Spirituality and Character in Fraternities...

elwoodpfiggs · #1 06-23-2007, 04:53 PM

I am fairly new to greekchat, so please bear with me if don't quite know what I'm doing!

I am a Kappa Sig. It is no secret that our national fraternity has its roots in a spiritual background (specifically Christianity).

There was a thread sometime back in which greeks were unhappy about their jewelry (particuarly membership badges) being sold on ebay. Is anyone besides me disturbed by some of the really lewd t-shirts that are sold there? I run a check from time to time on "Kappa Sigma" to see what is selling on ebay, and I would be ashamed to tell you what some of the Kappa Sig pledge and party shirts say on them. This sort of thing is completely against the spirit of our founders, I know that. I would NEVER wear a shirt like some of those I've seen...and I wouldn't allow a son of mine to pledge a chapter where the guys had so little self-respect that they would wear them.

What do you think? I'd particuarly like to hear from some Kappa Sigs about this. "The star and cresent shall not be worn by any man," right? Our creed says we are to be gentlemen and men of God. Do we still believe this, or is it time to change the creed? Is it time to put a new character education program in place?

Phil
elwoodpfiggs@hotmail.com

Tom Earp · #2 06-23-2007, 06:15 PM

Phil in answer to your question, most of us as GLOs were Founded with some sort of Religious back ground.

Yes, there is GLO Badge/Pins being sold on EBay!

I am as I am need of money to live on.

I am trying to get to My Fellow Brothers to buy them. I have bought certain Pins for a Historic value for My Chapter. I have gotten some threatening emails and it is a shame.

If they feel so bad, then why not bid on them as I put them on at low prices

Well, I think I will go dine now!

ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl · #3 06-23-2007, 06:27 PM

I agree with you about what seems to be to be misuse of letters. But some people are Greek because they love it and some are only to "have fun".

elwoodpfiggs · #4 06-23-2007, 07:46 PM

What does GLO stand for? Phil

Drolefille · #5 06-23-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Phil in answer to your question, most of us as GLOs were Founded with some sort of Religious back ground.

Yes, there is GLO Badge/Pins being sold on EBay!

I am as I am need of money to live on.

I am trying to get to My Fellow Brothers to buy them. I have bought certain Pins for a Historic value for My Chapter. I have gotten some threatening emails and it is a shame.

If they feel so bad, then why not bid on them as I put them on at low prices

Well, I think I will go dine now!

Earp: King of "It's all about me"

Quote:

Originally Posted by elwoodpfiggs

What does GLO stand for? Phil

Greek Letter Organization

Senusret I · #6 06-23-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knoxstudent

Greek Letter Organization, I think. Or is it Greek Lettered Organization?

Either is fine.

SWTXBelle · #7 06-24-2007, 11:39 AM

As far as t-shirts go, I recently wrote a column about vulgar language in society today. It's not just GLOs - I'm amazed at what people wear in public.
I wouldn't want to wear anything that would reflect badly on me, my GLO, my college, or Greeks in general. I suspect I am a distinct minority, however.
It's not that I don't appreciate the humor in some of them - I just think they cheapen the image of the org.
JMHO -

elwoodpfiggs · #8 06-26-2007, 02:35 AM

Phil:

And I must note that there are many fine fraternity members who do take their organizations seriously.

These are just my observations. I wonder what some of these org.'s founders would think or say regarding their members actions and motives today.

Please note that I mean no offence to anyone or to any organization.

[/QUOTE]

None taken; you were very diplomatic and insightful in what you said.

Good to hear from you, and congratulations on starting your college career. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed mine.

I am glad to hear that you are looking at fraternities. Shop around, however, and see if you can find what you're looking for: a place where you will fit in and where your beliefs will be not just tolerated but respected.

(By the way, I clicked on the link to your photography. You are really good! Will you study this in college?)

Phil

frattypalmtree · #9 06-26-2007, 02:40 AM

the bible is so boring and everybody knows its fake anyway. i saw a thing on the discovery channel about it.

elwoodpfiggs · #10 06-26-2007, 02:57 AM

I can't say I agree with you, Fratty; some of the most exciting stories I know are in the Bible!

