How Closed is closed material?
 

I had to order a new officer pendant for none other than myself (Phi) since the top broke off. When I got the invoice in the mail from Herff Jones today, the invoice listed the pendant as being of my ritual alter-ego's. I've always been told, though I can't find it anywhere in my Phible (picked that term up in GA and love it), that the names of the officers are as closed as the rest of the ceremony - can't be spoken or written except, obviously, amongst 'duly initiated brothers'. Because, if it is closed, how on earth does Herff Jones have access to this apparently closed material (not the pendant, but the name)?

Or am I just taking this too seriously and making a mountain out of a molehill?

Our chapter is too new to have issues yet, but what happens when ritual equipment gets old and has to be thrown out - our old ELC told me that nothing save the Phible and small copies are really closed (even regalia is ~open) - I'd assume then it'd be more than fine to just toss equipment out.

Once you get the pendant look at it closely. It has the name in it I believe. The officer name are actually based upon greek political officers and other greek words. While it may be closed, it is not entirely secret. More like hidden in plain view.

exactly. those names are used by other orgs as well. Look them up on wikipedia or something, see what it says about those words. You'll be surprised.

Do you really think our secret ritual is "secret"?

Between wives, girlfriends and girls that brothers just want to sleep with, our ritual is out there.

Think about the brothers, fathers and uncles that told their family members about the ritual.

Think of all the disgruntled or ex brothers running around blabbing about it.

If a non-brother wanted to put in a little effort, they could easily find out our ritual.

just a name...

G Z, I am sure you say "MAY" be right, but we as individuals can only hope that there was something in the Ritual that held them back from divulging it!

As the old saying goes, "never say never"!

But, while I can only speak for my self and some of my many Brothers, there has never been anything said!:cool:

the first time i visited Delta-Eta Zeta at Western Ontario, they had a house dog and his name started with a T. I bet you can guess what it was. I thought that was neat but a little odd.

My friend and brother who was High Alpha when I was High Beta then later High Kappa when I was High Alpha had a dog with a certain name that started with an A. The chapter also had a dog with the same T name I'm sure you're talking about.

I'm hoping to one day talk to my two sons about the ritual. One reason never to tell them is to keep the surprise. Do you like for people to tell you about the ending to a movie before you've seen it?

Cube

I know what you mean about keeping it a surprise. Ive been doing something similar to myself. I refuse to search for any Masonic secrets or lore because i want to have that genuine feeling if I ever g through.

As far as dogs go, i think i wanna name my next dog ZAX, i cant remember who i heard that from, but I always thought that was a good name for an LXA pet/dog. Thinking on it now though, I rather like T. myself

The beauty of that though, is if you don't make a big deal out of it, naming a dog or other pet T. or something similar, no one will ever make a connection to it.

A little trivia--There is actually only one piece of equipment that is secret with respect to it being in our ritual. How the items are used is secret; however, there is only one item that is actually secret in that it exists at all.

The bad news...I will not post the answer (for good reason).

??? You Mean The Bones?

If it is not put on an open site then maybe some would not know?

No not the bones, he means the Sheep. Duh.

Wait... oops.

The fact is, there is at least one brother in every chapter that let's our secret out.

It isn't that much of a secret guys.

Look at all the stupid stuff LXA's have done in recent history: selling drugs/drug dealers, hazing, operating underground chapters, having their own rituals, illegal parties, rapes, etc.

Believe it or not, not every LXA is of the highest trust and moral character.

If someone is dealing coke out of their room in the fraternity, how high of a standard do you think that person has in keeping our ritual a secret?

What about the brother that raped a girl that was unconscious because she drank too much? Do you think he's going to keep his mouth shut for the rest of his life. How important is our ritual to him?

It may not be plastered on a webpage or published in a book (yet), but if someone wanted to, they could easily find out if they put a little effort into it.

What's your source for this little bit of trivia, Shane?

A secret item?
 

Shane, perhaps someday we can chat. I'm relatively proficient when it comes to ritual stuff, but you've got me stumped.

Some brothers from my chapter had a pet fighting fish with the same "T" name.

And at our chapter, we were so secretive, that we didn't even say the word "Ritual" in public. If we said anything at all, we said "initiation." And if we wrote it, we used the symbol.

I think a Mastiff dog with the name B would be badass.... I think B is more badass than T

I really like... we'll call it "F". B and T are good too though.

Great...reveal the secret behind our name...way to go....

Now everyone knows it's not Lambda Chi Alpha.....but....

La a a a a ambda Chi Alpha.

:p

I've had them in my posession for little under a year now, so I've seen them all up close. I've also looked the names up online before now anyways. That their names are on the pendants is of little matter - and partly the point, no? My point was that herff jones uses their names in transliterated english.
If you had a seeing-eye dog, you could name it somethign that begins with an E! This is exactly like throwing up handsigns - what is hidden in plain sight is the most fun...
I put a lot of effort into trying to find even a smidgeon of info on the contents of our ritual before and after initiation, but to almost no avail (cough cough - yahoo group). With the exception of the coke heads you referenced in a later post, I do have quite a bit of faith in my other brothers in abiding in the oaths they took...

Before my initiation, I was able to (but didn't listen as to not ruin the experience) find out key portions of our ritual.

Most brothers are good and uphold the oath they take.

However, it is that 1% (1% of 100,000 is 1,000) of bad brothers that are not trustworthy.

There are, at a minimum 1,000 brothers willing to divulge our secrets, and that is using the 1% rule.

