and science, as they believed they also received messages from [[Jesus]], who they believed had been brought to earth by a flying saucer (that was the [[Star of Bethlehem]]). Their connection to science was from Khauga, who was the "Chief Uniphysicist of the Solar System".{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} Valverde argued that the [[Bible]]'s descriptions of Jesus indicated that he was an alien.<ref name="Ledig1992" /> In a leaflet that proclaimed the group's "permanent celestial message", they described themself thus:{{sfn|Saliba|1995|p=45}}

{{Blockquote|text=The Cosmic Circle of Fellowship is a religious organization of the sovereign State of Illinois, under the complete guidance of Celestial and Immortal Beings from Outer Space. The messenger of these space beings is William Ferguson of the Planet Earth, and other Priests and Priestesses, who have been and will be, elevated to the Priesthood of the Cosmic Circle of Fellowship.
We teach the New Age Truth, given to us by the Spirit of
Truth from the Holy Triune.
We worship only the Alpha and the Omega, who are the First Cause, (Everliving). We adore many Celestials and Immortals, who are working with us and guiding us. We invite all people of the Planet Earth to join us in fellowship and the worship of Alpha and Omega.}}

To join the group, prospective members had to pass through 13 weekly lectures, which was called the "College of Cosmic Knowledge"; if after attending these lectures they were viewed as worthy, they were then "Elevated to the Priesthood of Melchizedek and Zestra", and were told about the secret and more direct meetings.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} There were partially secret meetings every week that involved listening and studying to the past message, and simultaneously listening to and receiving a new message.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} The more secret meetings involved receiving messages from this beings through "trance-channeling", in which the higher being would speak through the individual undergoing the trance.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}} Ferguson would supposedly [[Channeling (New Age)|channel]] from Khauga.{{sfn|Hogan|2016|p=296}} Messages received in these trances tended to be of a "quasi-religious" type, with subjects typically relating to how to live a better life, preparing for the Great Cosmic Plan for improvement of the Earth, and how to properly worship these higher beings. These messages were all recorded through tape, [[mimeographed]], and transcribed.{{sfn|Schutz|1980|p=340}}