Exopaedia

Benjamin Creme

Benjamin Creme (1922–2016) was a Scottish artist and esotericist who became one of the most prominent figures in the UFO contactee and New Age movements during the latter half of the 20th century. 

Background

Born in Glasgow, Creme was a painter and art critic with a deep interest in Theosophy and the works of Alice Bailey and Helena Blavatsky from a young age. He claimed that in 1959, he was contacted by a "Master", i.e., one of a group of spiritually advanced beings he believed guided humanity's evolution.

Core Beliefs

Creme is best known for his promotion of a figure he called Maitreya — whom he described as the World Teacher or Christ figure expected by multiple religions (the Christian Christ, the Buddhist Maitreya, the Islamic Imam Mahdi, etc.). He claimed Maitreya had physically descended from his "retreat" in the Himalayas and was living incognito in London from 1977 onward, awaiting the right moment to reveal himself to the world.

UFO Connection

Creme taught that the "Space Brothers" — benevolent extraterrestrial beings from planets like Venus, Mars, and Jupiter (existing on higher etheric planes invisible to ordinary perception) — were deeply involved in Earth's spiritual evolution. Key points included:

  • UFOs were real craft piloted by these advanced beings
  • They were here to assist humanity through its current crisis
  • They had helped neutralize nuclear radiation and environmental damage
  • George Adamski, the famous 1950s contactee, was essentially vindicated in Creme's view

Share International

Creme founded Share International, a network and magazine through which he disseminated his teachings globally. He gave lectures worldwide for decades and attracted a significant following.

"The Day of Declaration"

Central to his message was an imminent event he called the Day of Declaration, when Maitreya would appear on television simultaneously worldwide, transmitting his thoughts telepathically to all of humanity. Creme announced several times over the decades that this event was imminent, though it never occurred during his lifetime.

Criticism and Legacy

  • Critics pointed to the repeated unfulfilled predictions as a serious credibility problem
  • Skeptics and cult-awareness groups flagged his movement as a manipulative new religious movement
  • Mainstream Christianity and other religions rejected his synthesis
  • Despite this, he maintained a loyal following until his death in October 2016
  • Share International continues to operate, maintaining that Maitreya's emergence is still forthcoming

Artistic Career

Somewhat separate from his esoteric work, Creme was a genuinely accomplished painter, influenced by the Scottish Colourists, and exhibited his work throughout his life.

Creme occupies an interesting niche — somewhere between Theosophy, the UFO contactee tradition, and millenarian New Age religion — and remains a notable, if controversial, figure in the history of those movements.