What ever happened to chapter secrecy?

[peacelovegreek]

I was looking up recruitment songs for Alpha Gamma Delta and while searching I came across the ENTIRE initiation ceremony instructions and everything on a document website...I distinctly remember that this stuff was suppose to be a secret...or at least so I thought. Is there any way for this to be taken down off the website or anything? Because honestly this is just sickening to find out that something so sacred is exposed for everyone to see.

[excelblue]

It's gross that some people disrespect their GLO to the point of posting their secrets. However, usually, the websites who post that info will not take it down. Your best bet is to get (inter)national HQ to get a lawyer to send a cease/desist takedown notice for copyright violation.

[LSuz19]

I hear you on that one! I found a video of someone singing my sorority's song that IS ritual during our chapter meanings. I was extremely disappointed.

[MysticCat]

Two things:

First, I wouldn't assume that it was a chapter or sister who put this on the web. I'd say it's more likely that it was someone else who came into possession of a copy of the ritual.

Second, I don't think it helps anything to give a heads up here that your ritual is on the web or to confirm essentially that what's on the web is accurate. There's no reason to give people ideas of what to look for on the internet.

The appropriate thing to do is to make sure that your inter/national HQ knows and then let them deal with it as they think best. But don't spread the online word that the ritual is available for viewing.

[AOII Angel]

Peacelovegreek, you can thank wikileaks for that. They published a lot of rituals a few years ago before moving on to stolen government documents. It is a lot harder to find than it used to be, but you might want to remove the name of your group so it doesn't prompt people to go looking. In the end, people reading the words of our rituals doesn't let them into the heart and souls of our organizations. They don't experience the ceremonies the way we do, and from what most groups say, can't learn all of the secrets of our organizations.

[AZTheta]

Total heretic here... I just shrug when I read about another GLO's ritual being published for all the world to see. I could care less. Every once in a while a ritual book will surface on eBay. Whatever.

Your ritual is meaningless to me. Mine means nothing to you. It's not about the words or the ceremony. The meaning of my organization goes much deeper, and is, for me, embodied in our core values: Intellectually, the highest scholarship; Socially, the widest influence for good; and Morally, the standard of love.

I don't care what you wear. I think it's been firmly established that we all wear some form of catsuits and sparkly rhinestones (except for ADPi, who wears DIAMONDS, of course). I don't care about your secrets. That's not what my membership is about, anyway. It goes much deeper than that for me.

Yesterday I sat at an all-day Greek Retreat for Presidents and Advisors. There must have been at least 100 or more GLO student representatives, as well as alumni. We sat with the Kappa Kappa Gammas (aside: their President's key is outrageous, I hope to take photos and post to the Badge Trends thread); the lovely ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho; and the men of Kappa Alpha Psi. We had a LOT of fun. And discovered, through the course of the day, that we are more alike than different. That, to me, is what is important.

So, stuff gets put on the Internet and people go look at it. Does that make them members, or my sisters? No. Does it denigrate or lessen my membership? Not to me. Reading about how to be a better person =/= being able to actually do it.

That's my opinion. I don't have time to go poking around in stuff that isn't any of my business. I have to go find my car keys.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

Total heretic here... I just shrug when I read about another GLO's ritual being published for all the world to see. I could care less. Every once in a while a ritual book will surface on eBay. Whatever.

Your ritual is meaningless to me. Mine means nothing to you. It's not about the words or the ceremony. The meaning of my organization goes much deeper, and is, for me, embodied in our core values: Intellectually, the highest scholarship; Socially, the widest influence for good; and Morally, the standard of love.

I don't care what you wear. I think it's been firmly established that we all wear some form of catsuits and sparkly rhinestones (except for ADPi, who wears DIAMONDS, of course). I don't care about your secrets. That's not what my membership is about, anyway. It goes much deeper than that for me.

Yesterday I sat at an all-day Greek Retreat for Presidents and Advisors. There must have been at least 100 or more GLO student representatives, as well as alumni. We sat with the Kappa Kappa Gammas (aside: their President's key is outrageous, I hope to take photos and post to the Badge Trends thread); the lovely ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho; and the men of Kappa Alpha Psi. We had a LOT of fun. And discovered, through the course of the day, that we are more alike than different. That, to me, is what is important.

So, stuff gets put on the Internet and people go look at it. Does that make them members, or my sisters? No. Does it denigrate or lessen my membership? Not to me. Reading about how to be a better person =/= being able to actually do it.

That's my opinion. I don't have time to go poking around in stuff that isn't any of my business. I have to go find my car keys.

Hear, hear. I make no secret that I am somewhat "anti-ritual", as I believe the words and the motions themselves are not what makes your sisterhood, or my sisterhood, or any other sisterhood.

[AOII Angel]

I agree with you, Maria. I do, however, think it's funny to announce to everyone that your ritual is on the internet if you don't want people to read your ritual. I personally think that anyone who reads AOII's ritual would be enriched by the sentiment.

[AZTheta]

^^^awww... about your ritual comment. I would like to think the same of ours.

I personally thought it was weird that the OP came here and posted about a particular GLO and its ritual; I couldn't understand how that would help in any way/shape/form. I'm not mentioning the specific GLO, simply b/c perhaps the OP will return and edit her post.

[jazing]

While it is bad to see an initiation ceremony online, I doubt it is updated or even in full. Ritual books (at least mine anyways) omit a lot of information which only members would know. Secret handshakes for example, I assume aren't explained in a book. Meaning of letters, probably not explained.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by jazing

While it is bad to see an initiation ceremony online, I doubt it is updated or even in full. Ritual books (at least mine anyways) omit a lot of information which only members would know. Secret handshakes for example, I assume aren't explained in a book. Meaning of letters, probably not explained.

Depends if it was a scan of an actual ritual book or not. Some people write things down on those so they won't forget.

[agzg]

The last I saw it online, it had redacted sections.

[jazing]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

Depends if it was a scan of an actual ritual book or not. Some people write things down on those so they won't forget.

Don't know why they would do that. Some things aren't written for a reason

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

We sat with the Kappa Kappa Gammas (aside: their President's key is outrageous, I hope to take photos and post to the Badge Trends thread);

oooohhhh...yes please!

sorry for the lane swerve.

[Kevin]

The best thing your organization can do is to write a lot of blogs about their ritual, i.e., living the ritual, etc., without actually discussing the meat of the ritual. You can't stop folks from posting your ritual online, but if your national organization has a smart web strategy, those folks won't turn up 'til page 25 of Google.