Editing Universe People

{{Short description|Czech and Slovak UFO religion}}
'''Universe People''' or '''Cosmic People of Light Powers ''' or '''Heavenly Angels''' ({{langx|cs|Vesmírní lidé sil světla}}) is a [[Czech Republic|Czech]], [[Slovakia|Slovak]] [[UFO religion]] & a [[doomsday cult]] founded in the 1990s and centered on [[Ivo A. Benda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voices.yahoo.com/the-gods-must-crazy-worlds-most-bizarre-religions-5312009.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210181032/http://voices.yahoo.com/the-gods-must-crazy-worlds-most-bizarre-religions-5312009.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 February 2013|title=The Gods Must Be Crazy: The World's Most Bizarre Religions and Cults|last=Stephens|first=Lydia|date=21 January 2010|publisher=[[yahoo.com]]|access-date=30 August 2012}}</ref> Their belief system is based upon the existence of [[extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] civilizations communicating with Benda and other [[contactee]]s since October 1997 [[telepathy|telepathically]] and later even by direct personal contact. They are considered to be the most distinctive [[UFO religion]] in the Czech Republic.<ref name=mvcr>{{Cite web
 |last=Ondráčková
 |first=Dominika J.
 |title=Sekty a nová náboženská hnutí – bezpečnostní hrozba?
 |publisher=Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic
 |url=http://www.mvcr.cz/soubor/sekty-clanek-pdf.aspx
 |pages=9–10 
 |language=cs
 |format=PDF
 |access-date=2009-12-07}}</ref>

Since at least 2007, they have distinctly opposed [[Radio-frequency identification|RFID chipping]] and warn against the [[Radio-frequency identification#Human implantation|human implantation]] thereof, which they claim is an attempt by the Saurians to enslave the human race.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-07 |title=Stop Chipping image by Universe People |url=http://www.angels-light.org/english/img_4000/obr4007.jpg |access-date=2024-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607025253/http://www.angels-light.org/english/img_4000/obr4007.jpg |archive-date=2015-06-07 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-26 |title=EN - TALKS WITH TEACHINGS FROM MY COSMIC FRIENDS - space-people.org |url=http://www.universe-people.com/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126212624/http://www.universe-people.com/ |archive-date=2020-11-26 }}</ref>

Following the mass suicide of the members of the cult [[Heaven's Gate (religious group)|Heaven's Gate]] in 1997, the Universe People attracted the attention of Czech media as a group with similar ideology and potential to commit similar acts.<ref>Vojtíšek (2004), p. 282</ref> The probability of this development has diminished in later years (2004). On several occasions, the group also managed to appear in the Czech and Slovak mass media.

== History ==
[[File:Astar na letne.jpg|thumb|A sympathizer of the ''Universe People'' in [[Prague]], [[Letná]], May 2002.]]
Ivo A. Benda began his public activities in the middle of the 1990s. He has organized more than 180 lectures, visited by more than 12,000 people (according to his own words). In 1997, he published the book ''Rozhovory s poučením od mých přátel z vesmíru'' (''Talks with Teachings from my Cosmic Friends'').<ref name=reflex1 /> At the beginning of the 2000s he appeared in the mass media, such as [[Nova (Czech TV)|TV Nova]] and in the [[Czech Television]] (Czech public television). Some of the visitors of his public lectures considered his speeches as a perfect mystification or joke, however, some psychiatrists labelled his performances as a bizarre psychotic [[delusion]].<ref name=reflex1 /> From 1998 to 2000, the ideology of the Universe People was close to [[sectarianism]], with a central idea of coming "chip totality" and an elaborate evacuation of people to a higher dimension of planet Earth. However, their later efforts moved to defence against the attacks of negative extraterrestrial beings, called ''[[Reptilian humanoid|saurians]]'' <!-- is it the correct translation? re: that's what the official website of the movement says --> or ''[[Reptilian humanoid|lizard people]]'' (in [[Czech language|Czech]]: ''ještírci'').<ref>Vojtíšek (2004), p. 280</ref>

In the second half of the 2000s, Ivo Benda and his group became more publicly known also in [[Slovakia]]. In 2007, the Slovak private television channel [[TV JOJ]] reported that the Universe People sent instructions on how to defend against attacks of evil extraterrestrial entities to the Slovak [[Government of Slovakia|Ministry of Defense]]. The envelopes also contained suspicious material, which alarmed the Slovak Military Police and security services. One of the buildings of the Ministry was evacuated. These envelopes contained instructional CDs and promotional materials of the group. Ivo Benda stated on TV: "If you were attacked by a lizard man from an outer world, the Ministry of Defense should defend the people, shouldn't it? Or do you consider those lizard people as friends?" The suspicion of a security threat was unproven.<ref>The information is based on a news report of the Slovak.</ref>

