However blunt the title of this article is, it is the gist of what has recently led to an increased number of articles, notes, emails, and discussions on the topic of Christianity and Greek-Life. It is the call of those who want to convince current members and would-be aspirants that joining a fraternity or sorority is the path to the devil. You might think that is an exaggeration, but the truth of the matter is that there has always been a small contingent whose mission is to prove that fraternities and sororities are abominations of God. The logic that this group uses to condemn those in a Greek-Lettered organization is flawed and laughable, but also sad, because a number of people believe it. Sadly, that number may be increasing. With the arguments of denounced members like Ministers Frederic Hatchett and Gail Gray starting to trickle into the mainstream, one has to wonder if the movement might start picking up strength among the youth. When one takes into consideration the declining proficiency in skills like deductive/inductive reasoning, reading comprehension, and objective research, then couples it with the ease at which information is distributed, there is a possibility of turning the Internet into the World Wide Web of lies, deceit, and misinformation. Nowadays, any person with an internet connection can create a Blogger account and start posting nonsense as if they were an expert on the subject. Copy and paste from Wikipedia (or in this case, organizational rituals and documents) and suddenly people start to think you know what you are talking about. So called “experts” start peddling off their malformed opinions as truths, and next thing you know, they have a following of sheep-like fools who could not think their way out of a soggy paper bag. One of the problems is that people accept what is told to them without examining the source and verifying their creditability. How can an ex-member of Omega Psi Phi, like Minister Hatchett, explain the correct meaning of a Kappa Alpha Psi ritual? Even more disturbing is the fact that there are some that have never been members of a fraternity/sorority (An outsider), yet they still try to offer “in-depth analysis” of something they know nothing about. That is in the same category as a white man trying to explain the context of being black to another white man. The blind guiding the blind.
What of those that denounce their letters and offer analysis of their former organization’s rituals? If someone denounces their letters and then “exposes” their ritual, how can you be sure that they even know what their rituals mean? Maybe they had a bad experience and are looking for a way to lash back. Perhaps the rituals were never explained to them. Everyone has a different experience when they cross. Who is to say that those that are now on this crusade against fraternities and sororities even have the historical knowledge about their own experience to try to give an in-depth analysis of it to someone else?
The most frustrating thing about arguments against fraternities and sororities is the blatantly obvious fallacies in the reasoning. This growing group of denounced members, as well as those that think like them, view fraternities and sororities in a vacuum, far removed from the practicalities of every day life. They cut and paste pieces of rituals (Sometimes outdated), post some snippets of scriptures, and then make broad, exaggerated claims that the rituals clearly contradict the scriptures. They point to “pagan symbols” employed by fraternities and sororities and claim that those symbols are evidence that these organizations support satanic worshipping lifestyles. They use scriptures in the hope of masking the fact that the basis of their arguments is as hollow as the Tin Man. If you were to take the same scriptures and claims and apply them to another activity, you would quickly see how fast these claims crumble. Some of the flawed arguments used are further down in this article. But before that, let’s address one common misconception.
Most fraternities and sororities are not Christian organizations. They are service organizations, founded on Christian principles. An organization founded on Christian principles may be similar to a Christian organization but has some very distinct differences. A member of a Christian organization is required to believe in God and depending on the denomination, Jesus Christ. Every member (in theory) is supposed to believe in the Bible and follow it. In an organization that is founded on Christian principles, the principles of Christianity were used as a baseline, but belief in Christianity is not required for membership. The best example of this is the United States of America. The core principles and laws of this country follow closely with that of the Ten Commandments and other aspects of the Bible. However, citizenship in this country is not limited only to Christians. There is a distinct separation (in theory at least) between Church and State. It is important to note this difference because opponents of fraternities/sororities will say that because there are non-Christian members or because there are members who do not follow the Word of God in these organizations, members of these organizations cannot be true Christians. That is a completely unreasonable claim. If that were true, then no one living in the United States of America could claim to be a Christian. The purpose of fraternities and sororities is to bring together groups of people with similar ideals and beliefs (not necessarily religious), and allow them to bond, network and service their community. As with any organization (religious or non-religious), individuals may not agree with everything other members of their organization believe, but everyone in the organization should believe the overall mission of the fraternity or sorority. Now let’s look at some of the arguments against these organizations.
