Quote:
Originally posted by sigmadiva
Some people take their letters to extremes, just like some football /soccer fans, school alumni.....
I think the reason some people do this, idolatry as you call it, is based on their experiences of how they became 'whatever'.
For example, let's say there was a young woman who grew up in Boston going to the Boston Red Sox games with her dad. Sadly, her dad dies and the one true connection she had with him was the Boston Red Sox. She is such a strong fan of the Boston Red Sox because of an emotional connection she made via the team. Its not so much the team that she is connected to, it is the relationship that she made while going to the games with her dad - the team represents a strong relationship she had that meant something to her.
Same with greek letters. One is not worshiping the letters / organization per se, it is just that during the intake / pledging period relationships were formed, emotions were expressed, you learned more about yourself and others. The greek letters represent a period in your life when you changed. Some people are protective about their letters because 1) they know and respect what they have learned about them and 2) it is a represenation of bonds that were made and since not everyone experienced that bonding, then that person feels that not everyone can 'use a pen' with his / her letters on it.
And...I've seen some greeks who are not very protective of their letters for various reasons.
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Sigmadiva, while I see where you are coming from as far as being indoctrinated into your respective org, that still doesn't justify the lengths and extremes some people go to in order to protect their letters.
Personally speaking, I was a die-hard Alpha Phi Omega brother. I ate, breathed, and slept Alpha Phi Omega to the point that my relationship with the org bordered on idolatry--I'm talking attending APO functions, representing with nalia, and searching far and wide for tidbits of historic trivia facts and collecting and compiling them in a blue binder.
Having said that, I never saw the point of keeping someone from using a pen or a glass just because it had the APO letters on them. Matter of fact, I went out on a date with one woman, and she was a little cold, so I gave her my blue APO cardigan to wear--and I let her keep it for about 2 weeks, no questions or complaints. I later gave it to a Gamma Sig as a souvenir (I was told that the sweater was later jacked from her by some fellow brothers--who, I don't know).
Also, my mother "borrowed" my airbrushed APO shirt with the shield and letters on it--and got her drivers license picture taken wearing it. I could've made a big stink about it, but I didn't see the point, and the net result of it was it really wasn't affecting anybody.
Again, a love for something or someone is one thing. "Love" to the point of worship is another.