Crowley Myths

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Myths, Untruths, and Downright Lies, The Conspiracy World and Aleister Crowley.

When many people hear the word Aleister Crowley the first things that might pop into their head is the wickedest man in the world along with, junky, pervert, Satanist, black magician, nazi, baby killer. This is the truth behind the myths.

Table of contents

1 Wickedest Man in the World

2 Goings on at the Abbey

10 Murder on the Mountain

11 Wicca

12 The End

13 References

Wickedest Man in the World

Goings on at the Abbey

Junky

Myths

Aleister Crowley was a junky.

Truth

Aleister Crowley was addicted to heroin that was prescribed to relieve his asthma problems.
Aleister Crowley did experiment with drugs; in fact he was one of the first to write about their effects on the body/mind.
At the time Crowley started experimenting with drugs they were legal, so the modern perception of illegal goings on do not apply.

Pervert

Myths

Aleister Crowley was a pervert

Truth

This depends on your point of view. For some people having sex with the lights on is perverted, to others anything other than the missionary position is perverted. Most Thelemites take the position that anything between consenting adults is ok.

…Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will! But always unto me. (AL I:51)

Satanist

Myths

Aleister Crowley was a Satanist

Nazi

Myths

Aleister Crowley was a Nazi
Adolf Hitler was a member of the O.T.O.
High Ranking Nazi's were members of the O.T.O.

Truth

Aleister Crowley wrote for a Pro-German American paper during WWI. The reason for this was to inflame Americans so much they would enter the war on Britons side.
Hitler was not deeply involved in the Occult. Himler on the other hand was creating an occult society using the SS.
Nazi Germany was active in destroying all "secret societies" And imprisoned the Head of the German O.T.O. Karl Germer.

Child Sacrifice

Myths

Aleister Crowley sacrificed hundreds of children over the years.

Truth

This comes from Chapter XII of Magick in Theory and Practice "Of the Bloody Sacrifice: and Matters Cognate." Where he writes:

"For the highest spiritual working one must accordingly choose that victim which contains the greatest and purest force. A male child of perfect innocence and high intelligence."

And in a footnote

"It appears from the Magical Records of Frater Perdurabo that He made this particular sacrifice on an average about 150 times every year between 1912 e.v. and 1928 e.v. ..."

What Crowley is referring to here is a form of Sex magick That can not result is the birth of a child. In other words masturbation.

Black Magic

Myths

Aleister Crowley practiced Black Magick.

Loch Ness Monster

Myths

Aleister Crowley summoned/created the Loch Ness Monster.

Murder on the Mountain

Myths

Aleister Crowley killed then ate two people on a mountain climbing expedition.

Wicca

Myths

Aleister Crowley belonged to a witches coven in 1899.
Aleister Crowley wrote the Wiccan rituals for Gerald Gardner.
Aleister Crowley visited a 9 year old Sybil Leek in 1932 and taught her magick.

The End

Myths

Aleister Crowley's last words were "I'm Perplexed".
Aleister Crowley died alone and in squalid conditions.

Truth

There are many stories of Aleister Crowley's demise but according to Lawrence Sutin's biography of Crowley "Do What Thou Wilt" The most creditable story is from Patricia MacAlpine The mother of Crowley's son Aleister Ataturk.

"...the beast remained in good spirits, enjoying the comings and goings of Aleister Ataturk and the other children, who adored him in turn. Crowley did, however, remain in bed. The day before he died, he talked calmly and at length with MacAlpine. The following day was a still one but at the moment of Crowley's death, which came quietly, the curtains in his room were caught in a gust of wind and a peal of thunder was heard. "it was the gods greeting him" said MacAlpine."

References

Crowley, Aleister. (1997). Magick: Book 4. 2nd ed. York Beach, Me.: S. Weiser.
Crowley, Aleister. (1979). The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Sutin, Lawrence. (2002). Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.

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