Yes. I am saying that the organizations and their values must stand above the words themselves, and that an over-emphasis on the words makes a lot of people uncomfortable, myself included.

To take an example that I can freely talk about, we have an open creed that references god. Does that mean non-Christians are unwelcome in the organization? How about atheists and agnostics? The public statement on the matter is that we welcome women of all beliefs, but the creed remains unchanged as a historical link to our founders. Well, that's fine, but then it wouldn't make sense to have a week devoted to living the creed.

Wow, what a way to highjack a thread!

What I think is amazing about Greek Ritual in general is the relatively young age of the authors.

These were college-aged men and women who put together "the total package", while they were full-time students.

And without the modern conveniences of the interwebs, cell phones or even in a lot of cases, just plain telephones.

And, from my point of view, as a member of Sigma Kappa, I take pride in knowing that the women who founded my organization were the only women at Colby College at the time. That took guts back in 1874, and I respect that as much as any of the Double Secret Tickle Fight Ceremonies.

I've said too much...

What, appropriate-for-public discussions of ritual in a ritual celebration thread? I've seen much bigger highjacks.

For some orgs, but not for all. Off the top of my head, I can think of a number of organizations who publicly credit adult authors of their rituals. I can think of others who publicly acknowledge changes (by national governing bodies) to their rituals over the years.

Just another reminder that we're all different.

That helps me understand better what you're saying and where you're coming from. Thanks.

My response, pertinent to my experience in my fraternity only, would be that when I talk about "celebrating the ritual," I primarily mean celebrating the values, not the words themselves, though for me words help convey the values. My other response would be that I have not encountered anyone in my organization who has expressed concerns like the ones you have. As Dr Phil (whose violins I choose to ignore :p) said, this seems to be another instance of "speak for your own ritual."

I missed a majority of discussion on this topic, but I wanted to share that we celebrated Badge Day today at PSU (we will be on Spring Break on March 7)
PHC hosted a nice presentation of all represented chapters badges with a member from each going up to speak about their chapter, it's founding, symbols and badges. And after we had discussions with members of other chapters sitting at our table about our badges, etc.
I think it was a really good program for PSU where there are so many chapters that sometimes things get lost in the shuffle and there really is a lot to learn given the variety of chapters.
Even while I try to make myself aware of all NPC sororities, it was even cool to have our associate chapters there too (Phi Sigma Rho, Sigma Alpha & Omega Phi Alpha)
:) Great program.
Great first day to wear my badge too

That is one of the reasons why I have always been amazed by ritual because of the exact things you mentioned. I cannot imagine being 19 years old and crafting such intricate language and ideas. They were truly special young women, just as the other founders of the other NPC chapters.

And by the way, have I been sleeping through the sequined leg warmers part?? I can't believe I never got mine?!?

I don't know your org or your ritual, obviously, but I'd also challenge many to think about who may not be joining their org because of such concerns. GLO's are still largely segregated, by race/ethnicity and by religion. Maybe the days of WASP clauses are over (and remember, that wasn't so long ago), but who are we unintentionally excluding?

You didn't get yours? Call HQ, they'll send it along!

I don't want to give the impression I don't love our ritual, because I do. I just acknowledge that some people could feel excluded by it.

Again, careful with the generalizations, please. Your description may fit some GLOs, perhaps largely the ones with which you are more familiar, but certainly not all.

This Alpha Delta Pi is amazed by our ritual, and especially the ages of the women who wrote it - one was all of 13 years old! For a ritual to remain constant (with the substitution of Alpha Delta Pi instead of Adelphean) for 160 years says more for its magnitude than for the nay-sayers.

Knowing what you and I both know, I agree with you.

But as a person with no religious affiliation, I never felt at odds with what our (Christian) founders intended, either in word or spirit. I may have internalized or reflected on it differently than the girls who went to Church every Sunday, and that's OK.

PS - I got my leg warmers yesterday and will be wearing them along with my badge next week. They're extra-sparkly!

All this does, to me, is emphasize how this discussion does NOT work unless each person knows what the other is talking about :p

Thank goodness you got your leg warmers. Don't forget to start stretching for the compulsory splits.

Which may be why Honeychile opened in the Alpha Delta Pi forum not in Greek Life.

Honeychile, Thank you for the kind wishes.

Even after 30 years, when I pause to think about their young age and sheltered lives, I too am amazed. Which I suppose is the purpose of Ritual Week, to cause us to do just that.

Your second attempt at whatever has also failed. Honeychile's first post mentions Phi Mu so "Celebration of Ritual" is not only an ADPi topic.

Phi Mu started it; the rest who are celebrating jumped on their bandwagon.

As you know, being founded less than a year apart at the same school, we have a close bond with Phi Mu. Nobody's being forced to reflect on their ritual, or for that matter, reflect in a positive way. The idea is to reflect on your ritual to see how it best defines you.

Pardon my manners - thank you, madoug!

ADPis, for Day Two, the question is Alpha Delta Pi:
‎"I believe in Alpha Delta Pi, I believe in my sorority." Day two of National Ritual Celebartion Week. What are you and your chapter doing to celebrate? Tell us what you will do to to live your Ritual today? (Again, discretion, please!)