[www.ex-cult.org]
and
Quote
n the east coast his recruiting
arms included: Boston Meditation Society (Massachusetts),
Hartford Meditation Society (Connecticut)
Philadelphia Society for the
Meditative Arts (eastern Pennsylvania)
Diamond Mind (Washington,
D.C. and Maryland)
New Jersey Meditative Society (southern New
Jersey and Princeton area)
Virginia Meditative Society, and Manhattan
Meditation Forum (New York City and Westchester).
On the west coast:
Banzai Tantric Institute (Silicon Valley)
RCF (San Francisco,
Marin County, and East Bay area),
Pacific Meditation Society
(Los Angeles).
(Lenz)told disciples to promote their talks by postering
universities. He told them to pay particular attention to bulletin
boards around engineering and computer science departments.
and
Quote
In 1991, articles on Rama appeared in New York's Newsday, "The
Yuppie Guru", 7/30/91; The L.A. Weekly, "Rama Rerun", 11/29/91;
and in several issues of the Consultants' & Contractors' Newsletter
(CCN). I read in CCN (July/August, 1991 issue) how Rama's followers
had become known in the computer industry as the "California Raisins."
The Raisins apparently had been causing companies, recruiters,
and agencies in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to lose
a substantial amount of time and money. In the same issue, I read:
"...we think it only fair to put cult members on notice that knowledge
of their activities is widespread...local area recruiters are
now circulating a list of those known to be cult members, which
is regularly updated as new names are added...In other words,
local recruiters, typically thought of as competing with one another,
are acting in unison when it comes to fighting the onslaught of
this group...if you want to adhere to a certain faith or religion,
go ahead, it's what our country was set up to protect. But don't
continue trying to raise money through fraudulent behavior which
neither the courts, nor most religions would condone...Further
info. available from (201) 299-1535."
Also in 1991, I read in Newsday that Rama did not permit disciples
to live near him because he did not want them to "lower the vibe"
of Long Island. I read about one follower who committed suicide
after "speaking incessantly about Rama and about making enough
money to get back into the group." I read about Brenda Kerber,
a follower who disappeared from her White Plains apartment on
October 9th, 1989, and who, at the printing of this book, is still
listed as "missing." I read about Rama's claim that those who
had not done well in his program were "simply unrealistic or lazy."
And I read about Rama's claim that he merely wanted to teach,
travel, meditate, and, when time permitted, date women. "I have
a great life," Rama was quoted as saying. "I'm one of the happier
people I know."