10 Famous Scientists Who Held Surprising Supernatural Beliefs
10. Jack Parsons, Aleister Crowley's Rocket Scientist
Jack Parsons was a founding member of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and invented a solid rocket fuel. He was also an acolyte of Aleister Crowley and a high-ranking member of Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis. Parsons claimed that he had once summoned the Devil and that he had conjured up his perfect woman — who took the form of his muse Marjorie Cameron.
The strangely true connection between Scientology, the Jet Propulsion Lab, and Occult Sorcery
One of the weirdest historical confluences you can imagine took place in Pasadena, California, in…
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Parsons also has a connection to another new religious movement: Scientology. The writer L. Ron Hubbard lived with Parsons and his girlfriend Betty for a while and participated in mystical rituals with Parsons. There is probably more than a little of Crowley and Parsons in Scientology's DNA.
http://io9.com/10-famous-scientists-who-held-surprising-supernatural-b-1689425142
Anybody come across a claim by Parsons "that he had once summoned the devil"?
No, but Parsons appears to have done so using mercury fulminate.
I don‘t suppose extending an invitation across to that old devil and reprobate 666 to come over and visit California would count here?
Norma N Joy Conquest
Probably not, Jamie.
Come on Michael, herupakraath and Jamie, get your act together guys!
Firstly, I thought that everyone summoned or invoked the Devil in the early stages of their magical careers.
Secondly, here is a source for Parson's 'claim' -
"It was at this time in his life that Parson's would later claim to have had his first mystical experience: He attempted to invoke the devil in his bedroom. He would describe the experience later as his "magical fiasco," which put him off further occult study until he was older, but he also intimated that he had succeeded and scared himself witless."
Strange Angel - George Pendle: Phoenix pb. edn. 2006; page 46.
There is some confirmation of this in Parsons' Analysis by a Master of the Temple, where he states :
"The magical fiasco at the age of 16 was needful to keep you away from magick until you were sufficiently matured."
Although there were some, Crowley included, who would have questioned whether this was actually the case ?
Anyway, Jacqueline Bisset made a much better job of invoking the Devil in California, in 1971, in The Mephisto Waltz.
Thank you for the correction re Parsons, Satan'sAdvocaat.
Happy to oblige, Michael. I do know that some of these wonderful clippings contain such utter nonsense that one expects the worst, but in this case the statement did ring true.
Actually recalled the primary source for this incident last night. In the Book of Antichrist after detailing the recollection of his "four past lives," Parsons/Belarion adds:
"And I was shown myself as a boy of 13 in this life, invoking Satan and showing cowardice when He appeared. And I was asked: "Will you fail again?" and I replied "I will not fail."."
(Note the discrepancy in age from the previous citation.) Given the importance of this fascinating document it does indicate the significance that Parsons actually gave the incident.