concerned
 

I found out something today from a collegian that somewhat offended me and I didn't know if I was overreacting or not so I thought I would pose the scenario to y'all.

I was asking a collegian today if the chapter had been practicing the blessing. The reason behind my asking is because they do not do the blessing on a regular basis, but next Monday the collegians and alumna will be getting together and the blessing will be sung. She informed me that they had but she didn't like the blessing, it is 'too religious' for her.
She then told me that she never memorized Psalm 11:15 because again 'too religious' and she 'isn't religious'.

Part of me understands where she is coming from, but the other part of me is offended that this active collegian hasn't memorized the Psalm. Maybe it is because I practiced so hard to memorize it when I was an Alpha and I was honored to have it memorized. I don't know but it offends me that she hasn't memorized something that is so integral to ADPi.

Do I have a right to feel this way? What do you all think?

Brianna

I would be a little concerned too. The 15th Psalm my seem too religious for some but honestly......not many people understand what they are saying anyways. We were given the interpretation of the 15th Psalm as Alpha's.....and that interpretation has hardly any religious content. If you want me to send you the interpretation we recieved just let me know. All in all I think you have the right to be upset. My Lil <> is Jewish and she still went through all the steps of learning the 15th psalm.

I can't say much about the blessing because we have never done it, mainly b/c we just had a house built this year and never had dinners together. I am sure they will learn it soon though.

Sara

Liladpi, I would love the interpretation. I was initiated back in 1998, so I honestly don't remember it. My direct email address is adpi22@cox.net.
Thanks sweetie.

I definately agree that the interpration hardly has religious content... we learned the interpratation as Alphas also, and I think the meaning behind it is awesome :)

I am not a religious person, but I took the time to learn the psalm anyways. I have never heard about the interpretation though. If someone could send it to me I would really like to read it. My e-mail is tannersmum@hotmail.com

Thanks

ASUADPi,
I can understand your frustration. One very smart thing my chapter did during our new member period was to have everyone read examples of prayers and blessings from various religions that expressed similar values as those that we hold within the traditions of Alpha Delta Pi. This went very in helping to "open minds" to what is actually being SAID.

I suggest that if anyone wants to do the same for their chapter an easy place to do research is:
http://www.worldprayers.org/

Sorry to jump on your board and all, but the Psalms are from the Old Testament/Torah. . . . I really don't think that any Jew would have a problem learning ANY of the Psalms as Christianity 'borrowed' the Torah/Old Testament from the Jews. . . .

Sarah

bumping this thread up again. I was just going through my alpha book and found the interpretation within it. I have typed it out and if anyone would like the interpretation I'd be happy to email it to you.

Brianna

Brianna, would you please PM me a copy? We didn't have that in my pledge (technically not an Alpha) book, and I'd love to see it!

And thanks for keeping the trivia game moving! :)

Honeychile
I pm'd you the interpretation

Brianna

Bri send it to me too! You have my email or you can PM it to me, whichever is easier for you.

Thanks hon!

Brianna, I REALLY appreciated that description! We didn't get that when I was a New Member. :)

ASUADPi, will you please PM the interpretation also? It's been so long since I've seen an Alpha book- I don't think I've ever read the Psalm interpretation. Thanks!

15 psalm interpretation
 

Can someone please PM me a copy as well. Thanks

WLFEO and ADPiZXalum, I pm'd you both the interpretation.

Brianna

Thank you, sister! I love it- I'm going to hang it on my mirror so I can see it every day. Violets to you!

Your completely welcome. I know, I'm thinking about printing another copy. I printed one that went in my Alpha folder. The second I think I'll hand on my wall next to my print out of the psalm.

Brianna

15 Psalm Interpretation
 

Would you please PM the interpretation to me?
I recently visited my chapter of initiation and was shocked to hear that "because we have a lot of Jewish girls" the 15th Psalm is not spoken there!! It's been 10 years since I graduated college, but as an adpi advisor, I *know* that chapters can't pick and choose what parts of adpi they follow!
I'd like to have the interpretation as I am working with my chapter to get them back on track!

FirstandFinest, I pm'd you the interpretation.

Brianna

Re: 15 Psalm Interpretation
 

First of all, MAJOR VIOLETS for you volunteering to help out your chapter!! Anyone who has been an Advisor is well aware of the amount of commitment that comes with that, and we ALL appreciate your efforts!

But what's disturbing is the chapter's excuse about the 15th Psalm! It's in the Old Testament, and Judeaism accepts the Psalms!

I am currently an advisor to a chapter closer to my home so I already know what I've signed up for! ;) Unfortunately, the chapter has NO advisors - no wonder they got off-track...

I got the interpretation - thanks! That's great!!

I personally LOVE The 15th Psalm. It is my favorite passage in the bible. I have never read the interpretation. I did PM for it though. When i was pledging, i broke the passage down and figured out what it was saying on my own. It made it a lot easier to memorize and understand. That is why I love it so much!