One of the first arguments that can be encountered revolves around the secrecy of fraternities and sororities involving their rituals. On Minster Hatchett’s webpage, one of the first things presented is his explanation for why he is exposing Greek Lettered Organizations. He says:
“Greeks will tell you to do your research, but WILL NOT provide ALL the tools necessary to do a thorough study. How hypocritical! It’s like telling someone to turn the lights on in a room, knowing the electricity is off. How Deceptive!”
The “tools” being talked about are the rituals of the organizations. The problem with that should be quite obvious. The implication is that one cannot make an informed decision when they do not have all the information in front of them. While hypothetically it sounds right, in practice, it rarely works that way. Most decisions you make are based off of a good portion of the information available to you, but rarely all of the information. When you apply for a job, you can research the company, attend open houses, and even talk to people who work at that job. However, you will not be able to view the company’s proprietary information. You also typically do not get a full feel for how the company operates. That is typically reserved for those that accept the job. Imagine if you were applying for a position that required a security clearance. Following Hatchett’s logic, the company would have to disclose all of the classified information regarding the job to you before you applied for the job or the security clearance. How Ridiculous! Just like a job requires a certain amount of commitment before disclosing certain information, fraternities and sororities require a certain level of commitment before you are provided with access to their rituals. You do not divulge your personal information to a stranger on the street, so why should a fraternity/sorority? Of course, those that have denounced will say that the need for full disclosure up front is because the rituals of fraternities and sororities contradict the Bible. Well, let’s take a look at that.
The most contentious part about this whole debate revolves around the rituals of fraternities and sororities. It is both a frustrating and difficult ordeal for members in fraternities and sororities. The frustration and difficulty stem from the fact that defending their rituals when confronted with an incorrect interpretation or an outdated ritual would most likely result in revealing a piece of what is supposed to be restricted to only members. It is a classic Catch-22 situation. Not revealing the rituals leaves the interpretation of those rituals to those that use flawed logic and guesswork. Part of the allure of those that preach the end of fraternities and sororities is that certain individuals expose the secret rituals of those organizations. The truth is, when there is a secret, everyone wants in on it. It does not matter how big or small, how important or how insignificant, no one wants to feel left out. By offering up these rituals, these people appeal to two types of groups. The first group is those that wanted to be in a fraternity or sorority but for some reason, were never inducted. Left with a feeling of rejection, they were left “out of the loop” and desperately sought ways to get “in”. That is where these posted rituals come in. It gives the rejected a way to see what they missed. However, because they view these rituals out of context and with no historical explanation (more on this later), the true meaning in the rituals completely escapes them. Having had no formal explanation to what they are reading, they form an opinion based off of false understanding.
The second type of person that is attracted to the internet-posted rituals is the individual who is a member of a fraternities/sororities, but never had their rituals explained to them. Honestly, fraternities and sororities are to blame for this. Every chapter is different, and unfortunately, there are some chapters that do not take the time to properly go over the rituals and documents for their organization. This can lead to a member becoming disingenuous, either because they thought they were going to get something more out of their process than they really did, or they were left to interpret their rituals on their own, leading to misinterpretation. This leaves them susceptible to the interpretations of unqualified others, to interpret what they themselves do not understand. The result is the truth being twisted by “knaves to make traps for fools.”
The problems that result from both of these cases can be broken down into two categories: Context and Symbolism. The first issue that becomes apparent with people that are opponents of fraternities and sororities is that they have taken the snippets of rituals they have read, and applied a literal meaning to them. The result is the rituals are then taken completely out of context and the meaning of the ritual is then changed. This can be true of any type of ritual, not just those of fraternities and sororities. Take a wedding ritual for instance. If a groom has written his vows to read “I will love you with all my heart”, does that mean he is forsaking God? Is he putting his bride above the Lord because he is giving her all of his heart instead of God? Of course he does not mean that. If we were to take that statement literally, the groom would not only have no room to love God, but he would have no love for his parents, siblings, or children. No one in their right mind would think twice about that statement and think that he is giving all of his love to his bride. Yet this nitpicking thought process is what opponents of fraternities and sororities do. If an aspirant was to say that they pledged to give their “all” to their organization, denounced members and those that believe them, say that is contradicting to God’s Word. But to most, that “all” is nothing more than the same type of commitment you would make for your job. When you pledge a fraternity/sorority, you are making a commitment to be there for your brothers and sisters when they need your support and a commitment to serve your community. Must we now put qualifiers in front of statements to ensure people that cannot read between the lines understand what the meaning is? Again, this commitment has nothing to do with a spiritual commitment because as stated before, fraternities and sororities are not Christian organizations. They are only founded on Christian principles.