It's not the guys that take it seriously. Like you said, it is the coke heads that use LXA as a drug den or a way to boost sales.

It's the guys that just don't care, want to drink beer, go through ritual, and if something bad happens, are willing to blab it all across campus.

Hey Now... our coke head alumni do not reveal secrets... cause they can't remember them!

GammaZeta, your math is well taken and really does make sense to say the least.;)

But as Robswede said most probally forgot it anyway!

The Ritual is made up of many parts and one alone doesn't make a Ritual.
Knock-*-*-*!

And to whom do crackheads talk? More crackheads... and besides, that kind of trash doesn't have credibility (or a short or long term memory for that matter)

Adam is right. I was trying to get some details on my chapter's early days from an older brother a couple years ago. He kept evading my questions and finally admitted he was stoned most of the time back then and didn't remember much. Ah yes, the good old '60s. :)

Very good points!

Let me revise my statements: The crack heads WOULD reveal the secrets IF they remembered them!

Thanks Shane, that would have never occured to me but I am at a loss from things done behind the scenes with Ritual.;)

But it does make sense!;)

I know the exact item that Shane is talking about, but like him I will not devuldge the answer. It's a good trivia question though.

I will say this, yes everyone can tell you what the ritual is, and I agree there are brothers out there that will reveal it. But, how many of those actually understand it.

One of the greatest thing about our ritual is that if you practice it, you will see it in everyday life. And for those of you who understand the ritual should understand what I'm talking about. And that is the true meaning of our ritual, something that no brother who tells before it's the appropriate time could understand.

They even talk about it in the Phible: Grand High Pi rulings state that you're not "legally" a brother until the very end of ritual. However, an individual does not become a Brother by the mere act of being initiated; rather, the implementation of the ritual in his everyday life is the sign of becoming a brother in act, not just in name. And there are some of those in most chapters I'd assume... just check out post-initiation (definitely at ours)

When are you a Brother
 

I suppose the Grand Hi Pi and a former Grand Hi Pi and a former GHZ member and various strap hangers on the Constitution Committee would all have a heated debate over this.

Tell me, just how many angels CAN dance on the head of a pin?

To answer Shane's question:

The only piece of ritual equipment, that is actually secret, and never ever viewed by non-initiated members is the _____________.

I used to use this fun-fact during ZAX sessions when I traveled as an ELC, and still use it. If you want to impress your brothers at your next chapter meeting, you can PM me for my cell number, and I'll share with you. Good thinking Shane.

On another random note, good luck to brother Phil Dahlhausser, graduate of Univ. of Central Florida. He's a Lambda Chi alumnus who's playing in the Finals of the Beach Volleyball Olympic Tournament, LIVE tomorrow night (Thursday night) at 11:00 pm (Eastern Time) on NBC. My local alumni association clued me in, and I'll be watching.

Yours in Z A X ,

Okay, Grits, I'll ask you too. What is your source?

Actually, now that you make me think of it...I believe it was originally Shane Foley that questioned me about it in the first place, coincidentally. He, in his usual "facilitating a response" demeanor, gave us ELC's quite some time to come up with it during one of our training sessions (he was our manager at the time), and I eventually figured it out, I believe. It took some thinking, but once you figure it out...it's really obvious. Just think:

No other place, other than in a Phi closet or during a ZAX or initiation event, would this piece of ritual equipment ever be seen. For example, pretend we had a red table cloth as one of pieces of regalia. Well, while it might be the most memorable or "ancillary" (as John Gezelius appropriately called this specific one) item to your esoteric view of our ritual, it is still something that an everyday person might see on the Pizza Hut dining table. So, think of something that nobody (other than initiates) would ever have the opportunity to see. I think, if you run through the entire event and think of all the items, you'll be able to come up with it. I'm glad Shane brought this one up!

Yours in Z A X ,

Whatever it is you're thinking of, I'll bet it's not as secret as you think it is, especially as Shane put, the mere existence of it. Whatever it is.

This is getting boring.

[QUOTE=LXA grits;1701940]On another random note, good luck to brother Phil Dahlhausser, graduate of Univ. of Central Florida. He's a Lambda Chi alumnus who's playing in the Finals of the Beach Volleyball Olympic Tournament, LIVE tomorrow night (Thursday night) at 11:00 pm (Eastern Time) on NBC. My local alumni association clued me in, and I'll be watching.

[QUOTE]

That's an awesome fact, been watching them play and didn't have a clue. Now I can cheer on the USA and a brother!!

Hm, interesting comment on your part.

Maybe it is also something that you would not think of as many might have but one never knows.

While not up on the ritual as some are, I was suprised by the info!

By the way, I am watching the storm history of flood waters in Melbourne and hope they are alright down there! 22 " and more coming. Boy do I remember the fantastic time I had there!:cool:

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Honky, thanks for the info, I am sure many of us were not aware of our Brother at The Games and wish him all of the best luck!

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LXAGrits, thanks for the idea and would be great as I am sure very few have an idea even though each of us have seen it!:D

Saw an email on the server last night from a brother in Melbourne, the secretary of our alumni association. He wanted us to know about Phil Dahlhausser from UCF competing in the Olympics tonight, and to be sure to watch it at 11:00 PM EDT and root for him and the team. He didn't mention anything about the weather.

LXA Grits posted about brother Phil Dalhausser first, don't want to take credit for the info. HQ has also posted the info on the website.