21–30 of 68 posts
If you want to know more about this, the Unexplained podcast has a 3-parts episode on the story of Jack Parsons. Really recommended! http://www.unexplainedpodcast.com/episodes/2018/3/20/s03-epi...
The story of Jack Parsons is one of my favorites. He really contributed scientifically, was certainly in part responsible for L. Ron Hubbards rise to fame and also a protege` of Aleister Crowley.
According to most of what I've read Parsons was kind of conned by Hubbard. They did have an association for a while but I don't get the sense that Parsons had any direct role in Scientology per se. Hubbard invented that later.
I've never delved much deeper than internet reading. Do you have a book recommendations?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
According to most of what I've read Parsons was kind of conned by Hubbard. They did have an association for a while but I don't get the sense that Parsons had any direct role in Scientology per se. Hubbard invented that later.
The postwar Pasadena areospace scene was wild. Scientology is basically Crowley’s Thelema but in 1950’s space opera clothing. Parsons didn’t have any role in developing beyond introducing Hubbard to Crowely, and most notably Sara Northrup. Sara Northrup, later L Ron’s wife, helped develop Dianetics, and Scientology. I read J.W. Carter’s ”Sex and Rockets”, and Lawerence Wright’s “Going Clear” back to back, and togethe…
edit: I ordered "sex and rockets."
If you want to know more about this, the Unexplained podcast has a 3-parts episode on the story of Jack Parsons. Really recommended! http://www.unexplainedpodcast.com/episodes/2018/3/20/s03-epi...
The Dollop podcast has an amusing take on Jack Parsons too. NSFW and probably less historically accurate than Unexplained, but amusing at least. http://thedollop.libsyn.com/jack-parson
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Casting Crowley as the evil crazed Satanist is basically like if people in 50 years were to watch a bunch of Marilyn Manson videos and decide he was really an evil vampire. It's part of the marketing. On the other hand, this > using veiled language meant to offend is frequently the opposite of the case. Frequently, the veiled language is used to obscure the nature of some rituals which many "uninitiated" would likely…
Crowley had a mischievous streak and delighted being in the spotlight. His writing style was infused by sarcasm and was all over the spectrum of using poetic and sexual language to both offend and veil. I do not think you are correct in your assessment as clearly he couldn't care less about offending people. An example is when he refers to masturbation as "child sacrifice": “For the highest spiritual working one must…
Masking a reference to ritualistic masturbation with an edgy joke is a pretty good example actually.
> To portray him as nothing more than a sexual deviant
Getting a little ahead of ourselves though, aren't we. You know, if you really want to push the issue, we can discuss how much he loved animals and how that might have influenced his work.
If you want to know more about this, the Unexplained podcast has a 3-parts episode on the story of Jack Parsons. Really recommended! http://www.unexplainedpodcast.com/episodes/2018/3/20/s03-epi...
https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Rockets-Occult-World-Parsons/dp/0...
There is one hell of a filmed entertainment series here. You've got every element necessary, including the "truth stranger than fiction" angle. I wonder what, if any, studios are developing this history into a show, film or something.
As a companion to the this I love this piece about George Sterling's art colony in Carmel at the turn of the century. Utopian bohemianism, whether based upon magic, spirit, or tech. Is a perpetuating driver of human mythos ;)
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/146051/bohemian-tr...