The second issue revolves around symbolism. Opponents of fraternities and sororities make the assumption that depicting an image from an ancient culture is the equivalent of worshipping it. Apparently the concept of “symbolism” has been lost on them. Symbolism “refers to a way of choosing representative symbols in line with abstract rather than literal properties, allowing for the broader interpretation of a carried meaning than more literal concept-representations allow.” Basically, using the characteristics of one object to describe another. The ironic thing here is that not only is the Bible full of symbolism, but many movies and books are written to symbolize biblical events. The movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” clearly displays this, with the lion Aslan being an almost direct translation of Jesus with his death, then eventually resurrection. Fraternity and sorority rituals are full of symbolism that does not directly translate to their literal ancient meanings. Again, this not something that is limited to just fraternities/sororities. This type of symbolism can be found in everyday life. For instance, take a look at the back of your $1 bill. On the left side of the bill is a pyramid (Modeled after an Egyptian pyramid) with an “All Seeing Eye.” Now the Eye of Providence is a representation of God, however, the origin of that eye can be traced back to the Eye of Horus, who was the Sky God of none other than the ancient Egyptians. Some may even connect the Latin writing, Novus Ordo Seclorum (“New Order of the Ages“), with secret societies like the Illuminati. So in essence, each one of us is walking around with money that was produced by a secret society, with the symbol of an Egyptian God on it. Seeing how this money is necessary to conduct any sort of business in the U.S., one could say that the $1 bill is the “mark of the beast.” Of course, you would be a fool to believe that. The Eye of Providence, despite its origins is supposed to represent the Christian God, being favorable to the creation of the United States. The Egyptian pyramids are the only surviving Wonders of the World. Their survival is a testament to their durability throughout the ages. It is for that reason that the pyramid appears on the dollar bill to symbolize “strength and duration” in conjunction with this country. So if the pyramid on the dollar bill can have a symbolic meaning, cannot the Egyptian symbols that fraternities and sororities use also have symbolic meanings? It should also be pointed out how ironic it is for some Christians to question this type of symbolism when the cross that most Christians wear to symbolize Jesus’ sacrifice, can find its origins as an ancient form of painfully and gruesome public execution. Of course most are enlightened enough to differentiate between the two.
Another argument used by denounced members to condemn their former organizations is the issue of illegal hazing and pledging activities that are carried out by some members. First of all, it is quite silly to condemn an entire organization for the activities of a few of its members, especially when that activity is expressly forbidden. Should we hold the entire Christian community responsible for the actions of members like Rev. Mason “MA$E” Betha? Now, some might think that fraternities and sororities do not do enough to stop illegal hazing activities, but when you can look onto the national webpage for some organizations and see the name and chapters of those currently suspended (Some for as little as talking to an aspirant) one has to wonder what more these organizations can do.
It is also important to note the difference between hazing and pledging. Hazing is an act that has no purpose other than to bolster the egos of those “in charge.” Hazing can be the catalysis for a cycle of senseless acts that generally end up in a bad situation. Hazing is caused by those that do not understand their history and believe that violence is the cornerstone to correctly joining a fraternity/sorority. This hazing is what leads to members becoming disenfranchised because they do not form a proper bond with those they are on line with or those that are already in the chapter. Pledging on the other hand, is supposed to allow you to break down your own mental barriers and hold fast to your beliefs and convictions. It incorporates both mental and physical aspects. There is nothing wrong with having a process that challenges someone to break out of their normality. That does not contradict God’s Will. If you have ever played a sport, joined the military or stayed up late to study for a test, you have in some respects experienced some element of pledging. Some claim that pledging is just a way to brainwash an individual to becoming complacent. That is not only false, but completely opposite of what pledging is supposed to be. In a proper process, one should learn to recognize when it is necessary to work in a group and when it is necessary to accomplish something on one’s own. Those that claim pledging forced them to become something other than what they already were, are lying to themselves. They were really just weak minded individuals who were easily swayed into doing something they now regret. They do not want to face the reality that there is no one else to blame for their past but themselves.
