Editing Raëlism (section)

=== Cloning and survival after death ===

Raëlians reject the existence of the [[incorporeality|ethereal]] [[soul (spirit)|soul]] that survives physical death,{{sfnm|1a1=Barrett|1y=2001|1p=392|2a1=Chryssides|2y=2003|2p=107|3a1=Lewis|3y=2003|3p=102|4a1=Grünschloß|4y=2004|4p=433}} and instead argue that the only hope for immortality is through scientific means.{{sfn|Palmer|1995|p=107}} The Raëlians claim that the Elohim will clone and thus recreate dead individuals, but only those particular individuals who they deem merit this recreation.{{sfn|Chryssides|2003|p=55}} In this, they believe in a "conditional immortality", with immortality for a minority and oblivion for the majority.{{sfn|Chryssides|2003|p=55}} The resurrection of Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels, is for instance explained as an example of Elohim cloning.{{sfn|Chryssides|2003|p=55}}

Raëlists advocate for the development of human cloning technology on Earth.{{sfn|Palmer|Sentes|2012|p=172}} Raëlians also believe that deceased individuals can be cloned so that they could be tried and punished for their crimes.{{sfn|Chryssides|2003|p=55}} After the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, in which [[suicide attacks|the attackers killed themselves]], the Raëlists proposed that they could be resurrected through cloning to be tried for their actions.{{sfn|Chryssides|2003|pp=55–56}}<ref name="Maneater2001">[http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2001/9/21/cloning-solution-terrorism-some-say/ Cloning solution to terrorism, some say] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722122607/http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2001/9/21/cloning-solution-terrorism-some-say/ |date=22 July 2011 }}, ''The Maneater''. 21 September 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2007.</ref> Due to its emphasis upon attaining immortality, Raëlism deplores suicide; after the [[Heaven's Gate (religious group)|Heaven's Gate]] group engaged in a mass suicide in 1997, the Raëlian Church was among the new religions that issued press releases condemning suicide.{{sfn|Palmer|2004|p=157}}

As opposed to the scientific definition of reproductive [[cloning]], which is simply the creation of a genetically identical living organism, Raëlians seek to both genetically clone individuals, rapidly accelerate growth of the clone to adulthood through a process like guided [[self-assembly]] of rapidly expanded cells or even [[nanotechnology]].<ref name="CNN 2002-12">[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/30/cnna.cloning.rael/ Sect leader: Cloning is just the beginning] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071105142009/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/30/cnna.cloning.rael/ |date=5 November 2007 }}, ''Cable News Network''. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 2 August 2006.</ref> Raël told lawmakers that banning the development of human cloning was comparable to outlawing medical advances such as "antibiotics, blood transfusions, and vaccines".<ref name="SusanJPalmer"/>