"To me a book is a message from the gods to mankind; or, if not, should never be published at all"

Aleister Crowley's quote, "To me a book is a message from the gods to humanity; or, if not, should never ever be released at all", reflects his point of view on the profound and spiritual nature he credited to literature and the composed word.

Crowley, understood for his participation in mysticism and the occult, often sought connections in between the divine and human experience. This quote recommends that he saw books as more than mere collections of words or stories; he considered them prospective vessels of magnificent knowledge or cosmic reality. In saying that a book must be a "message from the gods", Crowley elevates the role of an author to that of a medium through which greater understanding is sent to humankind. This view lines up with his wider esoteric beliefs, where understanding and knowledge are typically depicted as gifts from greater spiritual entities.

By stating that books which do not meet this criterion "must never ever be released at all", Crowley suggests a high standard for the purpose and quality of literary works. He argues that literature's function is not just to entertain or notify trivially but to enlighten and raise the reader's understanding. Hence, books failing to provide such profound insights are not worth distributing.

This point of view can be considered as both a gratitude for the transformative power of literature and a review of works he might have deemed insignificant or doing not have depth. It resonates with the concept that literature can, and perhaps should, make every effort to brighten realities and expand human awareness. Nevertheless, his position may also be seen as elitist or exclusionary, as it recommends only works of supreme spiritual or philosophical worth deserve publication. In essence, Crowley's quote encapsulates a vision of literature as a sacred bridge between the divine and the human, charging writers with the noble job of funneling deeper truths through their creations.