Great Return
tl;dr The anticipated arrival of an advanced extraterrestrial civilization, known as the Elohim, on Earth. According to the communications allegedly received from these entities, their return hinges upon humanity's desire for their arrival, respect for their position as our creators, and assurance that they will not be threatened by our military forces. Their arrival, if accepted and welcomed, promises to deliver a quantum leap in our scientific knowledge, equivalent to a leap of 25,000 years. The 'Great Return' would likely have profound impacts on human society, akin to those posited in the realm of extraterrestrial contact theory, potentially reshaping our scientific and technological landscapes, socio-political structures, and religious beliefs. However, this transformative encounter is contingent upon humanity's evolution towards peace, unity, and respect for our cosmic progenitors.
Exploring the potential changes to human society resulting from interaction with an extraterrestrial civilization encompasses shifts in our scientific and technological understanding, religious and political structures, and even impacts on our ecosystems.
The scale and nature of the potential shifts triggered by such contact can vary widely, depending on several factors: the technological prowess of the alien civilization, its intent (whether benevolent or malevolent), and the extent to which humans and extraterrestrials can understand each other. Additionally, the method of contact—be it through electromagnetic signals, direct physical encounter, or discovering an extraterrestrial artifact—may also influence the outcomes.
The potential ramifications of such contact are often compared to historical encounters between two vastly different human cultures on Earth, such as the interactions following Christopher Columbus’s voyages. More often than not, these encounters have led to the disruption, if not destruction, of the contacted civilization. Consequently, the destruction of human society is a conceivable result of extraterrestrial contact. Such contact can also be seen as analogous to the interactions between native and invasive species vying for the same ecological niche.
In Raëlism 🔯
In the inaugural work of the Raëlian canon, “The Book Which Tells The Truth,” the entity known as Yahweh discloses prerequisites for the Elohim’s return to Earth, laying out specific conditions that humanity needs to meet. He states:
There, now you know the truth. You must write it down and make it known throughout the world. If people on Earth want us to give them the benefit of our experience and help them gain 25,000 years of scientific knowledge, they have to show us that they want to meet us, and above all demonstrate that they deserve it, and that all this can be done without any danger to us.
If we give our knowledge to humanity, we have to be sure they will make good use of it. Our observations in recent years have not shown that wisdom rules the Earth. Certainly there has been progress, but some people still die of hunger, and a warlike spirit still exists throughout the world. We know that our arrival could improve many things and unite nations, but we have to feel that people really want to see us, and that they are truly starting to unify.
We also have to feel that they really want to see us arrive, knowing fully who we are and understanding the true meaning of our arrival. Several times human warplanes have tried to chase our crafts, taking us for enemies.
In this excerpt, Yahweh emphasizes that the Elohim are ready to share their advanced scientific knowledge and experience with humanity, but only under specific conditions. First, they need to ascertain that humanity genuinely wants to encounter them and is deserving of their wisdom. Second, they must be assured of their own safety upon landing on Earth. They express their concern about the current state of the world, where people suffer from hunger and a pervasive, belligerent mindset persists. Though the Elohim acknowledge their arrival could greatly benefit humanity and potentially foster global unity, they underline the importance of humanity’s earnest desire for their return. Furthermore, they must be welcomed with a proper understanding of their identity and the profound implications of their arrival, rather than being mistaken for adversaries, as has happened in the past.
The specific location of the anticipated ‘Great Return’, which should take place at a residence, also referred to as simply the Embassy, or even the infamous Third Temple, that needs to be prepared in a country with a mild climate. This location should ideally be recognized as a neutral territory by both the nation in which it is situated and other nations worldwide, essentially serving as the Elohim’s Earthly embassy.
In a further exploration of the prerequisites for the Elohim’s arrival, Yahweh details the expected attitudes and reactions from humanity in the book “The Book Which Tells The Truth.” The passage reads:
As I have already told you, we know that our official arrival would accelerate many things. But we will wait until we see that human beings really want us to come, that they love us and respect us like the parents that we truly are, and that our spacecrafts will not be threatened by your destructive military forces.
Yahweh reinforces the idea that the Elohim’s arrival on Earth would precipitate significant progress and change. However, he reiterates the need for a genuine desire from humanity for such an event. Humanity should regard the Elohim with love and respect, acknowledging them as their creators or spiritual parents. Moreover, a significant condition for their arrival is a guarantee of safety, especially from human military forces. It is implied that the Elohim seek a peaceful encounter and integration with humanity, devoid of hostility or misunderstanding.
A remarkable note in the post-script message titled “Message of the Elohim, December 13th, 1997” from the anthology work “Intelligent Design: Messages from the Designers” is the introduction of the concept of the “Great Return” by Yahweh. In this message, Yahweh states:
The hour of our Great Return is near, and we will support and protect the most devoted ones among you. Your enemies will witness our might more and more, most especially the usurper from Rome, his bishops and all those who act in our name without being appointed.
[…]
May your joy in seeing the approach of our Great Return give you wings to overcome the last obstacles of the journey. We are so close to this day, that whenever you meditate, you should be able to feel our presence.
This passage emphasizes the imminent nature of the “Great Return,” implying a looming arrival of the Elohim. Yahweh assures their devoted followers of protection and support, hinting at a form of cosmic justice against their perceived enemies. The mention of the “usurper from Rome” and his bishops indicates a criticism of established religious institutions that claim to act in the name of the divine without authorization. Further, Yahweh encourages followers to derive joy and motivation from the anticipation of the “Great Return,” suggesting that their meditative practices may allow them to sense the Elohim’s close presence.
Our take
The cultural implications of potential extraterrestrial contact have been a subject of speculation and analysis within various scientific, philosophical, and creative communities. These speculations range from utopian visions of a shared cosmic destiny to dystopian fears of utter destruction or subjugation. In this context, the messages contained within the Raëlian texts - The Book Which Tells The Truth, Extraterrestrials Took Me to Their Planet, and Intelligent Design: Messages from the Designers - are a distinctive perspective on this matter, providing a detailed narrative of past contact and future reunification with extraterrestrial beings. This narrative, coined as the “Great Return” within the texts, not only establishes the philosophical basis for the Raëlian movement but also adds to the broader discourse on the cultural impact of extraterrestrial contact.
The Raëlian texts elucidate the criteria for this proposed reunion with the Elohim, humanity’s creators as per their belief system. The Elohim mandate a desire for their return, a unification of humanity, and a demonstration of wisdom and peace on Earth before they would bestow their advanced knowledge upon us. Such a narrative introduces a unique angle into the discourse on extraterrestrial contact: that our actions as a species may determine the manner and implications of such an event.
The Raëlian philosophy, with its anticipated “Great Return,” can be viewed as an embodiment of a utopian vision, wherein humanity unites under the wisdom of our creators, paving the way for an era of enlightenment, the Golden Age of old, the Aquarian Age to blossom.