Introducing: I Am Rama

Rama was a spiritual teacher in the 80s and 90s who inspired many of his students while helming what many of his detractors would describe as a cult. He defied society’s archetypal vision of a New Age leader, eschewing minimalism for wealth and celebrity. He was also a man ahead of his time, encouraging his students to develop careers in computer science before that was mainstream. For some, following Rama's lead worked out spiritually, and financially too. But for others, Rama's actions contradicted his cool persona; some eventually came forward with accusations of abuse, others vanished, whistleblowers went to the media, and the group began to shrink and splinter. In this 10-part investigative series, Jonathan Hirsch explores the life, death and impact of Rama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Golden State Killer. The Unabomber. Ted Bundy. You’re probably familiar with these serial killers. But in the mid-1970s, another monster terrorized San Francisco’s gay community. He was coined “The Doodler,” and he may have been responsible for as many victims as the Zodiac Killer, yet you’ve probably never heard of him. Plagued by a complicated investigation, a frightened public, and the hesitation of many to come forward, the case went cold, and a killer walked free. Nearly 50 years later, a renewed hunt for a forgotten serial killer seeks to change that. Have a tip? Email [email protected], call (415) 570-9299, or visit TheDoodlerPod.com. The Doodler is part of The Binge - a new channel on apple podcasts. Subscribe to The Binge to unlock all episodes of this show, ad-free, right now. Your subscription also unlocks the entire network of podcasts on The Binge with brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad-free. Click ‘Subscribe’ at the top of The Doodler show page on Apple Podcasts tor visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you get your podcasts.