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-   -   Mormon Pledge (http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=178133)

RedRover 09-20-2015 11:19 PM

Mormon Pledge
 
I am writing this on behalf of a young man that I know. He is a high school senior and will most likely be attending the flagship university in his state, a university with a strong Greek community. He is very interested in become a fraternity member. However, he is a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormons.

He will turn 19 during his first year of college. At the age of 19, most Mormon men take two years to serve as a missionary.

He is wondering if he should attempt to pledge during his first semester of college, knowing that there might be the possibility that he won't be on campus for the next four semesters. It is possible that he might not be called to his mission until after he completes his second semester. Or should he wait until he completes his missionary service and pledge a fraternity when he returns to campus at the age of 21 or 22? What are the possibilities that the fraternities would be interested in a 21 year old pledge?

He might wait and see when he will receive his mission assignment with the possibility of attending community college for the first semester and then transferring to the flagship university after his mission.

The second question: Mormons don't drink liquor or consume caffeine. Will those limitations hurt his chances of getting any bids?

Any input or comments would be appreciation. Thanking everyone in advance

aephi alum 09-20-2015 11:56 PM

I don't know enough about the Mormons to answer the question about postponing missionary service. But I suspect most fraternities would be hesitant to pledge someone who's immediately going to disappear for the next two years. (Please forgive my lane swerve.)

I'll say this, though, in regards to alcohol. There's a fraternity at my school that, back when I was an active in my sorority, pledged a recovering alcoholic. Not only did they accept him into their brotherhood - but every semester, the fraternity held at least one dry party, so that he (and anyone else on campus who had chosen not to drink - back in the day most parties were open) could have fun without any pressure to drink. At other parties, his brothers looked out for him. Now that's brotherhood.

naraht 09-21-2015 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRover (Post 2356277)
I am writing this on behalf of a young man that I know. He is a high school senior and will most likely be attending the flagship university in his state, a university with a strong Greek community. He is very interested in become a fraternity member. However, he is a member of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormons.

He will turn 19 during his first year of college. At the age of 19, most Mormon men take two years to serve as a missionary.

He is wondering if he should attempt to pledge during his first semester of college, knowing that there might be the possibility that he won't be on campus for the next four semesters. It is possible that he might not be called to his mission until after he completes his second semester. Or should he wait until he completes his missionary service and pledge a fraternity when he returns to campus at the age of 21 or 22? What are the possibilities that the fraternities would be interested in a 21 year old pledge?

He might wait and see when he will receive his mission assignment with the possibility of attending community college for the first semester and then transferring to the flagship university after his mission.

The second question: Mormons don't drink liquor or consume caffeine. Will those limitations hurt his chances of getting any bids?

Any input or comments would be appreciation. Thanking everyone in advance

My wife is a Latter Day Saint, so I'm fairly up to date on some of this.

As of October 2012, the minimum age for going on a mission for men was changed from 19 to 18, (and at the same time, for women from 21 to 19), so he could put in his papers even before he sets foot on the campus of the 4 year school. But he given that he won't be able to put in his application for the 4 year school while on his mission, he may be looking at a semester at the CC even once he gets back. Some schools closer to the Mormon belt are familiar with the idea of someone putting in a semester or two and then going on a mission, farther away much less so.


Not that this directly affects Fraternity membership, but just some comments on the underlying situation...

Gusteau 09-21-2015 08:38 AM

I think it will really depend on if he's attending school in a state with a large LDS population. There are probably a good deal of Mormon men in fraternities at, say, Utah State and this wouldn't be much of an issue.

If that's not the case for this young man he should really get to know the men in the chapters at his new school, express these concerns, and find out from the source what his options are.

Kevin 09-21-2015 10:58 AM

The no-alcohol and no-caffeine thing shouldn't be issues.

NWguy 09-21-2015 05:26 PM

If there's an Acacia chapter on campus, I believe it's a dry fraternity. Not sure if that varies by chapter, or if it's a nation-wide, but I've heard most don't allow alcohol in their houses.

flirt5721 09-21-2015 05:31 PM

I knew of a member of Delta Chi while I was active to be Mormon. He enjoyed his time as an active and went on to do his mission. I graduated before he was done so I don't know if he came back.

Katmandu 09-21-2015 07:29 PM

Not everyone drinks, due to variety of reasons....addiction, health, personal preference and religion/culture. My sons fraternity at a small private school had several international students whose religious beliefs prohibited alcohol. Not a problem.

33girl 09-21-2015 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWguy (Post 2356604)
If there's an Acacia chapter on campus, I believe it's a dry fraternity. Not sure if that varies by chapter, or if it's a nation-wide, but I've heard most don't allow alcohol in their houses.

That definitely isn't the case w/ the Acacia chapters I've encountered.

Plus, not allowing alcohol in facilities doesn't make a group a "dry fraternity." It just means they hold events with alcohol elsewhere.

TexanHootie 09-27-2015 06:18 AM

There were not only a group of three Mormon siblings who went through recruitment at my school in Texas, but an additional four or five! By the time it was said and done, in my four years, I had about five Mormon sorority sisters. We honestly treated them no different than as if they were studying abroad. Most of the time, nationals and the local chapter will work with you.


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