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?