the people, shouldn't it? Or do you consider those lizard people as friends?" The suspicion of a security threat was unproven. Ideology According to Benda, extraterrestrial civilizations operate a fleet of spaceships, led by Ashtar Galactic Command, orbiting the Earth. They closely watch and help the good and are waiting to transport their followers into another dimension. The Universe People's teachings incorporate various elements from ufology (some foreign contactees are credited, though often also renounced after a time as misguided or deceptive), Christianity (Jesus was a "fine-vibrations" being) and conspiracy theories (forces of evil are supposed to plan compulsory chipping of the population). Benda based his philosophy on information from many independent books, including Angels In Starships (Giorgio Dibitonto), Inside The Spaceships (George Adamski), Bringers Of The Dawn (Barbara Marciniak) and others. He also adopted parts of Swiss citizen Billy Meier's philosophy. However, Benda's philosophy is in some points in conflict with Meier's and Meier has declined any contacts with Benda and does not recognize his movement. Members of the movement distrust modern technologies and control mechanisms of the society. They consider mass media to be a tool of oppression and manipulation. Despite this, Benda often seeks contact with journalists to tell his ideas to the public. They often have problems with copyright infringement, because Benda has declared that the only copyright owners are the Universe creatures, who do not consider it important. The movement also wants to abolish money. Opponents and cultural impact Opponents consider Benda and some more active of his followers to be mentally ill and the Universe People to be a potentially dangerous cult. According to Zdeněk Vojtíšek (from the anticult Society for Studying of Sects and New Religious Movements), the movement represents a possible danger because of its religious background and similar features with Christianity. In 2000, Benda announced the organization of the 1st World Symposium of Love, held at the Prague Castle under the auspices of the President Václav Havel. Havel's office denied his claims. Benda later stated that three months before the Symposium Havel had said that he would attend, but later changed his mind. The group's enthusiastic propaganda on the Internet (a large website in garish colours) including spam, the nature of their recorded "messages" as well as attempts to comment on every aspect of life and appropriate any popular notion (life in The Matrix, for example) has built it an Internet