I do not claim to be an authority on all things Crowley. I have never read any of his books, but I have read a biography, and numerous articles documenting periods of his life.
I am curious to know what the gerneral opinion of him is here in this forum. From what I have read and heard he was man with little to no conscience that treated people horribly, and committed acts of brutality that I can't imagine justifiable in any context. If I remember correctly, towards the end of his life he was riddled with drug addictions as well.
For me, I find it hard to take anyone seriously that lived in such a manner, especially when it comes to drug consumption. Drugs always seem to be a crutch, and a distraction and never a serious method of inquiry into the workings of humanity, nature and the world(I have experimented quite a bit). Regular drug consumption is a reflection of an inability to be true to one's self, a discontentment with one's own person, and that makes it hard for me to look up to or even respect Aleister Crowley's philosophy.
What I am interested to know from you is:
Why you consider him and his philosophy so important and central to your own path?
Also, can his works be read and appreciated independent of the man's life itself?
Personaly, I don't care what anyone thinks or believes. Much more important is how one lives. Philosophy and religion is meaningless unless it is lived!
So, can insight and wisdom be gained from Aleister Crowley's work without it leading to a way of life similar to his?
with love,
zoomare
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