Kappa Sigma is an outright exception to this study then...There are two extremely important questions asked before a man can be initiated into the Fraternity, both of which must be honestly and truthfully answered positively.

1) Are you now, or have you ever been a member of another secret college organization,

and 2) Do you profess belief in a higher supreme being?

An atheist will NEVER be initiated into the fraternity knowingly. If one ever is, they will be expelled from the fraternity IMMEDIATELY.

It does not matter which higher being you believe in or how you practice, just that you believe in a supreme being. While there are references to the Jewish Bible (5 books of moses, old testament) and the new testament in the fraternity, you do not have to hold the beliefs in those books. (For example, I am Jewish, and still a Kappa Sigma, though I do not believe in the new testament.)

The easiest way to explain this will be with FreeMasonry: FreeMasonry has openly said there beliefs stem from King James, yet you may have no belief in the KJ bible and be muslim, buddhist, etc. and still be a full able member of freemasonry.

Just a question:

Since you listed this first one, is being a member of another secret org a bad thing to your org?

Being a member of another secret organization is not bad. For example, you may be a member of freemasonry before a Kappa Sigma and afterwards...these are two distinct types of fraternities and organizations. In fact, some of our founders were freemasons, and so was Steven Alonzo Jackson, the man who is responsible for turning Kappa Sigma into a struggling local fraternity into the national organization it is today.

However, you cannot be a member of another secret college organization (you can't be in another college fraternity). If you are in another college secret fraternity, then you could not be 100% faithful to Kappa Sigma...it would not be fair to Kappa Sigma or another similar organization if you were a member of both.

Does this make sense?

Traditionally, in most U.S. Masonic lodges, you'll see the Holy Bible on the altar, though any member may choose the use of the sacred book of his own faith (the Tanakh for the Jew, the Qu'ran for the Muslim, etc.) to take the obligations of Freemasonry. Some other Grand Lodges in other countries will place the holy writings of different faiths upon the altar.

For the three degrees, the Holy Bible is opened to the following passages of Scripture:

Entered Apprentice: Psalms 133. (Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore.) (Sound familiar? It's one of the most common passages of Scripture adopted by Greek letter organizations.)

Fellowcraft: Amos 7:7-8. (Thus He shewed me; and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, a plumb line. Thus saith the Lord, Behold! I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them anymore.)

Master Mason: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7. (Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; while the sun and the light, or the moon, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors shall be shut in the streets. When the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. Also, when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail. Because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.)

In the Entered Apprentice initiation, before the candidate proceeds further in the ceremony, the Worshipful Master recites the following prayer:

Vouchsafe Thine aid, Almighty Father of the Universe, to this our present convention; and grant that this candidate for Masonry may dedicate and devote his life to Thy service, and become a true and faithful brother among us. Endue him with a competency of Thy divine wisdom that by the secrets of our art he may better be enabled to display the beauties of godliness to the honor of Thy Holy Name. Amen.

In the Master Mason degree, before the candidate is raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason the Worshipful Master offers the following prayer:

Thou, O God, knowest our down-sitting and our up-rising, and understandest our thought afar off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our enemies, and support us under the trials and afflictions we are destined to endure through this vale of tears. Man that is born of a woman is of but few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee; Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish his day.

For if there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down and riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet, O Lord, have compassion on the children of Thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation! Amen.

In case you're wondering, these prayers are not considered secret in Freemasonry, so I'm not violating my Obligation as a Mason by posting them here.

Here's a question. If at the time of initiation, someone is say, a Christian, and years after their views shift so that they no longer believe in a higher power, are they expected to renounce their membership in any way? Say, if this happened 20 years down the line and became apparent to an alumni association or like group, would they be forcibly expelled, even after years of service to the fraternity? Has a situation like that ever happened?

(I will, of course, totally understand if you are unable to answer any of the above.)

That is a really good question.

As a guess, I don't think they would enforce it, because a good alum is a good alum. I know if we expelled alums who didn't take their oaths seriously, and there are a good amount of them (ahem paying dues), we would be lacking severely.

