MysticCat, I can't believe you figured out our fleur is related to the Virgin Mary. Perhaps it was the Key to the Kingdom of God that tipped you off. Ha. Yeah, I don't think I could ever spend time trying to guess what things meant for other groups- because for me, they truly would be guesses. Not even the educated kind.
Back in college my husband offered to swap information about his GLO for mine... I said go ahead and tell me yours if you want, but I'm not telling you a damn thing.
From an innate curiosity standpoint, I definitely appreciate other rituals. I'm not going to go find people to tell me or hold glasses up to a door, and it certainly won't mean as much emotionally to me as it would to a member. But I've read a couple of other initiation ceremonies and they were very interesting. One really resonated with me and was absolutely beautiful, and the other didn't quite click with me. But both gave me a better understanding of where they are rooted, and gave me a even more respect for both orgs. From a historical standpoint of representing the founders, their goals, their ideals, their influences- incredible.
It's interesting to think about how membership recruitment works, where you are technically seeking women who will match the foundation of organization and fulfill the ideals of the ritual. Yet the newbie doesn't get the ritual, the foundation, the ideals until initiation. If they hear something they don't like, it's too late. Sure, the basic info is there in bits and pieces. But it's not quite the same. Although don't get me wrong... I love mine and it certainly worked out for me quite well. I wouldn't change the ritual for anything, key to the kingdom with the virgin Mary and all!
