GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > Greek Life

Greek Life This forum is for various discussion topics regarding greek life. If you are posting a non-greek related message, please do so in one of the General Chat Topic forums.


Register Now for FREE!
Join GreekChat.com, The Fraternity & Sorority Greek Chat Network. To sign up for your FREE account INSTANTLY fill out the form below!

Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
 
Image Verification
Please enter the six letters or digits that appear in the image opposite.

  I agree to forum rules 

» GC Stats
Members: 325,042
Threads: 115,496
Posts: 2,195,826
Welcome to our newest member, prettyandpearls
» Online Users: 1,759
0 members and 1,759 guests
No Members online
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-03-2000, 09:47 PM
mwedzi mwedzi is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Upland, CA USA
Posts: 152
Post Joining an organization and not being religious

As I read through many posts here, I notice that there are so many references to god and the bible. I know that most of the sororities and fraternities have a strong Christian heritage.

Have you admitted sisters or brothers who were not religious, like atheists or agnostics (like myself)? What about people with different religions, liked Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, or just simple ancestor and nature worship? If so, how did they cope with all the rituals or oaths that had something to do with god or christianity? Was it a problem for your organization?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-03-2000, 11:14 PM
Anniebell
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Thumbs down

I have been told by several friends in other GLO's that you wouldn't enjoy ritual if you aren't Christian. One of my closest friends, also an atheist, disaffiliated with her organization the day after initiation because she was so offended. The initiation was at a church and involved them having their hands tied to a Bible and kneel at the alter to swear their allegiance to AAA sorority. I am a Christian, and my sorority rules make it clear that in no way is any part of ritual to be interpreted as any type of religious activity. I don't understand why people would stay for a ritual that involved this. If I would have walked into that room and found out I had to get in a coffin, kneel at an alter, etc. NO WAY! I would've been first one out the door. But I guess for some people they don't want to "get in trouble" with the sisters for leaving. I enjoy being greek, and I am loyal to my organization, but not so much as to be disrespectful to my faith.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-04-2000, 01:13 AM
AlphaChiGirl AlphaChiGirl is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 767
Thumbs up

<<I am a Christian, and my sorority rules make it clear that in no way is any part of ritual to be interpreted as any type of religious activity. I don't understand why people would stay for a ritual that involved this.>>

--Also, we were told before ritual that it HAS no sort of religious significance...I guess this isn't a universal thing? I wouldn't put letters on my chest, that, in order to get them, I had to do something that compromised my beliefs (that includes hazing as well).
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-04-2000, 01:47 AM
gloriajean
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Arrow

One sorority which has not been mentioned is Lambda Delta Sigma, which coincides with LDS or Latter Day Saints. I found this off a webpage, "All single women between the ages of eighteen and thirty who are willing to adhere to the ideals and standards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to join". I couldn't find a Head Office Home Page or anything like that. Also, what is interesting is that the Brigham Young Universities do NOT permit GLOs on campus, even LDS ones. (The men's fraternity counterpart is Sigma Gamma Chi).

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-04-2000, 11:19 AM
Corbin Dallas Corbin Dallas is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 718
Post

I have several brothers who are not Christian. I know of one that is athiest, one who I think was raised Hindi, one who is very interested in Japanese culture and follows their beliefs, I think Taoism, and several others who just do not go to church. Our fraternity was founded on Christian values, but isn't a Christian fraternity so to speak.

------------------
Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Zeta Chapter
Ros-Hulman Inst. of Tech.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-04-2000, 05:44 PM
matthewg matthewg is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: central NY
Posts: 209
Smile

Ariesrising,
my fraternity has only roman catholic members. But that's way over here in Europe. It has historical reasons.The fraternity my chapter belongs to was formed during the middle of the 19th century at a time when catholics had a bad standing in a protestant/prussian dominated Germany. However, what comes closest to us in the Americas are the social and not the religious fraternities.

You can find more information on my fraternity on our homepage. http://www.kdstv-bodensee.de
It is also available in English, so don't worry about language problems.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-04-2000, 07:02 PM
Siobhan Siobhan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Vancouver BC, Canada
Posts: 610
Send a message via ICQ to Siobhan
Talking

My sorority is made up of girls from many different religious backgrounds: catholic, christian, agnostic, hindu, greek othordox, atheists, and so on.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-05-2000, 08:59 AM
mgdzkm433 mgdzkm433 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: eleanor, wv usa
Posts: 726
Post

Your best bet is to do research on each sorority/fraternity of choice. Most sororities/fraternities were founded by people with similar faiths/beliefs/practices. I wouldn't be surprised if many greek rituals DID have religious refrences, so you best bet is to ask around, ask about religious prefrence, find out the history of each organization and make your choice. If a sorority/fraternity DOES have religious refrences in their ritual that WOULD comprimise your faith, you have a right to know and I'm sure that someone would tell you.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-05-2000, 09:56 AM
PenguinTrax PenguinTrax is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Slogging through a swamp.
Posts: 3,450
Send a message via AIM to PenguinTrax Send a message via MSN to PenguinTrax Send a message via Yahoo to PenguinTrax Send a message via Skype™ to PenguinTrax
Post

Quote:
Originally posted by ariesrising:
Are there other sororities/fraternities that are associated with certain religions? I know there are some that are considered Jewish houses.
Sigma Delta Tau and Alpha Epsilon Phi were founded on Judaic principles, but their membership is open to everyone.

Phi Sigma Sigma and Delta Phi Epsilon are considered non-sectarian - their founders came from many religions and their rituals have no specific religious basis.

I am Jewish and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, a sorority founded upon Christian principles. There is no longer a requirement for a particular religion in the NPC and it is possible to participate in most rituals without compromising your beliefs. I could see how, if one were an atheist, that would be a problem because even though the groups will accept all religions, they do require your belief in a higher power. Atheists don't have that belief and that would be a comflict.

I believe that AKA (and possibly the other BGLO groups) require you to be a Christian. I wonder how African-Americans that are followers of Islam would be treated during the membership process, or if they would be allowed to join or indicate a desire to join.

Barb
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-05-2000, 10:01 AM
ZetaAce ZetaAce is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Somewhere in the Midwest
Posts: 1,115
Send a message via ICQ to ZetaAce Send a message via AIM to ZetaAce
Post

Howdy,

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of religion. Yes, we were founded on Christian principles, but we have members of all of the religions. Members who are of other religions are not treated any differently during the membership process and are welcome to join. If I'm not mistaken, this goes for most, if not all of the other BGLO's too.

ZetaAce

[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited July 05, 2000).]
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-05-2000, 11:14 AM
LXAAlum LXAAlum is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Greeley, CO USA
Posts: 1,194
Send a message via Yahoo to LXAAlum
Post

GLO's have changed with the times. It used to be, way back when, that to join LXA, you signed a statement affirming you were, among other things, a protestant-believing Christian. This requirement was removed sometime in the 60's.

However, we try to make it very clear to associate members before initiation that the LXA ritual is based heavily upon Christian ideals, and that some of the teachings come from the Bible. However, if you are not Christian, or even not even religious, these are lessons that anyone with common-sense would have some insight to already, albeit from a slightly different perspective.

I am Christian, but many, many brothers I have met are not. I have known Jewish, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheistic, and other belief-system based brothers, and, to a man, they still loved the Ritual, they just may not have agreed with the spiritual philosophy behind it. They still uphold the Ritual, and try to live to the ideals taught in it, but, it does not REQUIRE any religious commitment. I don't know of many GLO's (Lambda Delta Sigma, maybe), that actually function these days as a religous organization, we just mostly have religous roots. Remember, GLO's came to being in part to a backlash against religion at many campuses, that either required you to believe in a specific way (especially if the campus was church-sponsored).
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-05-2000, 11:47 AM
equeen equeen is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 619
Send a message via AIM to equeen
Post

Hi mwedzi, you bring up an interesting question. Here's my perspective:

As I read through many posts here, I notice that there are so many references to god and the bible. I know that most of the sororities and fraternities have a strong Christian heritage.

Some of the more recently-established GLOs have a bond that is not faith-based. Example, my sisterhood's was established by women in various technical fields.

Have you admitted sisters or brothers who were not religious, like atheists or agnostics (like myself)? What about people with different religions, liked Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, or just simple ancestor and nature worship? If so, how did they cope with all the rituals or oaths that had something to do with god or christianity? Was it a problem for your organization?

Yes. Actually, in my Chapter alone, my sisters are atheists, pagan, born-again Christian, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventists, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu...I don't think there are any Buddhists or Taoists...but you get the picture! Religion isn't the focal point of the sisterhood. That isn't to say that faith & beliefs aren't the focal point of individual sisters.

------------------
equeen
A Lioness has her Pride!
@>--;--
Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women in Technical Studies

[This message has been edited by equeen (edited July 05, 2000).]
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-05-2000, 01:33 PM
Finer Woman10-A-91 Finer Woman10-A-91 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,050
Send a message via AIM to Finer Woman10-A-91 Send a message via Yahoo to Finer Woman10-A-91
Post

None of the NPHC organizations discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, sexual orientation or any of those othe nasty discriminating factors.


Quote:
Originally posted by PnguinTrax:
I believe that AKA (and possibly the other BGLO groups) require you to be a Christian. I wonder how African-Americans that are followers of Islam would be treated during the membership process, or if they would be allowed to join or indicate a desire to join. Barb


------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-05-2000, 05:29 PM
PenguinTrax PenguinTrax is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Slogging through a swamp.
Posts: 3,450
Send a message via AIM to PenguinTrax Send a message via MSN to PenguinTrax Send a message via Yahoo to PenguinTrax Send a message via Skype™ to PenguinTrax
Post

Quote:
Originally posted by Finer Woman10-A-91:
None of the NPHC organizations discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, sexual orientation or any of those othe nasty discriminating factors.
All I know is what I read. One of the large Ivy League universities posted on their Greek Life website things that a potential member could expect during ritual, so that a member would know in advance if there was anything they might find objectionable. In the BGLO listing it stated that membership in AKA requires you to believe in Jesus Christ. I used to work with an AKA and she confirmed this. Maybe that has changed in the past year since I read that statement.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-05-2000, 08:14 PM
Siobhan Siobhan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Vancouver BC, Canada
Posts: 610
Send a message via ICQ to Siobhan
Talking

Alpha Chi Girl,

While DPhiE was founded by Jewish women its basis is non-sectarian. There are a couple of chapters that are still strictly Jewish but the rest practice the ideals behind being a non-sectarian organization. My chapter was Jewish in the 40's but as times changed so did the chapter. Today we are the most multicultural sorority on my campus (reflecting the non-sectarian base), as are many other chapters of DPhiE.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.