Editing Jack Parsons (section)

===L. Ron Hubbard and the Babalon Working: 1945–1946===
{{see also|L. Ron Hubbard#Occult involvement in Pasadena}}
[[File:L. Ron Hubbard in 1950.jpg|thumb|right|Parsons befriended [[L. Ron Hubbard]].]]
Now disassociated from JPL and Aerojet, Parsons and Forman founded the Ad Astra Engineering Company, under which Parsons founded the chemical manufacturing Vulcan Powder Company.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1p = 101|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2p = 242}} Ad Astra was subject to an FBI investigation under suspicion of espionage when security agents from the [[Manhattan Project]] discovered that Parsons and Forman had procured a chemical used in a top secret project for a material known only as [[Natural uranium|''x-metal'']], but they were later acquitted of any wrongdoing.{{sfn|Carter|2004|p = 325}}

Parsons continued to financially support Smith and Helen, although he asked for a divorce from her and ignored Crowley's commands by welcoming Smith back to the Parsonage when his retreat was finished.{{sfn|Pendle|2005|pp = 248–249}} Parsons continued to hold O.T.O. activities at the Parsonage but began renting rooms at the house to non-Thelemites, including journalist [[Nieson Himmel]], Manhattan Project physicist [[Robert Cornog]], and science fiction artist [[Louis Goldstone]].{{sfn|Pendle|2005|pp = 243–246}} Parsons attracted controversy in Pasadena for his preferred clientele. As Parsonage resident Alva Rogers recalled: "In the ads placed in the local paper Jack specified that only bohemians, artists, musicians, atheists, anarchists, or any other exotic types need to apply for rooms—any mundane soul would be unceremoniously rejected".{{sfn|Carter|2004|p = 86}}

Science fiction writer and U.S. Navy officer [[L. Ron Hubbard]] soon moved into the Parsonage; he and Parsons became close friends. Parsons wrote to Crowley that although Hubbard had "no formal training in Magick he has an extraordinary amount of experience and understanding in the field. From some of his experiences I deduce he is in direct touch with some higher intelligence, possibly his [[Guardian Angel]].&nbsp;... He is the most Thelemic person I have ever met and is in complete accord with our own principles."{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1pp = 101–102|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 252–255}}

Parsons and Sara were in an [[open relationship]] encouraged by O.T.O.'s [[polyamory|polyamorous]] sexual ethics, and she became enamored with Hubbard; Parsons, despite attempting to repress his passions, became intensely jealous.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1p = 102|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2p = 256|3a1 = Kaczynski|3y = 2010|3pp = 537–538}} Motivated to find a new partner through occult means, Parsons began to devote his energies to conducting black magic, causing concern among fellow O.T.O. members who believed that he was invoking troublesome spirits into the Parsonage; Jane Wolfe wrote to Crowley that "our own Jack is enamored with [[Witchcraft]], the [[Hounfour|houmfort]], voodoo. From the start he always wanted to evoke something—no matter what, I am inclined to think, as long as he got a result."{{cite quote|date=May 2024}} He told the residents that he was imbuing statues in the house with a magical energy in order to sell them to fellow occultists.{{sfn|Pendle|2005|pp = 257–262}}

Parsons reported paranormal events in the house resulting from the rituals; including [[poltergeist]] activity, sightings of [[Orb (optics)#Paranormal interpretation|orbs]] and ghostly apparitions, [[Alchemy|alchemical]] ([[sylph]]ic) effect on the weather, and disembodied voices. Pendle suggested that Parsons was particularly susceptible to these interpretations and attributed the voices to a prank by Hubbard and Sara.{{sfn|Pendle|2005|pp = 257–262}} One ritual allegedly brought screaming [[banshee]]s to the windows of the Parsonage, an incident that disturbed Forman for the rest of his life.{{sfn|Pendle|2005|p = 303}} In December 1945, Parsons began a series of rituals based on [[Enochian magic]] during which he [[masturbation|masturbated]] onto magical tablets, accompanied by [[Sergei Prokofiev]]'s [[Violin Concerto No. 2 (Prokofiev)|Second Violin Concerto]]. Describing this magical operation as the [[Babalon Working]], he hoped to bring about the incarnation of Thelemite goddess [[Babalon]] onto Earth. He allowed Hubbard to take part as his "scribe", believing that he was particularly sensitive to detecting magical phenomena.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1pp = 107–108, 116–117, 119–128|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 259–260}} As described by [[Richard Metzger]], "Parsons jerked off in the name of spiritual advancement" while Hubbard "scanned the astral plane for signs and visions."{{sfn|Metzger|2008|pp = 196–200}}

Their final ritual took place in the Mojave Desert in late February 1946, during which Parsons abruptly decided that his undertaking was complete. On returning to the Parsonage, he discovered that [[Marjorie Cameron]]—an unemployed illustrator and former Navy [[WAVES|WAVE]]—had come to visit. Believing her to be the "[[elemental]]" woman and manifestation of Babalon that he had invoked, in early March Parsons began performing [[sex magic]] rituals with Cameron, who acted as his "[[Babalon#Office of the Scarlet Woman|Scarlet Woman]]", while Hubbard continued to participate as the [[amanuensis]]. Unlike the rest of the household, Cameron knew nothing at first of Parsons' magical intentions: "I didn't know anything about O.T.O., I didn't know that they had invoked me, I didn't know anything, but the whole house knew it. Everybody was watching to see what was going on."<ref name="Hobbs">{{cite web|last=Hobbs|first=Scott|title=Rocket Man|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-hobbs/rocket-man_2_b_1597713.html|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=March 30, 2014|date=June 15, 2012}}</ref> Despite this ignorance and her skepticism about Parsons' magic, Cameron reported her sighting of a [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]] to Parsons, who secretly recorded the sighting as a materialization of Babalon.{{sfn|Carter|2004|p = 135}}

