Tripping Balls With UNARIUS
Wheeeeeeee…
MY GOD IT’S FULL OF STARS. AND PINK POLYESTER.
The Unarius Academy of Science is a non-profit organization founded in in the mid 50s in California, with various cells still located throughout the United States as well as Canada, Japan, and Nigeria. Unarius is an acronym which stands for UNiversal ARticulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science. Founded by Ernest and Ruth Norman, Unarius espouses “a new interdimensional science of life based upon fourth dimensional physics principles.” Ernest Norman also believed that the Chinese “evolved from ancient interstellar migrants who began colonizing Mars a million years ago.” After being attacked by native humans, these interstellar migrants reportedly returned to Mars, where they now live in subterranean dwellings. In 2001, the Unarians were all supposed to fly away in a fleet of spaceships, but that doesn’t appear to have worked out so great for ’em. From Wiki:
From the period of 1954-1971, when Ernest Norman still controlled the organization, the organization defined “the mission” as the bringing in of the interdimensional science of life in the books channeled by Ernest Norman. In the period of 1972-1993, while Ruth Norman guided the organization, the organization experienced renewed growth and public awareness. “The mission” became bringing Unarius to the masses. Ruth Norman granted interviews, appeared on The Late Show […] and kept very up-to-date technologically with video productions and a studio built in the late 1970s when such equipment was still in its infancy. Unarius video productions began appearing on public access stations all over the United States…
…much to the delight of stoned and tripping teenagers nationwide. Watch their entire “educational” film, The Arrival, below.
August 4th, 2010 at 5:52 am
Oh my stars! I have several Unarius publications in my possession, because my grandmother was a big follower in the 70’s. I haven’t taken the time to read any of them, but one of the pamphlets contains many candid photos of Ruth. I’ll have to go dig up my collection and have a gander!
August 4th, 2010 at 8:32 am
“MY GOD IT’S FULL OF STARS. AND PINK POLYESTER” I almost choked…too funny! The woman in the video instantly made me think of Mrs. Slocombe, and I could almost imagine her asking the dazed barbarian: “Pardon me, young man, but have you seen my pussy?” Never heard of this cult before, though it sounds like a mix between Scientology and the Raeliens…the gullibility of the ignorant will never cease to amaze me!
August 4th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I have never, ever, been that high.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:14 am
What the..! I really, really hope there is a feature-length film by them out there somewhere. Otherwise, I’ll be coming back to this post when I’m in the correct mindframe.
August 4th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
I’ve been in love with these special effects for so long. They were certainly one of the more…playful of the california ufo cults. unlike scientology videos which are always utterly un-aweinspiring.
August 4th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Oh I love these! I’ve seen this pop up in assorted shows over the years and they never get old. I hope someone is taking very good care of the masters to these gems – this is Citizen Kane level of cinematic bliss dammit!
August 6th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Oh Mer, I’m all giddy that you posted about the glory of UNARIUS! I first stumbled upon THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE LIGHT via San Francisco Cable Access in the mid 90s. I had been recording random bits of local S.F. absurdity on VHS at the time, but went into overdrive in religiously (cultishly?) recording every hour long dispatch from the Unarian Headquarters each Sunday night from 6-7pm.
Over some 6 months, I eventually gathered over 30 hours of blissful content ranging from the blissed-out psychedelia of their 70s video effects UFO extravaganzas to the sober “early man” re-enactments to the mind-numbing mumble lectures of Earnest Norman (but those bizarre slideshows were a perk!).
Why did it strike a heavenly chord in me? It’s certainly not for love of such ridiculous teachings or any “new age” leanings. I don’t have any. Rather, it was the abiding sincerity and earnestness in this pure belief of a better and more intelligent existence of the heart that is the human race’s right and obligation to each other. UNARIUS espouses a holistic universal utopia of the stars for each and everyone of us.
At risk of sounding at once pessimistic and condescending, I’m touched by such deep yearning, however naive in practice, for overcoming age-old human struggles and negative actions in favor of entering some glorious realm of intergalactic brotherhood as a sort of perpetual heaven of the mind and spirit.
Sure it’s dopey, but at least there’s beauty and hope and an ideal of human betterment for all time. I’m hard-pressed to find a better pursuit in our age of perpetual war, a widening gap of the haves and have-nots, and the resource squandering we see (and we ourselves often participate in) daily.
Lately, I’ve been watching the videos again all the way through with a new friend who lived near El Cajon back in the 80s. He actually attended one of the landing parties when Ruth led hundreds of believers and stoners alike to the site where the tower of, I think, 32 spaceships of The Brotherhood would land on upon the other, making Earth the 33rd member with the promise of bestowing the riches of its enlightenment and universal technology to us once and for all.
Sadly, despite Ruth’s no doubt stellar and sparkly gown that day and the spaceship-festooned Cadillac she probably arrived on, no ships were to be seen. A good ol’ American style religious cult party happened though! One where if we just believe hard enough and study ourselves with conviction and work to overcome our negative ways, we can make a universal difference. Now that’s a party!
September 1st, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Oh yes, it IS that astounding. If you are ever in San Diego, a stop at their Unarius Headquarters is well worth it. Giant models of utopian plastic ring cities where everyone will live eternal in glittery bliss, pamphlets, stickers, and wind chimes all attended to by remarkably old volunteers. Here…http://unarius.org/index.php see for yourself.
15 years ago I was toying with Public Access TV and helped film one of their specials. The group was mixed in every way and all discussed how the Church has helped them lead better lives (like all religions do) but they explained it in the most reason-defying, crystal magic, alien telepathic way. It was awesome!
I remember there was a really cute girl in the group that I SO wanted to talk to, but passed as I wasn’t in the mood to mock a cute person’s belief system.
Sigh, I wonder what she’s doing now.
Probably all enlightened and glittery. Well… I had my chance.