Rael: 'Stop Giving Christmas Gifts!'

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Dec 21, 2011, 02:12 ET

Spiritual leader reinforces Raelian Movement's 'There-Is-No-Santa' campaign

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Raelian Movement's 'There is No Santa' campaign was reinforced today for this hectic Christmas shopping week when Rael, the Movement's spiritual leader, issued a statement asking the public to "stop spending money for a tradition that is pure invention and promoted by multinational companies to make more profits."

"Stop lying to your children about a Santa Claus that doesn't exist," Rael said, "and stop wasting money to respect a tradition that is based on a lie. Don't give any Christmas gifts! You have plenty of occasions to give gifts to people you love without doing it during this collective mass celebration of crazy consumerism that is promoted by governments, religion and industries but has absolutely no spiritual content."

Rael asked Raelian parents to teach their children about peace and love instead of giving them Christmas presents, and to give them gifts at another date if they wish.

"I recommend giving these gifts one month before Christmas, so that Raelian children receive their gifts before all others, which will make all other children jealous," Rael explained. "And they should also inform their friends that there is no Santa Claus and push them to put pressure on their parents not to continue this stupid tradition."

"People should do all they can to bring these annual festivities back to their origins by adopting the pre-Christian, fun-loving mindset and, most importantly, removing all mysticism, whether it's related to the birth of a god in a barn or to the mysterious Santa Claus or Father Christmas," Rael said when he launched the 'There is no Santa' campaign in 2008.

In today's statement, he added that a spiritual celebration in memory of Jesus or of Rael's conception day on Dec. 25 is a good thing, but that the commercial orgy we are witnessing this week is not.

SOURCE Raelian Movement