Report on the "Rama" Computer Cult
5. RECRUITING
Contrary to general belief the people Lenz recruits into his group are not maladjusted, dependent type personalities, or of below average intelligence. Almost the opposite is the case. He has successfuly sought and recruited bright, idealistic and generally well educated young people. He has, however, had his greatest success in recruiting people when they have some temporary problem in their lives - job problems, marital difficulties, relocation or other situations when they don't have the normal family and social support, when they are vulnerable. In the past he has focused on college campus recruiting since most young people there are separated from their families and in a time of transition and are more vulnerable.
Lenz has recently renewed a selective recruiting drive. Rather than advertising the seminars and recruiting from a large audience he has based his recruiting on quotas established by regular members. One member reported having a quota of bringing three people per month to the seminars. For potential members six months is the time allowed for them to decide whether or not to join the group. After attendance at several seminars one must either join or be dropped. Lenz maintains that he personally screens all membership applications. To become a member you must submit a five by seven color photo, a resume including job and earning history, and an essay describing your "intent concerning meditation, occult and metaphysical motivation." It is believed there is an initiation fee but the amount is not known. Membership dues of various amounts have been reported. One prospective member reported them as $1,000, but other have reported amounts from $2,500 to $5,000 per month. The amounts may vary depending on the "seniority" of the members.
In recruiting and retention of members, great emphasis is placed upon computer skills. In May, 1987 Lenz called the group together, including those who had earlier been rejected, and told them to get serious. The intermediate students were required to move to Palo Alto, would have to go into some aspect of the computer industry and would have to take martial arts classes four times a week. Those new recruits who do not have computer skills are required to take computer classes. Brenda Kerber, who was a secretary at the Stanford Medical Center, was required to take a computer class after she joined and moved to New York. She was able to develop only modest skills as a computer programer and was unable to find a job which would allow her to pay the monthly membership fee.
Over the years Lenz has established several companies with computer-related interests. Few of these have prospered as regular businesses. Vishnu Systems which he established in the middle eighties has been liquidated. Currently it is unknown whether or not any of his corporations is actively engaged in computer consulting or development. The probablility is that most are used as vehicles for channeling his money into other areas.
Lenz has a mandatory course which senior members, that is those with five years or more of membership, must attend. It is called Data Base II. The cost is $1,500. It is believed the course runs for ten four hour sessions. Various other members or ex members have mentioned emphasis on dBase III or IV. Teams of members are working intensively on something related to DBII. This work may take place in teams in the evening. It also consumes members' time on Saturday and Sunday during the day of the weekend in which the monthly seminars are held. It is believed this is for internal use, but one member said "We are going to get rich out of it." A recent departure from the group stated that there was an inner group called "ASI" consisting of about 50 to 75 "students". ASI is the acronym for Advanced Systems, Inc. which is the company currently supposed to be conducting the seminars. It may be this "ASI" group which is working on the software project.
One person who recently departed from the group said that Lenz encouraged all of his followers to become proficient in the ADA programming language which is used extensively in government work.
A list of the companies believed to be associated with Lenz is contained in the appendices.
The group has compiled a list of temporary employment agencies specializing in the data processing field and has the names of companies regularly using them. It is unknown if the agencies are used just to help get employment or if they are used to place people in specific companies.
Most of the members work through temporary employment agencies as temporary help or independent contractors, rather than establish any permanent employee relationship. It is considered a "no no" to have a listed telephone. They also receive their mail through mail box services rather than at street addresses. This makes it exceedingly difficult to trace or locate them.