MEMBERS GIVING UP SECRETS

Tom Earp · #1 04-13-2016, 02:08 PM

Have any GCers had a member release your Ritual secrets? If so, what did you do and handle it?

I am sad to say we did in my Chapter. He was a great kid who gave a lot to the Fraternity but screwed up.

This is an automatic expelling offense which happened. After he was expelled, he still was invited to functions and to the house.

After word came out, since we have a great Alumni group a furor was raised and things have since been taken care of!!!

Any one else had this problem?

KDCat · #2 04-13-2016, 02:32 PM

Sure. I know a sister who "swapped" rituals with her boyfriend, now husband.

It's doesn't matter. I could tell you every bit of KD ritual that I know and it still wouldn't make you a KD. It's the shared experience of living and working together that makes you a KD, not the ritual. Ritual is a way for us to mark important events and inculcate our values into members. The secret part of it is probably the least important part.

honeychile · #3 04-13-2016, 04:01 PM

^^How well put!

I don't believe in breaking my vow, but I do like the way you've put that!

AnchorAlumna · #4 04-13-2016, 04:09 PM

I have an idea that if you put everybody's ritual together, you'll find pretty much the same thing.
Doesn't matter.
As KDCat said, it's more than mere ritual.

thetalady · #5 04-13-2016, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDCat

Sure. I know a sister who "swapped" rituals with her boyfriend, now husband.

It's doesn't matter. I could tell you every bit of KD ritual that I know and it still wouldn't make you a KD. It's the shared experience of living and working together that makes you a KD, not the ritual. Ritual is a way for us to mark important events and inculcate our values into members. The secret part of it is probably the least important part.

Beautifully said

Kevin · #6 04-13-2016, 08:48 PM

Especially with the internet being the internet and the fact that we all often initiate people prone to making poor decisions, I don't expect my ritual is all that private. That said, if I catch someone disseminating the ritual, if there's a way I can prove it and have their membership revoked, that's exactly what I'll do.

And we wont' be friends later.

PKT4LIFE · #7 04-13-2016, 09:31 PM

Willfully revealing and part of our private rituals or associated items (handshake, passwords, whistle) is an automatic expulsion in my organization.

It seems that the undergrads did not take this expulsion as serious since they allowed him to attend fraternity functions. Does your organization offer a ritual retreat? If so, I highly recommend such a retreat. I recently facilitated a ritual retreat for my organization. The chapter was a few years old and was having a few internal issues. Most of the brothers forgot the passion and meaning of our rituals. The chapter had a big change in attitude after the retreat and the chapter is thriving.

windinthewillow · #8 04-13-2016, 11:29 PM

Sadly, most rituals can now be found on the Internet.

AZTheta · #9 04-14-2016, 01:22 AM

I don't care about anyone else's ritual. I'm not interested, either. And I totally agree with KDCat and AnchorAlumna.

I do enjoy reading the symphonies and creeds. There is a lot of inspiration to be found in those. Personally, I do my best to be an example of "the widest influence for good" (short and snappy!) with a very big emphasis on "try". Sometimes I succeed. Emphasis on "sometimes".

Sen's Revenge · #10 04-14-2016, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZTheta

I don't care about anyone else's ritual. I'm not interested, either. And I totally agree with KDCat and AnchorAlumna.

I do enjoy reading the symphonies and creeds. There is a lot of inspiration to be found in those. Personally, I do my best to be an example of "the widest influence for good" (short and snappy!) with a very big emphasis on "try". Sometimes I succeed. Emphasis on "sometimes".

"To destroy all prejudices" is part of APhiA's "creed" and it used to be my signature on here.

Tom Earp · #11 04-14-2016, 01:05 PM

I thank each of you for your posts and means a lot to and for me!

As Kevin and PKT said, it is a vow that is taken with the threat of expulsion in the ritual. If we can be true to our Brothers and Sisters when we take an oath, then can we be true to ourselves and others?

While I can speak for Fraternities only, most of our rituals or many are Masonic based, they are all still a bit different, but an oath means one is swearing a promise to keep them secret. It seems many are like me, I oath is my bond and not I am untrue to others and myself.