As for the show on the Discovery Channel...I haven't seen it. I'd like to, though. The folks who made it (the show) may have had some preconceived notions before they started; I wouldn't be surprised if they did not have a few biases/prejudices of their own. I suppose the Discovery Channel is just like all other networks: trying to keep their content compelling to reenforce ratings. Advertising is the name of the game, so you've got to keep people watching!

(This is off topic, but didn't things get out of hand/downright MEAN on the thread about whether fraternities help guys find girlfriends? It got way off topic, and then people got really hateful. I don't there's any reason for that. It's not what I come here looking to find, so I'm just not going back to that thread.)

Phil

DSTRen13 · #11 06-24-2007, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elwoodpfiggs

I am fairly new to greekchat, so please bear with me if don't quite know what I'm doing!

I am a Kappa Sig. It is no secret that our national fraternity has its roots in a spiritual background (specifically Christianity).

There was a thread sometime back in which greeks were unhappy about their jewelry (particuarly membership badges) being sold on ebay. Is anyone besides me disturbed by some of the really lewd t-shirts that are sold there? I run a check from time to time on "Kappa Sigma" to see what is selling on ebay, and I would be ashamed to tell you what some of the Kappa Sig pledge and party shirts say on them. This sort of thing is completely against the spirit of our founders, I know that. I would NEVER wear a shirt like some of those I've seen...and I wouldn't allow a son of mine to pledge a chapter where the guys had so little self-respect that they would wear them.

What do you think? I'd particuarly like to hear from some Kappa Sigs about this. "The star and cresent shall not be worn by any man," right? Our creed says we are to be gentlemen and men of God. Do we still believe this, or is it time to change the creed? Is it time to put a new character education program in place?

Phil
elwoodpfiggs@hotmail.com

I'd just like to say SECOND - for fraternity AND sorority shirts. I was raised to know that no matter what, I am always representing something to someone, even if it isn't always apparent to me that I am, and that I have to always be aware of that fact. You stand for something whether you want to or not, and so you have to be conscious of what you're choosing to stand for. Sometimes I don't think people think about that.

BYXEagle · #12 06-25-2007, 12:36 AM

This brings up an issue I have wondered about. Many Christian fraternities have caught flack from regular fraternities for calling themselves Christian. Many fraternities say well we are built on Christian beliefs which is completely true. My response though is if you are offended by the fact you are Christian and we refer to ourselves as a Christian fraternity, then act like it. Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car. So I have a kinda side question to this one. If you are Christian and in a regular GLO do you have a problem wearing a shirt that has questionable content on it.

SWTXBelle · #13 06-25-2007, 05:42 AM

See above.

macallan25 · #14 06-25-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYXEagle

This brings up an issue I have wondered about. Many Christian fraternities have caught flack from regular fraternities for calling themselves Christian. Many fraternities say well we are built on Christian beliefs which is completely true. My response though is if you are offended by the fact you are Christian and we refer to ourselves as a Christian fraternity, then act like it. Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car. So I have a kinda side question to this one. If you are Christian and in a regular GLO do you have a problem wearing a shirt that has questionable content on it.

If you're organization has class, then you shouldn't have to worry about it.

Kevin · #15 06-25-2007, 10:04 AM

I think a lot of it depends on your campus culture. On my campus, religion is emphasized in the fraternity. We pray together, go to church services together, etc. For that reason, it does sort of bother me when an organization came to our school calling itself a "Christian Fraternity." Saying so implies that since they call themselves "Christian," and emphasize Christianity, they must be unique in that aspect of their existence which implies we (other IFC fraternities) must not be spiritual.. or at least, that's the message that I imagine the campus at-large gets.

It's not their fault of course. They are what they are. I suspect they were founded to counter the behavior of some of these groups the OP was complaining about and provide a home for men who wished to belong to a GLO, but didn't want their experience to include anything which might compromise their morals.

In the end, I'm not really sure it affects us much. Our chapter does most of its recruiting during the summer, so most kids don't even hear about Christian fraternities until its too late. I'm assuming the Christian fraternities get most of their kids from the Baptist Student Union (a big deal at my school for some reason), so we're not exactly competing for the same guys.

Anyhow.. bottom line, do what you do.. I'm just uncomfortable with what is implied when one group calls itself "Christian" while others do not.