Quote:
Originally posted by wptw
Docetboy,
I was surprised to see you state with such unflinching authority that Kappa Sigma fraternity would immediately move to expel any member whose beliefs had changed from the time that they in good conscience took their oath. It’s unclear to me whether your statements about what the fraternity would do are purely your interpretation of Kappa Sigma doctrine (pledge manual, ritual, etc.) or whether the Kappa Sigma fraternity has issued some policy statement threatening expulsion or has already taken some action on this specific scenario.
Perhaps that’s also why other people here are asking you so many questions. There are many fraternities out there who absolutely require a belief in god (according to their pledge manuals and their rituals), but I have never heard of an initiated member later being expelled on the basis of nonbelief. So it’s hard for me (us?) to understand how you can put forth the kind of unilateral statements that you have.
No disrespect intended of course. Just seeking clarification. It’s an issue of great personal interest to me. And mind you, I’m not disputing that Kappa Sigma has this requirement – I’m just asking how you’re so sure what they would do from an enforcement standpoint.
Also, out of curiosity, on what do you base the assertion in your signature that Kappa Sigma’s European founding is in 1400 and that the group is 603 years old? What is the direct tie between Chrysoloras’ brotherhood at Bologna and the Kappa Sigma fraternity? As I understand it, Kappa Sigma based the fraternity on the earlier brotherhood, but does not claim to be a continuation of that long defunct group. Please correct me if I’m wrong, or please correct yourself if you are.
Fraternally,
wptw
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While I do not know of any official statement made by our International Memorial Headquarters about this subject, it is the way it is clearly stated in all information I have recieved and the way it has been personally explained to me by members of my chapter and alumni volunteers and staff. So yes, I really don't know if we would immediately move to expel a member, but I would expect this if the subject ever comes up.
As you already know, Kappa Sigma was founded in 1400 in Bologna Italy, by Manuel Chrysaloras, a greek scholar, and his five full time disciples, as a society for mutual protection against the evil governor who preyed on out-of-town students. As our pledge manual states
In 1400, at the University of Bologna, Manuel Chrysoloras and his disciples formed a society for mutual protetion. Their work inspired the Ritual and beliefs of a modern-day Greek-letter Fraternity - Kappa Sigma
However, it is not like our founders read about this group in a history book and decided to make a fraternity out of it. One of our founders learned about the organization from an elderly gentleman during a trip to Europe and was encouraged to bring the group to America. This person, along with four close friends, created the modern-day Kappa Sigma fraternity and became friends and brothers. Our modern ritual was created by Steven Alonzo Jackson, whom we call "the golden-hearted Virginian," using a masonic theme, beautifully incorporating the 'bologna tradition.'
Our pledge manual, which contains the information I have given above, is a lot of history of Kappa Sigma, but is much less than 10% of what their is to learn about Kappa Sigma. There is much more to our European history and the founding of the fraternity in America that one learns upon initiation.