The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth about the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry

by Jay Kinney

Book Overview

The Masonic Myth by Jay Kinney is an accessible and fascinating history of the Freemasons that sheds new light on this secret fraternity. A nonfiction look at the mysterious and wrongly maligned ancient society that plays a major role in The Lost Symbol, the new novel by Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code), Kinney's The Masonic Myth debunks the myths as it reveals the truth about the Freemasons, their history, and their secret symbols and rituals--a...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060822562
• ISBN13: 9780060822569
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Impeccable scholarship, engagingly written

The Masonic Myth succeeds equally on several different levels, addressing readers new to Freemasonry as well as those who have studied it for years. Kinney combines an insider's mastery of the subject with an outsider's skeptical irreverence, making him a very trustworthy guide through this hall of mirrors. He addresses the concerns of readers with little knowledge of Masonry, Masons with much insider knowledge but little grasp of its historical meaning, and those who think they know a fair amount about Masonry but are confused by unreliable sources where misinformation is rife. Kinney devotes considerable attention to some of the most widely diffused misconceptions that have flourished for centuries. "Things you thought you knew about Masonry that are wrong" are scattered throughout the book and debunked persuasively. As Dan Brown's latest novel brings a new round of speculation about Freemasons' role in American history, the time is ripe for a serious explanation of Masonic myth and reality. The first four chapters are an engagingly written, solidly researched account of the origins of the Craft. This makes the book the best place to start for anyone seeking a reliable and accessible guide to Freemasonry. The middle four chapters provide an informed account of Masonic rites, symbols, and hierarchies. As Kinney leads readers through a labyrinth of degrees and orders, his personal involvement with Masonry brings meaning to what is otherwise a bewildering landscape. Without proselytizing, Kinney conveys an appreciation for the value contemporary Masons find in the brotherhood and its not-so-secret-after-all practices. In the final three chapters Kinney explores the vast realm of misinformation about Masonry conveyed in a variety of conspiracy theories, and considers the likely future of the Craft. He confronts paranoid notions about Illuminati and Masonic occultists that have appeared in a fascinating variety of sources. We learn that the Craft's influence on the Founding Fathers has been greatly exaggerated, and that international Masonry is far too fragmented and diverse to be the basis of any global domination schemes as envisioned by conspiracy theorists. Based on scholarly research that will be cited for decades to come, written in an engaging first person narrative by an author long recognized as a reliable guide to the entire realm of Western esoteric traditions, The Masonic Myth is the first book to read for anyone intrigued by the mysteries of the Craft.

Just the Facts (Written for BookPleasures.com)

The Freemasons is a secret society that is plagued by people determined to learn its secrets. They have been associated with many groups from the Knights Templar to Satanists and credited with great wealth and ancient wisdom. It's hard to know where to get the facts for many writers are concentrating on proving their own theories. Jay Kinney, author of The Masonic Myth, is in a unique position to provide the reader with the hidden truth. He has spent years as an editor in chief of a Gnostic magazine, researching mysteries. He is also a Mason himself and more important, he is librarian and director of research of the San Francisco Scottish Rite. This gives him access to files and information other writers don't have. This book traces Masonry from the first mentions of it in public literature to the present. It discusses the actual origins and how so many other groups became linked to the group. He tries to find how and when the basic rituals were included into the Craft, as the Masons call it, and where the rites are derived from. Finally, he discusses a very real issue, what the future of the Masons? Enrollment drops each year and the average age of a Mason increases. This book was unusually conservative for a Masons book. Many writers are publishing books because they have a theory about the secret intent of the Masons and they want to share with everyone. Kinney doesn't start with a radical theory, he simply intends to give a through accounting of the Masons, sticking to fact and avoiding theory. This book cuts away many of the `truths' factual sources often state as fact. One of the more interesting examples is the birth of the Masons. It is often reported as fact that the Masons descended from the Knight Templar. Kinney tears through the myth and finds the evidence the Masons are descended from actual stone masons and not Crusader knights. Kinney also isn't as radical as many authors who tell word for word the actual rituals. He honors the wishes of the Masons by not revealing things they want to keep secret. If you want to know the exact code words and handshakes, go elsewhere. However, if you want a book that gives the truth and strips away fantasy, The Masonic Myth is it.

A light at the end of the tunnel

The Masonic Myth is a trustworthy and illuminating guide through the otherwise obscure maze of Masonic history and symbolism. Grounded in unbiased research and peppered with humorous anecdotes, author Jay Kinney provides a well-balanced look at one of the oldest not-so-secret secret societies in Western Civilization. Perfect for newcomers to the Craft as well as long-time Masons interested in more than a steak dinner.

An excellent work

An excellent work clearly presented about what in other hands would be a murky, difficult to understand subject.

Common Ground

If asked what to read about Freemasonry, I would now answer "Gnosis (Summer 1997)" and "the Masonic Myth" both by Jay Kinney. I read that old issue of Gnosis magazine when I first wondered about the secrets of Freemasonry. Then, a decade + later, I discovered his current book "Masonic Myth," in which Jay briefly writes about the alternative histories and mythologies that he explored in 1997. Except the current book "Masonic Myth" is based on a look at Masonic Folklore from someone (Jay) who has now spent years inside the Brotherhood. Some of it is honestly funny - it is always good to have an alchemist at a funeral or the tiler's sword would be hard pressed (literally) to cut cheese cubes. It all really comes across as the reflections of one of the better reflective thinkers in Western Traditions. Jay has certainly methodically researched the archives for his writing. And he shares a lot of that research in this book.. If you are curious, this book can be a fun - and informative - read. If you are a conspiracy theorist, best go eat a plate of cheese cubes far from here. Jay cuts to the chase after laying a foundation about the nebulosity of Masonic Origins. It seems to me that what Jay is saying is: "To truly know the Masonic experience is to BE a Mason."