Of course, the above distinction between hazing and pledging is a moot point when it comes to the arguments presented by denounced members. Both pledging and hazing are condemned by all organizations. Not only that, but recent high profile hazing trails have proven that the law of this country is also standing firmly against both. So again, if the organizations already condemn it, why is this used as an argument against fraternities/sororities?
The arguments against fraternities and sororities made by denounced members and those that believe them are extremely one-dimensional and flawed. Their arguments fail to take in to account symbolism, context and in most cases are based on rituals that have been misinterpreted. Can you be a Christian and a member of a fraternity/sorority? Of course you can. Just as you can recite the Hippocratic oath as a doctor and still be a Christian, you can be a Christian and be in a fraternity/sorority. The key is to remain firm in your beliefs. Pledging into an organization should not change that. It is important to remember that fraternities and sororities are just like any other organization (Religious or Non-religious). They can be used for corrupt means just like some churches can be. Some of their members can stray away from the original meaning and foundation they were built on. Fraternities and sororities have some weak-minded members that make their religion their organization. That, however, is not representative of all members. Just because a few misguided individuals have strayed, that does not mean the organization as a whole condones that behavior. Also, like many other aspects of life, fraternities and sororities rely heavily on symbolism and because of that reliance, interpretation of rituals by those that do not understand that symbolism can lead to words being misconstrued and taken out of context. Fraternities and sororities do need to improve the knowledge of their membership when it comes to their own rituals. However, that shortcoming does not mean that denounced members and followers are correct in their assumptions. If you remember that fraternities and sororities are service organizations founded on Christian principles(As opposed to Christian Organizations), then you will understand that becoming a member does not automatically disqualify you from being a Christian. That determination is made between you and God, not you and the next man.
Anonymous you misunderstand my (and many of my fellow greeks) problem with Hatch, Phil and the rest of these morons. It’s not that they say that God told them to denounce their letters. It’s not my place to tell another man what God told them. My problem is when they try to link their Godless lives and sins as if it had something to do with the organization they pledged. Oh sure, they’ll claim that’s not what they are doing, but it’s obvious that they are in their own subtle ways. I have a problem when they decide to renounce their letters yet go out of their way to misinterpret the secret rituals of these organizations. If God told them to denounce their letters…fine, denounce and move on. You can even witness to those and warn others away. But don’t twist the symbolic words in the rituals, don’t expose those who aren’t in these organizations and who haven’t earned the right to learn the rituals to the rituals…and do not blame your whoring, and sinning on the organization you pledged. Blame yourself and the lack of spirituality, will power and common sense.
Whats up Kris there are no secrets Luv you my brother
people you want the truth from the mouth of Black greeks who have not denounced…..go to the http://www.zetazetasigma.com/history/history.htm These sigmas are telling like it is……..
then go to Mr Tony Brown’s book Empower the People and read what a proud Alpha Man has written http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0688169740/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link
I would take the King Picture down if I were you. King is the furthest thing from a Christian. He denies the Deity Of Jesus, His Blood Atonement, Bodily Resurrection, and the Virgin Birth.
Alpha Phi Alpha sure didn\\\’t and never has said anything about his ANTI-Christian beliefs.
You are so far from the truth Mr. Chuck. Salvation teaches us to shun the very appearance of evil. How in the world could make the comparison of that stupid eye to the eye and favor of God. You are sadly mistaken. These are people that are taken up in Paganism and Idol Worship. Keep in mind that the practices and fraternal orders of these organization are founded from the principles of Masonry. All of these organizations claim to be the light of the world and force people kneel in front of altars during the pledge process. Also consider the term ritual. Rituals are things that people did in those days in sacrificing things to FALSE Gods. Also take a closer look at the process of branding. People brand cows to show that the cow is now OWNED by that master. One you become branded by these fraternities, sororities, and secret organizations, you allow them to become your MASTERS.
I see you’re not in a Fraternity. First of all, we don’t worship idol Gods. In fact, we are community service organizations whose only goals are to uplift humanity and provide a service through charitable causes. Thats something you “staunch” Christians are supposed to do but don’t. Black greek letter organizations have absolutely nothing to do with Masonry. The only people who believe they do are the idots who aren’t in a Black Frat or Sor. My father was a master Mason and from what I know about them, we don’t even come close to what they do and believe. We don’t claim to be the “light of the world” as you suggest and I have never knelt before any altar except the one in my church. If you were truly educated, you’d know that rituals don’t necessarily mean sacrificing to false gods. A ritual can be a unified way of doing things that has been accepted by all involved. The holy communion is a ritual by definition. I’m not a member of Omega Psi Phi but I do know that branding is not mandated by the fraternity. I know several Ques who are not branded. Branding, in the sense that it being used here is for pride purposes and to show your affiliation with the organization. No ownership is implied or actual. Finally, we are not secret organizations. You can find each of our history books in the public library. This is a fact you’d know if bothered to read and do research. Because you are not a member, you are not entitled to know everything. If you did, what would be the motivation for anyone to join? I’m real tired of the ignorant fools who criticize and assume things about organizations they have no clue about.
