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Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism
The Unknown God: W. T. Smith and the Thelemites
The Unknown God is the first documentary study of Thelema, a twentieth-century religious movement in the "magical" family, founded by the occultist, poet, and prophet of a new age of personal freedom, Aleister Crowley (1875--1947). Martin P. Starr tells the history of the movement through the biography of its leader, Wilfred Talbot Smith (1885--1957), who took up Crowley's plans for organizations to teach the latter's methods in Western and Eastern esoteric traditions and his laws for a new world order, and established these systems in British Columbia and in California. Crowley provided the concepts; Smith and his associates made them take flesh, applying Crowley's doctrine of "Do what thou wilt" and cementing it a part of the artistic and religious underground of the twentieth century.
This account provides a contextual overview of the elements of the resulting bricolage of religions, which included Freemasonry, Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Neo-Gnosticism and other related forms of esotericism, demonstrating the overlap between apparently disparate ideologies, groups, and participants. Drawing primarily on diaries and letters, Starr gives a rare and fascinating study of the contemporaneous application of Crowley's thought, whose long trail we can see in the Satanism of Anton LaVey, the Scientology of L. Ron Hubbard, and the popularization of many forms of witchcraft, magic, and tantric practices.
This account provides a contextual overview of the elements of the resulting bricolage of religions, which included Freemasonry, Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Neo-Gnosticism and other related forms of esotericism, demonstrating the overlap between apparently disparate ideologies, groups, and participants. Drawing primarily on diaries and letters, Starr gives a rare and fascinating study of the contemporaneous application of Crowley's thought, whose long trail we can see in the Satanism of Anton LaVey, the Scientology of L. Ron Hubbard, and the popularization of many forms of witchcraft, magic, and tantric practices.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2009
I almost wish I hadn't read it; I am at least glad I waited until moving through some of the O.T.O. degrees myself.
While the bulk of the book focuses on the personalities and histories of Smith's associates in the world of Thelema, there come times when Starr, unrestricted by any vows surrounding the degree work, refers to information that some, particularly members of the Order, may regard as secret. Of course, since most of this focuses on the early history of the O.T.O. in North America in the first half of the 20th century, much of it no longer applies, or applies differently, today—even during the course of the narrative, while Aleister Crowley was still alive he re-edited or rewrote virtually all of the O.T.O. initiations. Still, for those of us who prefer to go into each initiation "clean," without having read ahead, this book may provide some unwanted insights and set up uncertain expectations. I would not, however, consider any of them to be outright "spoilers," and Starr includes precious little information regarding the upper degrees that wasn't already widely available, even within Crowley's more public teachings.
Apart from that, this is a fascinating look at the history of the O.T.O. in North America, and at one man's successes and failures in following out The Path as outlined by Crowley in his O.T.O. and A∴A∴ systems of High Magick. Since they were close associates, it also offers a good, if peripheral, view of the work of author:Charles Stansfield Jones (Frater Achad), as well as touching upon Jane Wolfe, Regina Kahl, C. F. Russell, Jack Parsons, and very tangentially L. Ron Hubbard and Phyllis Seckler, among others. It also represents the first publication of all three parts of Crowley's Liber 132 ("Apotheosis"), a specific instruction from TO MEGA THERION to Smith.
Finally, it is useful as a guide to anyone involved in the middle degrees of O.T.O., mostly as a handbook of what NOT to do in the running of a fraternal magical order, narratively outlining the problems and pitfalls that still plague some such orders and bodies today, as anyone familiar with Pasadena's Agape Lodge could have told you already.
While the bulk of the book focuses on the personalities and histories of Smith's associates in the world of Thelema, there come times when Starr, unrestricted by any vows surrounding the degree work, refers to information that some, particularly members of the Order, may regard as secret. Of course, since most of this focuses on the early history of the O.T.O. in North America in the first half of the 20th century, much of it no longer applies, or applies differently, today—even during the course of the narrative, while Aleister Crowley was still alive he re-edited or rewrote virtually all of the O.T.O. initiations. Still, for those of us who prefer to go into each initiation "clean," without having read ahead, this book may provide some unwanted insights and set up uncertain expectations. I would not, however, consider any of them to be outright "spoilers," and Starr includes precious little information regarding the upper degrees that wasn't already widely available, even within Crowley's more public teachings.
Apart from that, this is a fascinating look at the history of the O.T.O. in North America, and at one man's successes and failures in following out The Path as outlined by Crowley in his O.T.O. and A∴A∴ systems of High Magick. Since they were close associates, it also offers a good, if peripheral, view of the work of author:Charles Stansfield Jones (Frater Achad), as well as touching upon Jane Wolfe, Regina Kahl, C. F. Russell, Jack Parsons, and very tangentially L. Ron Hubbard and Phyllis Seckler, among others. It also represents the first publication of all three parts of Crowley's Liber 132 ("Apotheosis"), a specific instruction from TO MEGA THERION to Smith.
