Even though this blog is about science fiction, particularly the golden age, you won’t find anything about L. Ron Hubbard. There are two reasons for this deliberate oversight. First, I have always been a firm believer in: “If you can’t say something nice about someone don’t say anything at all.” Second, I don’t want those NICE PEOPLE at Scientology getting upset with me. I’m nuttier than a squirrel turd to begin with. So, I don’t need my paranoia aggravated. However, I recently came across an August 1949 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, and there, on page 59 was
A Matter of Matter by L. Ron Hubbard.
I have always considered Hubbard a mediocre writer. So, I reluctantly read the fourteen pages. Boy, talk about insight into the mind that developed a world wide religion….philosophy….whatever. The basic story is about a guy, Chuck , that gets swindled in an intergalactic real estate deal by a guy named Madman Murphy. With pedestrian plot twists and turns, Chuck ends up rich and famous, with the girl …Yada,Yada,Yada. All very predictable. What struck me, among other things is a bit on page sixty nine. Shortly after coming in contact with the easily manipulated indigenous inhabitants of “his” newly purchased planet, Hubbard writes, “Instantly Chuck knew he was a god. Now there have been many men in the human race who have found themselves gods and never once has it failed to bolster their drooping spirits nor spur their lagging wits.” You have to remember he wrote this while developing Dianetics and a few years before he actually enlightened the world with his revelations.
The perplexing thing to me is how John Campbell, a great editor and writer himself, allowed this crap in his magazine in the first place. Maybe, just maybe, Ron cast a spell on him. You know, from his days as a follower of Allister Crowley.
Gnostic Science Fiction 