im so sick of idiots like you thinking just because we aren’t members we know nothing about what we are talking about. Just think about our argument, We fighting on the side of God, Jesus, and the Holy Bible, and we are telling you what it says. We arent saying these things the word of god is. We are on the side of god you are on the side of A phi A. Who do you think is more right. We don’t care if you don’t really mean it when you pledge your mind soul and hearts to these idols, but God cares. To take those oaths and not really mean it is telling a lie anyway. Why would you want to be with an idol that uses fallen Gods of failed religons when you call your self christian. It shouldn’t even be in your presence. Those are Gods words not mine.
See…I deal in reality. If you are to "shun the very appearance of evil" literally, then you’ll lock yourself in your house and sit there for the rest of your life. Again, you’re just as bad as Hatchett. Branding isn’t a requirement of being in a fraternity or sorority. It is something that members choose to do. There are members in the church that get tattoos. I mean really, are you all that blinded and stupid to reality?
Hell is a reality for many who travel on a street called Broadway…
IF ANY OF YOU WE’RE SMART YOU’D RESEARCH BLACK GREEK ORGANIZATIONS AND KNOW THAT THEIR BULIT ON CHRISTIAN PRINCEPLES. NOT ANY OF YOU ARE CHRISTIAN LIKE, BECAUSE IF YOU WERE, YOU WOULD SIT HERE AND DISRESPECT BLGOs. AS THE LOOKS OF IT NONE OF YOU DON’T EVEN KNO WHAT GOES ON BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS DISCRERT, YOUR GOING BY WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS SAID. YOU CAN BE APART OF ANY FRATERITY OR SORORITY RATHER IT BE BLACK/ WHITE. IF HAZING IS AN ISSUE, THATS IDIOTIC TO PAIR CHRISIANITY WITH IT BECAUSE HAZING IN IIEGAL AND IF ANY ORGANIZATION HAZES THE WILL BE SUSPENED. THOSE WHO’VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE ARE THE WHOSE WHO THOUGHT BY BEING A BLGO IT WOULD CHANGE THEM. UM NO, IF SOMEONE TOLD U TO JUMP OFF A BRIDGE YOU NOT GOING TO IT,SO WHY TRY TO SIT AND PAIR CHRISTIANITY TO BEING IN A BLGO. NONE OF YOU ARE CHRISTIANS ALL YOU DO IS SIT AND WANT TO JUDGE WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO.. ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE US NOT SOMEONE WHO THINK WE ALL MUST HANG AROUND CHRISTIANS AND CHRISTIANS ONLY JESUS DIED FOR OUR SIN’S AND YET PPL STILL DON’T SEE WE’RE STILL FIGHT A WAR ON EARTH AND YOU WANT TO WRITE NON-SENSE.. WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE TO SAY BLGO AREN’T BELIEVER’S IN GOD. YOU DON’T HAVE ANY, YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE RESPECT FOR MARTAIN LUTHER KING, SHAME BUT YOUR ALL “CHRISTIANS”…
Man! I hate that I am just now reading this article. This is one of the if not the best article I have read concerning the whole being Christian vs. being “greek” debate. I am member of Alpha Phi Alpha but before that, after that and always I am a Christian. I am extremely glad I happened to find this article and I will definitely pass this on to others. God Bless.
Thank you so much for posting this essay. You should consider making your own website dedicated to this topic to counter the antics of those uninformed Christian folk.
I am dealing with this issue personally as well. It is not so much that I feel like the organization is Satan it’s just that the time spent and emphas. placed on your particular organization comes off to me as a bit disturbing. Anything can be considered a “God” if you hold it in high esteem And it conflicts with God. The secretness of the organizations and the “I’ll ride or die” attitude is also disturbing. The emphas. that people place on their organization, letters, takes the “Community Service” harmless focus to a new level which is where I can see people saying that it is or almost is like a mini God. I am wrestling with the idea that people try to put their organization on level with their religion and that doesn’t work for me. There should not be the same reaction of a person disrespecting the Cross as a person disrespecting their letters, however it is. Trying to compare being apart of a greek organization to being a member of a church.
