Raelian sect founder Claude Vorilhon expressed delight over
the recent publicity his group has received and admitted that reports of human
cloning might be false.
The announcements of cloned babies "whether true or false, allow the
Raelians' sect to be known throughout the world," Vorilhon, as known as
Rael, told 300 followers gathered here Sunday.
In effect, Rael confirmed an explanation given to ZENIT last week by Massimo
Introvigne, director of the Center of Studies for New Religions. Introvigne
speculated that Vorilhon, like other leaders of religious movements criticized
by the media, strive on publicity.
Brigitte Boisselier, director of Clonaid, an enterprise linked to the Raelians,
claimed Dec. 27 in Florida that the first human cloned in a laboratory had
already been born. She has not offered the scientific evidence of this.
"If Brigitte Boisselier has done it, she has achieved a wonderful thing
and should receive a Nobel prize," Vorilhon said Sunday.
"If it isn't true," he added, "it's the most beautiful
scientific joke but, in any case, it has allowed us to communicate our messages
to the whole planet. I want to thank Brigitte eternally for it, and when I say
eternally, I mean it."