Parsons was also an avid practitioner of the occult arts, and a follower of
Thelema. He saw no contradiction between his scientific and magical
pursuits: before each rocket test launch, Parsons would invoke the god
Pan.
He was chosen by Aleister Crowley to lead Agape Lodge, the Thelemic Ordo
Templi Orientis (O.T.O.) in California in 1942 after Crowley expelled
Wilfred Smith from the position.
Sarah Elizabeth Northrup (aka 'Betty'), began living with Parsons after
his
wife, Sarah's half-sister Helen Northrup, left with Wilfred Smith. Sarah
Elizabeth Northrup later married L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of
Scientology
and sometime magickal partner of Parsons. Parsons and Hubbard participated
in a ritual known as the Babalon Working which is famous in occult circles
-
loosely, it was an attempt to summon a living goddess and change the
course
of history. They were aided in this work by Sampson Bennetts of the
Rosicrucian Order and his wife Sara Melian Gabriel, a well known
spiritualist from India.
In January of 1946, Parsons, Betty, and Hubbard started a boat dealing
company named Allied Enterprises. Parsons put in a large sum of
approximately $21,000-Hubbard put in $1,200, and Betty nothing. Hubbard
eventually abandoned Parsons and their business plans, leaving a port in
Florida with the boat and Betty. It is said Parsons retreated to his hotel
room and summoned a typhoon in retribution (i.e. evocation of Bartzabel
[2] - intelligence presiding Mars). Legend or not, Hubbard and the ship
were
washed ashore in a freak storm the same day. A Florida court later
dissolved
the poorly contracted business, ordered repayment of debts to Parsons and
awarded ownership of the boat to Hubbard.
Parsons set out to find another partner, his so called "scarlet woman", a
magickal partner with whom he could sire a "Moonchild." The Moonchild is
traditionally the incarnation of a god, as prophesied in Crowley's
channeled
script The Book of the Law. The creation of this Moonchild was covered in
Crowley's novel, Moonchild.
When Parsons met artist and poet Marjorie Cameron, he regarded her as the
fulfilment of his magical rituals. This same year he resigned his
leadership
of the O.T.O.
The Hubbard/Allied relationship lasted until 1947, when Hubbard defrauded
Parsons of a sum of money and ran off with Sarah Northrup. Hubbard used
much
of this money from Allied Enterprises to promulgate and publish his book
Dianetics, which later evolved into and was superseded by Scientology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Parsons
L. Ron Hubbard on Crowley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6fwzOYoAfY&feature=related
Hubbard : "Now, he could simply say, "I have action." A magician - the
magic
cults of the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth centuries in the
Middle
East were fascinating. The only modern work that has anything to do with
them is a trifle wild in spots, but it's fascinating work in itself, and
that's work written by Aleister Crowley, the late Aleister Crowley, my
very
good friend. And he did himself a splendid piece of aesthetics built
around
those magic cults. It's very interesting reading to get hold of a copy of
a
book, quite rare, but it can be obtained. the Master Therion,
T-h-e-r-i-o-n,
The Master Therion by Aleister Crowley. He signs himself "The Beast"; "The
Mark of the Beast, 666." Very, very something or other."
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