The Unarius Academy of Science, a UFO-oriented group based in El Cajon, believes that at some point in 2001 (the society doesn't specify a date), a "Pleiadean star ship will land on a rising portion of Atlantis in the area of the Bermuda Triangle." Earth, the Unarians predict, will become "the final world to join an alignment of 33 planets forming an interplanetary confederation for the spiritual renaissance of humankind on Earth."

Charles Louis Spiegel, a cosmic visionary who shared his concept of immortality and extra-terrestrial life as director of the Unarius Academy of Science in El Cajon, has died. He was 78.

Mr. Spiegel died in his sleep Dec. 22 at his Mount Helix home, said Celeste Appel, an academy spokeswoman. In the parlance of the academy's international followers, "he made his transition to the spiritual worlds," Appel said. One of the tenets of Mr. Spiegel's teaching was that there is no such thing as death.

He did believe, however, that as many as 33 starships carrying extraterrestrials from the planet Myton will land on Earth some time in the year 2001. His predecessor as director of the 45-year-old academy, Ruth Norman, had purchased 67 acres in Jamul in 1975 to accommodate the expected visitors.

The Universal Life Church (http://www.ulc.org) will ordain anyone to the ministry for free, for life and with no regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality or theological position. And they'll do it online. It doesn't matter whether you are a Christian, Satanist, Kabbalist, Wiccan, atheist, or a creator of your own "homemade" religion. The ULC, from its international headquarters in Modesto, Calif., and its monastery in Tucson, Ariz., welcomes all. [...more...]

Departing from orthodoxy in some measure, though not necessarily embracing explicit heresy.

...with one mighty swipe, THE URANTIA BOOK accomplishes what few other cultic writings have expressed in one breath, namely, the rejection of every significant doctrine of Christianity and Judaism,

Of all the cultic systems in all the world, none is more intricate than that of URANTIA! This organization has Orders of Trinity Beings, Supreme Beings, Ascending Beings, Sons of God, Universe Power Directors, Michael class (a very important group) and nearly ad infinitum.

Martin Gardner, best known as mathematical-games-meister for Scientific American, turns his refreshingly unblinking gaze on the origin and continuing growth of the Urantian cult, whose members believe they are receiving corrigenda to the Bible from celestial beings. A marvellous study of the ways in which the zaniest ideas can be propagated through society.

The report will be used by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as a basis for possible punitive actions against countries deemed the most serious violators of religious freedom rights that are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The penalties can range from a diplomatic note at one extreme to economic sanctions on the other.

The nine-member religious freedom commission appointed by the president and congressional leaders was set up to advise the State Department and the White House on protection of religious freedom around the world.

Organized under a 1998 law that arose partly out of rising congressional unease about alleged persecution of Christians abroad, it is headed by a rabbi and a law school dean and includes people of the Christian, Muslim and Baha'i faiths.