Editing Unarius Academy of Science (section)

==Classification as a religion==
Unarius, as an organization, is strongly opposed to its common classification as a religion.<ref name=T2007p85>Tumminia, Diana (2007) p85</ref><ref name=S2003p199>Saliba, John A. (2003) p199</ref> Unarius calls its content and activities teaching "inter-dimensional science" and not a religion,<ref name=T2007p85/> and assert that they teach the "spiritual" understanding of "high energy-physics" and reincarnation.<ref>Tumminia, Diana (2003) p62</ref>

While Unarius lacks the main elements normally associated with religion, such as a hierarchical structure, priests and clergy, initiation rites, weekly services or ceremonies, its beliefs satisfy many religious criteria in that spiritual reality is taught; humans develop their spiritual potential over lifetimes; the concept of the Space Brothers is basically a supernatural assumption as they seem different in kind, and are empirically unprovable; they involve a Western concept of good and evil and an Eastern concept of karma; higher entities are channeled; the texts read like sacred scriptures; and its system of beliefs can explain or dispel all phenomena, thus satisfying all questions of meaning for adherents.<ref>Saliba, John A. (2003) pp200-201, p204</ref><ref>Tumminia, Diana (2005) pp{{nbsp}}186–7</ref> Unarians do not offer prayers to God or higher entities, but prefer the word "spiritual" as opposed to "religious" to describe the overriding philosophy of the group.<ref>Saliba, John A. (2003) pp199-200</ref>

Ernest criticized religion in several books, most notably in ''The Infinite Contact'', which describes in detail the origins of Christianity as rooted in [[Mithraism]], [[Zoroastrianism]], and assorted ancient belief structures. Ernest agreed with [[Karl Marx]] that religions were "[[Opium of the people|the opium of the people]]", and yet also claimed to realize that many individuals were still at such a point in their [[evolution]] where religions still served a positive purpose and kept them from harming their fellowmen.