Аэтериус Қоғамы: Ғарыштық ұстаздармен байланыс және жаңа дәуірге дайындық

New religious movement founded by George King in the 1950s

The Aetherius Society is a new religious movement founded by George King in the mid 1950s as the result of what King claimed were contacts with extraterrestrial intelligences, to whom he referred as "Cosmic Masters". The main goal of the believer is to cooperate with these Cosmic Masters to help humanity solve its current Earthly problems and advance into the New Age. It is a syncretic religion, based primarily on theosophy and incorporating millenarian, New Age, and UFO religion aspects. Emphases of the religion include altruism, community service, nature worship, spiritual healing and physical exercise. Members meet in congregations like those of churches. John A. Saliba states that, unlike many other New Age or UFO religions, the Aetherius Society is for the most part considered uncontroversial, although its esoteric and millenarian aspects are sometimes questioned. The religion may be considered to have a relatively conventional praxis, attracting members from mainstream society. The society's membership, although international, is relatively small. David V. Barrett suggested in 2011 that the worldwide membership was in the thousands, with the largest numbers in the United Kingdom, United States (particularly Southern California) and New Zealand.

The theology of the Aetherius Society is regarded as firmly based in theosophy, the Aetherius Society combines UFO claims, yoga, and ideas from various world religions, The society asserts itself as a plural or liberal religion, stating "nor does God favor people of one religion over another – and certainly not people of one country or race over another". Stefan Isaksson notes that it has "become a complex religious belief system that includes an extraterrestrial hierarchy of various spiritual masters and such concepts as universal karma and religious healing." The religion's goal is to prevent worldly destruction by improving cooperation between humanity and various alien 'masters', and by using 'spiritual energy' to improve the spiritual calibre of the world. The society has claimed that various disasters may be prevented or relieved by prayer, often aided by "Spiritual Energy Batteries" meant to store healing psychic energy The society also believes that it is to prepare the way for the "Next Master," a messianic figure who will descend upon Earth in a flying saucer, possessing "magic" more powerful than all the world's armies. The society is named after Aetherius, a being King claims to have telepathically contacted and channelled. Aetherius is believed to be a Cosmic Master from Venus, as are Buddha and Jesus.

George King was born on 23 January 1919, in Wellington, Shropshire, England and brought up in a Protestant family with strong occult interests. Before founding the Aetherius Society, King had been deeply involved in spiritual healing and had joined various theosophically based metaphysical groups in London that were a marginal part of the religious scene. In 1944, he took up yoga, allegedly mastering bhakti, gnani and kundalini yogas and attaining the state of "Samadhi" It appears that immediately prior to founding the Society, King was earning his living as a London taxi driver. This version of events, however, is based solely on the Aetherius Society's hagiography, and not on external sources. Mikael Rothstein notes that a lack of objective, factual information is often a problem in studying religious leaders, even for new religious movements. The story of King, according to Rothstein, is part of an attempt (common to all religions) to portray their founder as an extraordinary individual to legitimize the religion. According to the Aetherius Society, George King died in Santa Barbara, California, on July 12, 1997, at the age of 78. His death was not reported in major newspapers.

In Aetherius Society teachings, various religious figures come from different planets, They are regarded by the society as Avatars. Krishna, for example, is from Saturn, which is the home of a "Cosmic Hierarchy" or "Interplanetary Council", while Jesus and Buddha are from Venus. The society therefore claims that these religions sprang from the same source and their principles were identical. These beings are, however, spiritual beings on another dimension or plane, as the idea of corporeal intelligent life on the other planets was known to be unlikely in the 1950s. The society's concept is that these beings exist on a 'spiritual level' by maintaining a 'higher vibratory rate' which can be lowered, and this explains the reported blinking in and out of UFOs. The society also refers to the vimanas found in Vedic and Hindu texts, and to the Star of Bethlehem, as UFOs and examples of peaceful aliens that have been visiting to teach humanity throughout history. King taught a belief in reincarnation based on the "Law of Karma" according to which humanity progresses life by life towards the goal of perfection. Everyone is destined eventually to become a Master and to continue evolving from there. They allege that because of the backward evolution of humans, the Earth has been under frequent attacks from evil forces from other parts of the universe and that the Cosmic Masters of other planets are fighting off a number of evil alien invaders. In Aetherius Society literature, the cosmic battles with evil forces or intelligence "bear some resemblance to the fundamentalist Christian concept of 'spiritual warfare', shorn of its imminent apocalyptic content." As in other New Age religions, alternative medicine, spiritual healing, yoga, and dowsing are also accepted and practised by the Aetherius Society. It has also launched initiatives against pollution and nuclear power, and generally identifies with the ideals of the Green Movement. However, the society believes that environmental and societal problems are only symptoms of a much larger spiritual problem that, once solved, would cure all other problems. This is the 'spiritual energy crisis'. Probably the best known of these is the "Spiritual Energy Battery". Its precise design and composition are not in the public domain. Its purpose is to hold a 'charge of spiritual energy for an indefinite period'. When connected to a "Spiritual Energy Radiator" (again designed by King), it can be 'discharged'. 'Spiritual workers' pray, chant mantras, and 'focus the energy' into the battery where it is 'stored'. The society's belief is that in times of crisis the energy can be released in a concentrated form and manipulated by cooperating Masters to the area in need. King named this activity "Operation Prayer Power". In "Operation Starlight", between the years 1958 and 1961, King and various members climbed eighteen mountains throughout the world, so that the mountains could be 'spiritually charged' by the Cosmic Masters using King as the link. Members often make pilgrimages to these mountains where they have painted the movement's symbol, believing they receive more power than they can send out to the world through prayer.