Well I am in a BGLO and I know first hand about what happens behind the rituals… Tell me, when you are reciting your allegiance, who are you reciting it to? The organization right? That’s why many Christians feel this is wrong, because you are only supposed to pledge your allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t get mad @ people that denounce the organizations. God spoke to them, and now they want to shed some light on what goes on in BGLOs
Don’t know which BGLO you belong to but I’m an Alpha and I never pledged allegiance to any Frat. I did agree to uphold the principle of the Fraternity. Big difference
I actually wrote about this recently and I think being in a Greek organization is NOT the wisest thing to get into. In your article you put how do people analyze or talk about something they’re not apart of or know nothing about. First, where in the Word is it cool to separate yourself from everybody. If something is not in the public or available to be searched thoroughly for it to be seen and it has to be secretive how is that of Christianity?! For all believers we know the best example to follow is Jesus. I don’t recall Jesus separating himself from people or spending the majority of the time just talking to the apostles. He preached, teached, talked, healed, and hung out with everybody. He never separated himself from nobody else but the devil. Sure this could be said of other things as well and not just Greek organizations but this is the one of the most if not the most popular trend going on in the African-American community. We all should be careful of what we asssociate ourselves with. The devil still deceives of us now with things that has just enough “good” principle in it and makes it seem like its doing well. Test and prove everything until its found good.
First of all, we don’t separate ourselves from anybody. It is you who are not in a BGLO that tries to separate yourselves from us and denounce us at the same time. Second, if you want to see a secret organization, look no further than the church. I am an officer in my church and if I went up to one of the Bishops in our national office and asked to see the “books”, I’d get escorted out by security. The church is full of secrets. If you are truly knowledgeable about the church you’d know that. Some information is on a need to know basis. I don’t know of any memeber of a BGLO that doesn’t hang out with everybody else. In fact, most older members wear very little parephenalia at all. I rarely wear paraphenalia outside of fraternity events. The truth of the matter is that BGLO’s don’t endorse any religion and our members are Jewish, Muslim, Chritians all the way to atheist. Religion really is not our focus as we are about serving the communities in which we live. I’ve never taken an oath to serve my fraternity and I spend more time than most “christians” helping the disadvantaged with my fraternity brothers. As an Alpha, we are taught that the proper order of things is God, family, fraternity. Perhaps youy should be a member of something before you “theorize” and criticize it. I believe Jesus would say that you are being judgmental.
So let me get this straight….because you can’t read the rituals unless you’re a member…it must be unGodly. That’s got to be the dumbest logic I’ve ever read. You people keep acting like these Greek-Lettered organizations are a form of religion and as this article states clearly, they are not. Do some people treat them like that? yes. But some people treat their jobs or their video games or their sports like a religion. Its wrong, but that speaks more about the PERSON than the action. Stop skirting away from personal responsibility.
Man all I can say is line-up with what the Word says then come to your conclusion. Don’t come up with it based off logic or other circumstances. Logically alot of stuff seems right until you line them up to God’s Word. Truth is truth bro… The origin of the whole Greek organizations are very questionable at the very least. We’re to imitate Jesus right? So why is it the wiset decision to get into that period? Sure you could but how is it beneficial as a whole? You don’t need to be a “Greek” to help others and show “brotherhood”. If you’re a believer and you have confessed the Jesus is your Savior then all is good but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to test what we get ourselves involved in. Whatever the origin of an organization is is what you’re going to ultimately represent.
Brethren:
You are just as deceived and bewitched as the Galatians, third chapter.
In Greek Letter Organizations, (also applies to Masons,Eastern Stars, etc) you are entering into a COVENANT by taking an OATH, which puts you into immediate violation of Scripture.
The Bible admonishes believers NOT to take oaths, and the Bible instructs believers NOT to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. You body is the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Understand that the Bible teaches that Satan is the Father of unbelievers. Unsaved people can join GLO’S because, as you clearly know, being saved, being born-again is NOT a prerequisite to joining a GLO.