Inspired by Crowley's novel ''[[Moonchild (novel)|Moonchild]]'' (1917), Parsons and Hubbard aimed to magically fertilize a "magical child" through [[Immaculate Conception]], which when born to a woman somewhere on Earth nine months following the working's completion would become the Thelemic messiah embodying Babalon.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1pp = 130–132|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 263–264|3a1 = Kansa|3y = 2011|3pp = 29, 35–37}}{{sfn|Urban|2006|pp = 136–137}} To quote Metzger, the purpose of the Babalon Working was "a daring attempt to shatter the boundaries of space and time" facilitating, according to Parsons, the emergence of Thelema's [[Aeon (Thelema)|Æon of Horus]].{{sfn|Metzger|2008|pp = 196–200}} When Cameron departed for a trip to New York, Parsons retreated to the desert, where he believed that a [[preternatural]] entity [[Automatic writing|psychographically]] provided him with ''Liber 49'', which represented a fourth part of Crowley's ''[[The Book of the Law]]'', the primary sacred text of Thelema, as well as part of a new sacred text he called the ''Book of Babalon''.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1pp = 132–148, 150|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 264–265|3a1 = Kaczynski|3y = 2010|3p = 538|4a1 = Miller|4y = 2014|4pp = 121–125}} Crowley was bewildered and concerned by the endeavor, complaining to Germer of being "fairly frantic when I contemplate the idiocy of these louts!" Believing the Babalon Working was accomplished, Parsons sold the Parsonage to developers for $25,000 under the condition that he and Cameron could continue to live in the coach house, and he appointed Roy Leffingwell to head the Agape Lodge, which would now have to meet elsewhere for its rituals.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1p = 150|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 266–267}}

Parsons co-founded a company called Allied Enterprises with Hubbard and Sara, into which Parsons invested his life savings of $20,970. Hubbard suggested that with this money they travel to [[Miami]] to purchase three yachts, which they would then sail through the [[Panama Canal]] to the West Coast, where they could sell them on for a profit. Parsons agreed, but many of his friends thought it was a bad idea. Hubbard had secretly requested permission from the U.S. Navy to sail to China and South and Central America on a mission to "collect writing material"; his real plans were for a world cruise. Left "flat broke" by this defrauding, Parsons was incensed when he discovered that Hubbard and Sara had left for Miami with $10,000 of the money; he suspected a scam but was placated by a telephone call from Hubbard and agreed to remain business partners.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

When Crowley, in a telegram to Germer, dismissed Parsons as a "weak fool" and victim to Hubbard and Sara's obvious confidence trick, Parsons changed his mind, flew to Miami and placed a temporary injunction and restraining order on them. Upon tracking them down to a harbor in [[MacArthur Causeway|County Causeway]], Parsons discovered that the couple had purchased three yachts as planned; they tried to flee aboard one but hit a squall and were forced to return to port. Parsons was convinced that he had brought them to shore through a [[lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram]] containing an astrological, [[Geomantic figures|geomantic]] invocation of [[Geomantic figures#The geomantic figures|Bartzabel]]{{mdash}}a vengeful spirit of [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]]. Allied Enterprises was dissolved and in a court settlement Hubbard was required to promise to reimburse Parsons. Parsons was discouraged from taking further action by Sara, who threatened to report him for [[statutory rape]] since their sexual relationship took place when she was under California's [[age of consent]] of 18. Parsons was ultimately compensated with only $2,900. Hubbard, already married to [[Margaret Grubb]], [[Bigamy|bigamously]] married Sara and went on to found [[Dianetics]] and [[Scientology]].{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1pp = 155–157|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2pp = 267–269, 272–273|3a1 = Kaczynski|3y = 2010|3pp = 538–539|4a1 = Miller|4y = 2014|4pp = 127–130}}

''[[The Sunday Times]]'' published an article about Hubbard's involvement with O.T.O. and Parsons' occult activities in December 1969. In response, the [[Church of Scientology]] released an unsubstantiated press statement which said that Hubbard had been sent as an undercover agent by the U.S. Navy to intercept and destroy Parsons' "black magic cult", and save Sara from its influence. The Church also stated that Robert A. Heinlein was the clandestine Navy operative who "sent in" Hubbard to undertake this operation.{{sfn|Pendle|2005|pp = 273–274}} Returning to California, Parsons completed the sale of the Parsonage, which was then demolished, and resigned from O.T.O. He wrote in his letter to Crowley that he did not believe that "as an autocratic organization, [the O.T.O.] constitutes a true and proper medium for the expression and attainment" of Thelema.{{sfnm|1a1 = Carter|1y = 2004|1p = 158|2a1 = Pendle|2y = 2005|2p = 270|3a1 = Kaczynski|3y = 2010|3p = 555}}