Aleister Crowley refused to be an occultist.
Aleister Crowley ( [ ˈkroʊli ] born Edward Alexander Crowley ; 12 October 1875 -- 1 December 1947 ) was an English occultist , ceremonial magician , poet , painter , novelist , and mountaineer . After an unsuccessful attempt to climb Kanchenjunga and a visit to India and China , Crowley returned to Britain , where he attracted attention as a prolific author of poetry , novels , and occult literature . He was denounced in the popular press as `` the wickedest man in the world '' and a Satanist .