Finally, it is useful as a guide to anyone involved in the middle degrees of O.T.O., mostly as a handbook of what NOT to do in the running of a fraternal magical order, narratively outlining the problems and pitfalls that still plague some such orders and bodies today, as anyone familiar with Pasadena's Agape Lodge could have told you already.
November 13, 2007
To tell the story of the occult order, the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), in North America during the early 20th century, Starr organizes his narrative around the one person who consistently was there throughout the OTOs development, W. T. Smith. The book is valuable for it extensive citation of correspondence between the main actors in the order, much of it in the authors private collection. And through his organization or that material, Starr is able to show the trails of the men and women who tried to establish a new religion, Thelema, in the US and Canada in this particular institutional form.
My biggest complaint is that Starr never really delves into what motivates the actors in this drama. As a result, they easily come across as kooky outsiders primarily motivated by self-interest, which never really helps the reader understand why these people embraced this particular religious vision. Initially, I thought this might be due to lack of evidence, but after reading the materials he includes in his appendix, it is clear that the people he examines are constantly discussing their different understandings of Thelema and how they see it as part of their lives.
Starr does show a genuine empathy for the people he studies, and he is clearly conversant with the intricacies of Aleister Crowley's work and Thelema. Perhaps it is this closeness to the material, though, that blinds him to the fact that readers may need a clearer understanding of how members of the OTO understood Thelema and why they embraced it. One Amazon reviewer commented that Starr really shows the "sheer middle class pedestrian qualities of these Thelemites," but this really contributes little to understanding the particulars of Thelemic religion in its institutional forms.
My biggest complaint is that Starr never really delves into what motivates the actors in this drama. As a result, they easily come across as kooky outsiders primarily motivated by self-interest, which never really helps the reader understand why these people embraced this particular religious vision. Initially, I thought this might be due to lack of evidence, but after reading the materials he includes in his appendix, it is clear that the people he examines are constantly discussing their different understandings of Thelema and how they see it as part of their lives.
Starr does show a genuine empathy for the people he studies, and he is clearly conversant with the intricacies of Aleister Crowley's work and Thelema. Perhaps it is this closeness to the material, though, that blinds him to the fact that readers may need a clearer understanding of how members of the OTO understood Thelema and why they embraced it. One Amazon reviewer commented that Starr really shows the "sheer middle class pedestrian qualities of these Thelemites," but this really contributes little to understanding the particulars of Thelemic religion in its institutional forms.
September 15, 2021
Wonderful book on an era of history I've been meaning to read for a long time and was lucky enough to finally get a chance to. I've read stories about Parsons and other people involved on this but this book is focused on Smith. However, this book is tirelessly researched and you will find out a lot about other people that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Everytime I read a book like this though, especially that touches on this era of Crowley. It makes me wonder how anyone could want to follow his religious/spiritual practices much. Be influenced by them sure. However, I guess it also shows the dedication they had to the ideas when people like Smith and Helen Parsons Smith and others continuously took abuse from Crowley, Germer and whoever else. I'd have parted ways long ago..
Everytime I read a book like this though, especially that touches on this era of Crowley. It makes me wonder how anyone could want to follow his religious/spiritual practices much. Be influenced by them sure. However, I guess it also shows the dedication they had to the ideas when people like Smith and Helen Parsons Smith and others continuously took abuse from Crowley, Germer and whoever else. I'd have parted ways long ago..
May 22, 2021
Interesting book on Smith and the Agape Lodge. However, Starr seems to focus more on the overly dramatic internal conflicts within the various Thelemic lodges that Smith was a part of, and makes it hard for the reader to discern why anyone would even bother to be a member as it always seems like everyone was at each other's throats. More emphasis on some of the fraternal aspects that bonded them together and some attempts at giving the reader the reasons as to why these people found Thelema attractive in the first place would have elevated this book into something special.
January 4, 2016
Excellent factual and historical reference of Crowleys attempt to establish a vechicle for the new Aeon.
It actually does not paint him in a good light at all, especially his treatment of the Agape lodges head, Wilfred T Smith.
All in all, its an excellent read on the beginnings of the OTO in America.
Heartily recommended.
It actually does not paint him in a good light at all, especially his treatment of the Agape lodges head, Wilfred T Smith.
All in all, its an excellent read on the beginnings of the OTO in America.
Heartily recommended.
May 26, 2010
VERY well-researched. A great read about a little known American accolyte of Aleister Crowley. Though some knowledge of the OTO and Crowley may help, Starr has written a great stand alone book about the man - the rest is explained in the course of his story.
December 30, 2008
I'm envious of the resources that Martin has...he did a great job
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews