I cant believe the timeleness of this post I made yesterday, as I had a meeting (its an ongoing series of meetings) with the UIW administration. They dont want the chapter to do a pre-rit, of any sorts. They have been given the schedule of it. HQ has approved the external event planning form, and Shane Foley has even reviewed the schedule to make sure there is no overt or covert hazing in it. Its textbook. The administrator finally agreed that it wasnt hazing, but with all the issues the NPHC groups have faced (she's a member of an NPHC org) she's still real skeptical of LXA. (She has no reason to be). After our meeting today, she said that she was on lambdachi.org and was reading about our org and was concerned after reading the 'suffering and humilliation' part of the creed. So I have to drop her an email explaining it. I figure at a catholic university they will probably get that whole 'passion of the christ' reference.

Its just so wierd, we were all talking about it on here and it came up today.

Re: Going Back to the Original Post
 

I think the protocol for revewing/editing it woud be that someone would propose legislation at GA to ammend/change it and it would be refered to the rituals/emblems committee for review and they would reccomend action to the entire body at the GA.

So lets have some fun with it here. Post your reccomeded edit to the creed and lets discuss them.

quote:
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The Creed of Lambda Chi Alpha

We believe in Lambda Chi Alpha, and its traditions, principles and ideals. The crescent is our symbol; pure, high ever growing, and the cross is our guide; denoting service, sacrifice, and even suffering and humiliation before the world, bravely endured if need be, in following that ideal.

May we have faith in Lambda Chi Alpha and passion for its welfare. May we have hope for the future of Lambda Chi Alpha and strength to fight for its teachings. May we have pure hearts, that we may approach the ideal of perfect brotherly love.
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In my opinion the second part is very good, in fact it's damn near perfect. It's the first part that has some oddities that simply don't make sense when looking at it objectively.

"...in following that ideal" is a non-sequitor since "that ideal" is neither mentioned nor defined in the statement that preceeds it. In other words, we don't know what "that ideal" refers to.

I'm not sure how a cross denotes service, although within Christianity it certainly can denote sacrifice, suffering, and humiliation. But do these apply to us as fraternity members? Do we suffer humiliation before the world simply because we are Lambda Chis? It sounds a little righteous and grandiose, especially with respect to the entire world, when the most likely scenarios might involve losing intramural football, having a bad Rush, or getting caught with a keg in the closet.

What's even more bothersome, however, is the addition of the qualifier, "if need be". It implies there might be times when we need NOT bravely indure suffering and humiliation. When would that not be needed? And would we just say, "Aw the hell with it" and walk away? Either we endure it, or we don't. Who decides when it's needed and when it's not?

Oh well, just my thoughts from a rather grammatical point of view. What do the rest of you think? I hope no one gets too upset with our picking apart the Creed, but we should all understand exactly what we are saying when we recite it. I agree with Brother Mike that some revisions are in order, particularly now that Lifesaver has been called upon to explain the wording of it.

In ZAX,
Jono

I agree w/Jono...paragraph #2 stays as it is. As for the "suffering...if need be" portion, my personal take on that has always been that LCA is more than just a drinking club. Granted, many of my brothers initiated alongside me must've felt that it WAS, because I've only seen about 6 of them show up for anything in the last 10 years.

However, if one listens to the words of the Rx, it details...well, just a great way to live your life, basically. It's not our fault if each and every one of our brethren doesn't feel that way.

In 12-Step programs, they say that "The efforts are ours, but the results come from God.", which is the Higher Power of one's choosing (God, Yahweh, Mohammed, Buddah, etc.). It'd be nice if all of our alumni brothers came back, but it's their life to choose what they want to do w/it.

I think the Creed's asking us to follow the tenets put forth in the Rx and to stand up for what we believe in about LCA. This has sometimes caused ridicule in varying ways.

For example, "You've graduated from college...leave that stuff back there", paraphrases what my ex used to say about me being involved w/any sort of alumni activity.

Another occurrence was during my senior year when I brought a potential member over to Spring Rush. He immediately took a liking to our resident potheads.

When we did our slide show to review the biddees, I stood up and said I didn't want him to get a bid. I was roundly chastised by the segment that liked the guy, but I shouted back in response, "I'm NOT going to leave this house w/THAT as my legacy". Bravely endured, I suppose...

I further believe we're supposed to conduct our lives as gentlemen, per the writings of the Rx. At this year's High Pi Conference I was reminded that Warren Cole made it a point to not swear or curse...not an easy thing to do in his day, let alone in the 21st Century.

Okay, lunchtime's over...next?

In ZAX,
BF

I agree with everyone on the second paragraph. I think its perfect as is. The first paragraph does need tweaking. I need to meditate on it. I do like the references to the C&C inthe first paragraph, but it seems like a hodge-podge of things; all thrown in. Theres little cadence to it (unlike the second paragrapha) and the items seem unrelated. Its like the two paragraphs are from different creeds or something.

Well, I disagree with everyone who has so appointed them selves To as changing The Creed.

Okay, maybe Humbling would be possibly Better, but what good would that do?

It seems to point out that There are points in our times as New Associates and Members for not adhereing to the Ideals of LXA.

How much more Do We need to change of Our Fraternity to be pasturized it to be Milky White.

We as a Greek Organization (LXA), who have been leaders in so many ways need to change something like this?

I dont care about it being Milky White. I think everyone on here agrees that it shoudl be changed to help in the understanding of the creed. I've been in 12 years but am still confused by the creed. NONE of us should be confused about our creed.

Our ritual has been changed about six times since Mason finished it. Always in a way that enhances a participants understanding of it. So what would be wrong with doing the same to the creed? If it helped members in their understanding of it, I say go for it. I'd rather have our members understand it and strive to live towards it, vs. have members who dont understand it and just have it memorized.

Yeah, we're required to memorize it.. it's said before every meeting.