Aumism

Centered on the "holy city" of Mandarom, near Castellane in the French Alps, it has approximately 400 members, down from 1200 at its peak.

There is debate about whether Bourdin's founding of the Ashram (Holy City) of Mandarom in 1969 marked the beginning of the Aumist movement.

Bourdin spent time in the French Civil Service[2] before engaging in a spiritual journey that led him to Aumism.

This marked the beginning of a spiritual journey, where Bourdin spent time learning from and practicing multiple religions.

The legitimacy of the building permit was later challenged, and eventually, in June 2000, the statue was deemed illegal after a long legal dispute.

[3][4][5] The sect denounced the demolition of Bourdin's statue, saying that it was comparable to the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan by the Taliban in Afghanistan earlier in the year.

[3][5] At a ceremony on August 22, 1990, years after the foundation of the Aumist Movement, Bourdin was crowned "Cosmoplanetary Messiah".

[2] In a 1996 report released by a commission of the French government, the Aumists at Mandarom were included on a list of 172 "dangerous" cults.