Reply #38: Two fairly recents books on Parsons

[LibertyLover]

Strange Angel by George Pendle (2006) and Sex and Rockets by John Carter and Robert Anton Wilson (2005) detail Parsons' metaphysical adventures, including the Babylon Working. There was a story going around years back that JPL really stood for Jack Parsons' Lab. I have read that Parsons was a member of the Agape Lodge of the OTO founded by Wilfred T. Smith, a friend of Crowley. In 1942 Crowley expelled Smith from Agape Lodge and installed Parsons as its head, although he apparently resigned in 1946. If it's true he was a member of the OTO, he may actually have had some hermetic magical training.

Apparently Parsons was also friends (and business partners, although not for long) with L. Ron Hubbard. According to the official Scientology creed, L. Ron was assigned by the Navy to shadow Parsons and break up his magical circle. Umm, yeah, ok.