King claimed to have been contacted by many aliens, including Venusians, Martians, Devas, and the Great White Brotherhood to spread a message to aid humanity. This message exalted the promising future humanity has should Earthlings turn to better ways of living, while warning of the possible consequences otherwise. King taught that humans had the choice of self destruction or the enjoyment of a New Age that was coming to Earth. He also taught that the Cosmic Masters had intervened via the Aetherius Society to help humanity into the New Age. The Aetherius Society's teachings share the individualism of not only other New Age teachings of the era, but of the Protestantism King grew up in, i. e. individual humans face the decision of whether to join the millennial kingdom. It is claimed he will arrive in a spacecraft with great power, and present his credentials to the leaders of Earth. Zeller also compares King's call to correct living (with threats of suffering otherwise) to many forms of Christian apocalypticism, with King's claimed mental transmissions replacing the Bible as the standard for what that moral living is. King claimed that Aetherius enabled him "to speak all terrestrial languages"—although he seemed unable to respond when asked questions in Norwegian and French.

The Society claims that the 'Space Beings' have contacted the leading Governments of the world in many ways but a rather sinister group of individuals called 'The Silence Group' (a pseudonym coined by UFO researcher Major Donald E. Keyhoe) have been deliberately suppressing this information so as to keep people uninformed, or misinformed, as to their true nature. According to King, the Silence Group uses fear and ignorance to control humanity.

The Aetherius Society's theology is theosophical "There is nothing but God in the cosmos, in varying stages of evolution. Everyone will eventually become a Master and will continue evolving from there." Its path contains various stages of spiritual evolution from earthly to cosmic. Karma and reincarnation are accepted by the religion as laws of nature. The society claims it is "not out to change existing religions so much as to add a cosmic dimension to them".

Many of King's claims, particularly claims to various titles and honors, have been shown to be questionable at best. Simon Smith states that the Aetherius Society has to bridge a number of credibility gaps exacerbated by scientific and technological advances, and mentions some seemingly insurmountable problems facing its world view, such as the non existence of life on the other planets of the Solar System, and scarce evidence of spacecraft visiting Earth. The society uses the concepts of 'higher spheres of existence' to explain life on the other planets, and the 'lowly karmic position' of mankind to explain why extraterrestrials do not land openly. In 1958, the society's publication "Cosmic Voice" claimed to give details transmitted by the Cosmic Masters of an atomic accident in Russia, i. e. the Kyshtym Disaster, that was not known about in the West until 1976 when revealed by the New Scientist magazine. The magazine, after receiving a claim about the transmission from the Aetherius Society, entered a two paragraph item under the title "Scooped by a UFO! ", next to other news items intended to be humorous, such as a report of a "Dolphin Embassy." The Cosmic Voice reported, early in its history, that King's mother was often a passenger in the flying saucers from various planets, was once in a Martian spaceship when she was introduced to a Venusian whom she recognized as "our dear Jesus", who solemnly declared of one of George King's books, "this book is now and forever will be – Holy."

King is referred to by the society "as an author, inventor, metaphysician, occultist, prophet, psychic, spiritual healer, spiritual leader, teacher, yogi and Aquarian master". He was also lavished with innumerable titles, degrees, and honors

The Aetherius Society usually refers to King as "Dr. George King". The society does not, however, document where King received his doctorate. Barrett states that King received his doctorate from the "International Theological Seminary of California, a degree mill with no accreditation". King is also referred to as Metropolitan Archbishop of the Aetherius Churches. His consecration as a bishop was from the Theosophy related Liberal Catholic Church. A Grant of Arms is applied for; anyone can receive a Grant of Arms if they can satisfy one of several requirements. According to one source, King's "proper title" was "His Eminence Sir George King, O. S. P., Ph. D., Th. D., D. D., Metropolitan Archbishop of the Aetherius Churches." The knighthood is not British but from "an unspecified foreign source." American radio personality Long John Nebel had King as a guest on his show and later wrote: " 'George King of England' – is what he calls himself, and you can't be sure whether he's pausing after 'George,' or after 'King,' but it doesn't really matter because after about three minutes you get the idea strong and clear." The society claims that King was a chaplain of the American Federation of Police. Anyone who is a concerned citizen appears to be able to become a member for $45. Charity Navigator gives this organization its lowest ranking (0 stars). Several police organizations have warned that solicitations by the American Federation of Police are possible scams. The site does not appear to have any official way to apply for a position as a chaplain and does not provide any list of official chaplains. According to skeptic James Randi, George King's titles of 'Reverend', 'Doctor' and 'Sir' are unverified.