It is upsetting to me that some chapters wouldn't be learning the passage. I know my chapter wasn't big on the blessing, but then again we didn't do many dinners together. That has since changed, as they have a house now. The blessing is a song regularly sung.

Violets to you for working with your chapter to bring back the FOUNDATIONS of adpi. I may seem like an old schooler (even for only being around a few years), but I love the traditions and history we have. It was instilled in me, by the seniors, that traditions were traditions and were to be honored, no matter what. :) I'm a young old schooler. LOL

skerbow,
I PM'd you.

Brianna

could someone PM the interpretation to me too?
thanks!

Brianna,
I'd appreciate the interpretation as well. I have my Alpha notebook packed away in a safe place, and my original copy of the interpretation is in there...I miss reading it and reciting it with my chapter :)

L&L,
Jennie

Could someone also pm me the interpretation... I cannot find my copy of it that was actually at one point posted in every suite in the adpi wing at my school...

Bump
 

I discovered that the interpretation is provided in the Alpha Education plans - which any initiated member can obtain on PO.

In reading the psalm interpretation that was PM'd to me and the one on PO, I saw the difference in one word - and I hear the chapter recite it like the interpretation, however I learned it like the one on PO. So... did you learn to say "condemned" or "contemned"? I wasn't sure if there was a difference, so I looked 'em both up in the dictionary. (and I will be 're-educating' my girls to say it the right way!)

Re: Bump
 

I learned it as "condemned".

Another part I always had a problem with: I learned the last part as "He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent".

Does anyone else say that differently?

Re: Re: Bump
 

I learned it "...nor taketh up a reward against the innocent."

Re: Re: Re: Bump
 

I learned it with the "up", too.

If anyone from my chapter, during my years, were to sign on, I know what they'd mention: a sister who always had trouble saying "clasped", and said "clapsed" instead. That would be me. :( I say it correctly, now.

Re: Re: Re: Bump
 

I now realize why I learned it the way I did - that's how it is in the song from Sing Sister Sing :)

Re: Re: Bump
 

I learned it as:
"He that putteth not out his own money to usury, nor taketh up a reward against the innocent".

I'd recommend for chapters that are staunchly refusing to use the 15th Psalm to hold a TME on the meaning of our ritual. The religious context of the sorority is not intended to convert members away from their present beliefs-- it is part of our historical heritage.

I've been told over the years there has been debate over removing the term "Christian Womanhood" from the Creed. However, members of all religious and ethnic backgrounds recognize that this isn't intended as a persuasive religious inference-- it is said out of historical context for the time the document was written. It comes from being a ritual-based, values-oriented organization.

I think we can all agree that one does not need to be a Christian to espouse most "Christian Values."

(By the way, I was born and raised Jewish!)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Bump
 

That reminds me of our song "I Love the Pin"... for a while my advisees were singing it with one violet (no "s" to make it plural and multiple diamonds in the song!

correct way:
I love the Violets, flowers of spring....

I love the Diamond

The way some were singing it:
I love the violet, flowers of spring...

I love the Diamonds

Drove me nuts!

However, they knew "Pass it On" and the proper singular/plural "mountain top!"

This is getting funnier and funnier! We sang

I love the Violet, flower of spring
I love the message that it brings.

I love the Diamond and [honey] Clapsed [/honey] hands...



But, we're also talking about a chapter that sand the Blessing to the tune of "Here Comes Peter Cottontail..."!

Re: Re: Re: Bump
 

OMG!! That IS how I learned it!! Had to see it in print to remember "own" and "a". (PO has it without these 2 words... )

I hear that my chapter of initiation has learned the Psalm and is now following ritual. (They've gotten some alumnae advisory support!) I'll have to inquire at DLC...

Honey--

I am singing the blessing in my head to that tune... LOL

Hear us sing with one accord
(Here comes Peter Cottontail...)

Praises for Thy Gifts O Lord
(Hoppin Down the Bunny Trail...)

Too funny!

There are regional variations on everything! That's ok-- as long as meetings and rituals are performed correctly, I don't think anyone sees anything hugely wrong with a couple of tonal differences in our music! ;) Certainly, there are much bigger fish to fry!

My chapter sang it:

I love the Violets, flowers of spring;
I love the message that they bring

I honestly can't remember how we sing I Love the Pin. I know we sing it badly (and when I say that I mean off key). I'll have to pay more attention this year at Founder's Day. :D

As for the 15th Psalm, I learned condemned and "taketh up reward against the innocent"




I'm just curious, does anyone else just start randomly start reciting the 15th Psalm, just for the heck of it to see if you still remember it?

Maybe it's just me. :D

When your elder brother is a pastor, you get to learn to spout off as many verses as you can, just in self defense! My mother was so impressed by the 15th Psalm & ADPi that she set me up in front of him, and he was openmouthed when I just rattled it off AND said that was part & parcel of Alpha Delta Pi!

Me, too, please! Thanks.