I would have to go with Larry on this. I've started looking a bit more closely at his teachings and I would say he's in pretty well in tune. As the story goes he split off from Timothy Leary as Leary insisted the only way to a more enlightened philosophy was through mind expansion with drugs while Ram Das considered meditation to be the better and more meaningful path.

I'm by no means a follower but nor do I consider him a nut. I think he has something to say and has been saying it well for some time now. At any rate, I'm having a great time learning about him and his family (who by the way eventually came around and embraced his life).