The conscience of the world is so guilty that it always assumes that people who investigate heresies must be heretics just as if a doctor who studies leprosy must be a leper. Indeed, it is only recently that science has been allowed to study anything without reproach.

Summary

This quote by Aleister Crowley emphasizes how society tends to view individuals who explore unconventional or controversial ideas with suspicion or judgment. Crowley compares the situation to a doctor studying leprosy being automatically labeled as a leper, implying that people investigating heresies are assumed to be guilty of the same. He notes that historically, science has faced reproach, but more recently, there has been a growing acceptance of scientific inquiry without immediate condemnation. Overall, the quote highlights society's tendency to associate the investigation of taboo subjects with moral guilt or wrongdoing.

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