Therefore, a believer taking an oath (forbidden) with an unbeliever (sinful) in the supernatural (where the battle really is) binds you with Satan. Period. Read Ephesians 6 to understand that our battle is not with the flesh … but with principalities and rulers of darkness.
Read Romans 12:1-2 and recognize that these Greek organizations are merely “world systems” referred to in verse 2. These are idolatrous and pagan from the root of their beginnings. If the Children of Israel always met God’s wrath for their idolatry, what makes you think we, today, ingrafted Jews, be get away with idolatry?
REPENT! RENOUNCE! WAKE UP CHURCH! PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT!
Now that you have been exposed to TRUTH, the LORD holds you accountable.
Kriss,
Great Article. Great.
Not a member of BGLO, but I definitely understand.
Outstanding, honestly.
What is the major difference between being a citizen of the United States and being a member of a fraternity/sorority? One you have to pledge, the other you just have to be born in. I can be a citizen of the United States and then move to another country and gain citizenship there. I can’t join one fraternity and then decide to join another. I can know all about the United States without actually being a citizen, I can’t know any secret ritual of a fraternity unless I’m actually a member. Lastly I don’t have to join myself to the United States to be a citizen. Noting these differences, it’s extremely laughable that you attempt to correlate being a member of a fraternity or sorority with being a citizen of the United States. Further, you’ve proven the point of those who object being in these organizations by simply stating you don’t have to be a follower of Christ to take an oath to an organization that represents all religions. I don’t even have to place scripture here because you give so many examples as to why you can NOT serve CHRIST and join one of these organizations! From now on, anyone who wants to know why, I’ll just send to your site to read this!!!
“The purpose of fraternities and sororities is to bring together groups of people with similar ideals and beliefs (not necessarily religious), and allow them to bond, network and service their community.”
Why oh why in the World would you need secret rituals, the taking of oaths and exclusive membership to accomplish the above.
Secondly, you are ABSOLUTELY on the right track when you basically say America is full of pagan symbolism because it is!! However, again, the major difference is that when you join a fraternity or sorority, you are pledging your lifelong allegiance to it. You’re taking an oath!!! Again, you are so backwards and off when you compare joining one of these to getting a job. If I don’t like what I find out about a job once I get it, I can quit and GET ANOTHER! I haven’t given an oath never to tell the secrets of what I find out. If a job I get is doing questionable things, I can tell about it!!! I don’t have to keep any secrets! This article or whatever it is is SERIOUSLY lacking knowledge and just basic common sense. Again, I don’t even have to present any arguments, you’re views are enough to expose the truth!
I’m sorry, I had to comment again. At this point, it is a waste of time for anyone quoting scripture on this page showing whomever wrote this article the ways in which they are deceived because they obviously have read and attempted to refute everything everyone has already posted. Those scriptures mean NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING to them outside of the context in which they understand them. Without a TRUE understanding of scripture they will continue to go back and forth with you and then many people reading this will be even more confused! We need to pray for the repentance of not only the author but this nation because God’s wrath upon it is imminent.
Louise, you like many others have missed the first point. I compared joining a fraternity to becoming a citizen because you have a choice. If you come to this country, you have the choice of becoming a citizen. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Same as with a Fraternity. With a job, a lot of jobs have stipulations in which you can’t be in the same job at 2 different companies at the same time. Same with a Fraternity.
See, the real problem is, you all have a problem with the secrecy, THAT’S what it is. You want to join then go and tell everyone else what’s in the rituals. Because you can’t, you assume that its bad. Its no different than if you had a security clearance and then left your job. Can you go and blab your mouth about what you did? Absolutely not.
Hola Everyone!!!! This is a great conversation!!! We are living in the last and evil days!! REMEBER the devil imitates the LORD JESUS in everything!!!! JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!!! satan comes AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT!! GOD DESIGNED PRO CREATION,satan DESIGNED HOMOSEXUALITY; BECAUSE HE CANNOT CREATE!!! Satan goal is to mimic our LORD JESUS in everything!!! He WANTS PRAISE just like the LORD JESUS does!!! How does he get the praise? First off designing demonic music which opens up many doors.He uses pagan gods in deception to make people kneel down to him. Because behind every idol, there is a demon!!! How can serve two masters? Seriously how can you do that? LUKE Chapter 16 verse 13! You will hate one and love the other! The reason why some people are getting angry, because it is a spirit that is working against GOD in them!!! Calling people idiots and putting people down is A DANGEROUS THING to do!!!
