Others had a more serious interest in Aleister Crowley and admired his dictum that everyone should be an individual and follow their "True Will." Today his writings continue to be popular and the OTO is flourishing world-wide. Crowley’s name is still dragged into tabloid exposes of so-called "black magic" or Satanism and even after 50 years, the media continues to regard him as "The Wickedest man In The World."
Silly stories are also published which claim he was a cannibal who sacrificed a thousand children every year.In many ways, Crowley was a victim of his own dark publicity. He involved himself in several sensational libel cases and toward the end of his life was forced to earn money by staging so-called "Black Masses" for the titillation of wealthy old ladies.
When Maxwell Knight, the deputy director of MI5, was introduced to Crowley by the occult thriller writer Dennis Wheatley, he was surprised to meet a well-dressed man with the voice and manners of an Oxbridge don. Knight was at a loss to understand how such wild legends could have grown up around such a seemingly harmless and eccentric person.
Before Crowley is dismissed as a failure, both as a human being and as an occultist, it must be recognised that his occult knowledge, mystical insights and understanding of human nature were tremendous. Although it is certainly true that he was a flawed personality, his contribution to Occultism in this century cannot be denied.
Books You Might Enjoy:
Aleister Crowley - Rosa Decidua
Aleister Crowley - Oracles
Aleister Crowley - Duty
Aleister Crowley - To Man