If an alumni shifts their religious views 20 years down the road, and makes it public, there would be a move to expel the member from the fraternity, no matter how active the alumni might be. If you are an athiest at the time of your initiation but lie about it and make it public afterwards, you will be expelled. If you are an atheiest, there is no place for you in Kappa Sigma...plain and simple.

Geeky: Kappa Sigma is not for a day or a month or a college term only, but for LIFE. Brothers are expected to and do keep their oaths very close to their heart. The oath I took is what makes me a Kappa Sigma, not that one would pay their alumni dues on time every year.

Yes, yes, I know - part of the commitment we make as Gamma Phis is to remain financially supportive, among lots of other things. That was a bad example. I think it's really cool that you guys have the rule that you must have a belief though. Just from what I know of SigEp, it has always boggled me that they don't mandate it.

I wonder if someone could tell by looking at the crests of various fraternities and sororities if a religion plays an important part in the organization's basis?

Even if it's not explicitly stated what the various components of the crests mean, don't most of them confirm to heraldic devices?

Okay, so a man can't be an atheist and a Kappa Sigma. Is it also the case that one couldn't be a Buddhist and a Kappa Sigma?

I'm just curious because I find this very interesting. :)

I was born and raised agnostic (which means I neither purport or refute the existance of God) and I find it very bothersome that a greek organization would require a member to believe in god. Believing in a higher power doesn't make you a better sister or brother than someone who chooses not to believe. I feel there is something inherently judgmental and unfair in using belief in god as a requirement for membership. How do you even broach such a subject? Do you run around rush parties asking people what their religious convictions are? My mother always taught me it was rude to put people on the spot that you don't know and ask them their religion.
What happens if you extend a bid to a rushee, not knowing their status, and then find out that their a nonbeliever?
Race, religion, Ethnicity have nothing to do with what makes a good member. There are many wonderful nonbelievers who serve their greek organization every day. To refuse members on that basis is ignorant and prejudiced!

No. A buddhist still believes in a higher, divine being...take this quote from http://wahiduddin.net/views/buddhi.htm
"...the idea that we must prepare ourselves to be capable of manifesting the Divine Presence, is the very foundation of Buddhism"

All Kappa Sigma asks is that you believe in a higher presence then us, a divine being. Who or what this is, and how you practice this belief, is completely up to you. However, you MUST have this belief. We do not run around asking religous beliefs, however, we do make it clear you must believe in a higher being...we do not question you once you say you have this belief. If we extend a bid to a rushee and find out they are a nonbeliever, we will relieve this person of their pledgeship, and allow them to find another fraternity where they will feel more at home. A non-believer will not feel comfortable in Kappa Sigma, plain and simple.

The Ritual of Kappa Sigma is a system of values. It is a standard by which we measure ourselves, a means of self-evaluation. It serves as a guide for our relationships between brothers, between our fellow man and with God.
The requirement that you profess a belief in a Supreme Being is not an attempt to change your religous beliefs. However, as Kappa Sigmas, we all must share in the belief that as human beings, we are responsible to a higher authority than ourselves.

As our founders had set down in the written bond of their union: The object of this Fraternity is to enjoy and increase the pleasures which are only to be obtained by the intercourse of congenial spirits

I am sorry you feel Kappa Sigma's position is ignorant and prejudiced, however, a non-believer will not feel comfortable in Kappa Sigma, just as a non-believer will not feel comfortable being a FreeMason.

Okay, docetboy, here's another question. Does it have to be one higher being, or would a beleiver in a polytheistic religion feel comfortable? Would that be acceptable?

I might add that I find this subject fascinating, too.

docetboy,

how do you screen pnms for such belief? do you ask them before signing them, or do you find out during pledging. Is it made clear to all pnms that this is a requirement for membership during rush?

I'm not accusing or judging, I'm actually just curious.

"As Kappa Sigmas, we all must share in the belief that as human beings, we are responsible to a higher authority than ourselves."

This is all we ask...we do not care how you believe in a higher authority, whether it has mulitiple forms, believes itself to be the only one, eats chicken every night, as long as you follow the above quote from Bononia Docet, our pledge manual.