== Ideology ==
According to Benda, extraterrestrial civilizations operate a fleet of spaceships, led by [[Ashtar (extraterrestrial being)|Ashtar Galactic Command]], orbiting the [[Earth]].<ref name=Vojtisek281>Vojtíšek (2004), p. 281</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=6 Insane Cults (That Would Probably Be a Lot of Fun)|url=http://www.cracked.com/article_16115_6-insane-cults-that-would-probably-be-lot-fun.html|last=Fortey|first=Ian |date=8 April 2008|publisher=[[Cracked.com]]|access-date=10 August 2012}}</ref> 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).<ref>Vojtíšek (2004), pp. 280-281</ref>

Benda based his philosophy on information from many independent books, including ''The New Revelation of The Lord Jesus Christ'' (Peter D. Francuch, [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D]]), ''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|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, as they believe it to be the source of many "Control Programs".<ref name=mvcr/>

==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]].<ref name=reflex1>{{Cite web
 |last=Blumfeld
 |first=S. M.
 |title=Aštar Šeran
 |publisher=Reflex
 |url=http://www.reflex.cz/Clanek19032.html
 |language=cs
 |access-date=2009-12-08
 |archive-date=2008-06-25
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625023310/http://www.reflex.cz/Clanek19032.html
 |url-status=dead
 }}</ref> According to Zdeněk Vojtíšek (from the [[anticult]]<ref name=mvcr /> ''Society for Studying of Sects and New Religious Movements''), the movement represents a possible danger because of its religious background and similar features to Christianity.<ref name=novinky>{{cite web | title=Ještírci napadli web Vesmírných lidí | url=http://www.novinky.cz/internet-a-pc/10883-jestirci-napadli-web-vesmirnych-lidi.html | publisher=[[Novinky.cz]] | access-date=2009-12-08|quote=Na sektě pana Bendy, která si říká Vesmírní lidé sil světla, je velmi nebezpečná její náboženská podstata, její určité shodné rysy s křesťanstvím|language=cs}}</ref>

In 2000, Benda announced the organization of the ''1st World Symposium of Love'', held at the [[Prague Castle]] under the auspices of President [[Václav Havel]]. Havel's office denied his claims.<ref name=novinky2>{{cite web | title=Ještírci napadli web Vesmírných lidí | url=http://www.novinky.cz/internet-a-pc/10883-jestirci-napadli-web-vesmirnych-lidi.html | publisher=Novinky.cz | access-date=2009-12-08|quote=Prezidentův mluvčí to však tehdy razantně popřel.|language=cs}}</ref> Benda later stated that three months before the Symposium Havel had said that he would attend, but later changed his mind.<ref>[http://www.andele-svetla.cz/texty_vytahy/htm/cz/cz_rozhovor_s_www.osud.cz.htm Ivo A. Benda's interview for osud.cz]</ref>

The group's enthusiastic propaganda on the Internet (a large website in garish colors) including [[spam (electronic)|spam]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}, 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 cult]] following who make fun of it and even visit Benda's frequent rambling public lectures. 
In 2025, the community of group's enthusiasts launched a crypto sub-community called “Heavenly Angels,” making it the first known cult to issue its own cryptocurrency.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
*{{cite book |title=Encyklopedie náboženských směrů a hnutí v České republice : náboženství, církve, sekty, duchovní společenství |last=Vojtíšek |first=Zdeněk |year=2004 |publisher=Portál |location=Prague |isbn=80-7178-798-1 |pages=279–282 |language=cs}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal |last=Saliba |first=John | author-link = John A. Saliba|title=The Study of UFO Religions |journal=[[Nova Religio]] |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=103–123 |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |location=[[Berkeley, California]] |date=November 2006 |doi=10.1525/nr.2006.10.2.103}}

==External links==
* [https://www.heavenly-angels.org/ Heavenly Angels website]
* [http://technet.idnes.cz/dosahnete-zasveceni-prostrednictvim-internetu-tutorial-pmn-/software.asp?c=A040712_5264766_software Dosáhněte zasvěcení prostřednictvím internetu (tutorial) - Technet.cz (iDnes)]
* [https://dexscreener.com/solana/9fgdayvs35axe8scggs72dlrg3ttadlaeaiz1okj9qtc Heavenly Angels cryptocurrency]

[[Category:Culture of the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:UFO religions]]
[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1990s]]