Keep in mind LOVE COVERS a mulitude of sins,but it DOES NOT EXCUSE SIN!!! A Big difference! JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR Everyone on this planet! He loves everyone on this planet!!! BUT IF YOU DECIDE NOT to accept truth, you will be without excuse on JUDGEMENT DAY!!!! Choose your words carefully when talking about the men and women of GOD!!!!PSALMS 105:15 TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED and do my PROPHET NO HARM!!!! Please be careful, you may disagree, but to name call? I leave you with this, THERE IS A WAY; THAT SEEMS RIGHT UNTO MAN, BUT IN THE END IT IS DEATH!!!!
Um ok. Too all my “devout” christians who are commenting on BGLO’s…If you’re gonna quote scriptures and passages in the bible, let’s do it right. You all are taking what you believe these passages are saying to fit your own personal beliefs. Just because the BGLOs is secret, does NOT mean it’s ungodly! Tell me, does anyone know when the end of the world is? Last time I checked, it was a secret that only God himself knows. Does that mean he is contradicting himself?
Secondly, as the young man stated in his article, the dollar bill has greek origins on it along with the face of George Washington on it. George Washington was a Mason. Are any of you “devout” Christians refusing to spend money? I dont think so.
Many of Jesus’ teachings were not to shun unbelievers but to help them. Part of being a Christian is to help those who need to see the light. Just because my line sisters or brothers are not saved doesn’t mean I have to separate myself from them. Now as a Christian, the things they might indulge in, I am not suppose to be a part of. This is their doings, not the BGLOs doing! Nowhere in my constitution, bylaws, and rituals does it state we are to do unholy things, worship false gods or anything of the sort. They are merely symbols. Everything in the bible is not to be taken literally. Some things in the bible are literal and some are symbolic. The whole book of revelation just about is symbolic.
Masons are not evil! My grandfather was a Mason and actually a grandmaster of his lodge. You know what else he was???? He was also a PASTOR, and as a CHRISTIAN he brought many of his family, friends, fellow masons, as well as strangers to Christ!
Alot of BGLOs and Mason meetings start off with a prayer. There is no picture, words, or anything that we bow down to. Infact, if these BGLOs bashers would do THOROUGH research instead of finding snippets of rituals and other documents, they will notice that some sororities including my own mentions God. I remember my application process asking if we were involved in our church! I remember my sisters and I having to go to church as we went on our journey to sisterhood.
This is the reason why some unbelievers choose to stay unbelievers because of these select types of Christians who like to condemn instead of save souls!
And in closing, the internet has porn, profanity, and all types of “ungodly” things on it. Yet, I see many of those who say as christians we are to shun ungodly things using it to comment on this blog.
I am my own person and my peers, organization, and nothing else influence my decisions. On judgment day, God is going to hold us accountable for our wrongdoings, not what organization we belong to. God bless you all!!!
lmao you think because you guys say a prayer before a meeting and they made yall go to church While you were on line makes it ok. Making an oath of yourself to something other than your spouse is against the word of god. If symbolism is not a big deal why use false gods why not just use the devil as the symbol and the numbers 666 for the organization. thats if symbolism really doesnt matter.
1 big question to all you Greeks on this page
Do you think the founders of these organizations made these oaths and conducted these rituals and went through all this?
We might not fully understand what sits behind the ritals that You guys conduct and thats fine. The problem is you guys dont fully understand the scriptures. You take God’s word as lightly as you take the symbolism in your organization.
Do not be fooled by people making justifications for what is worldly. Why do you defend your BGLO so boldly? Do you take your eternal life in Christ this seriously? If you are not a Christian, then fine. It is understandable why you do not stand firmly for Christ and you are like unto lukewarm water and straddling the fence. But if you proclaim to be a Christian, then you must stand firm and be on fire for it, and it alone. There is no leeway. Remember, you cannot serve two masters. Period! In the Bible, there is a such thing as interpretation, but in his words there is little room to interpret topics on IDOLATRY, UNEQUAL YOKES with “Non-Believers”, Symbolism, Numerology, False gods, Keeping Secrets, VANITY, and PERVERSION of his word. It is interesting that many of the current BGLO members that defend greek so fervently don’t have a full grasp of knowledge of where their org’s came from. They are so wrapped up in the “Illustrious” history of their own org’s. Outside of the religion part, why is their so much animosity between you and among you. First, many of your founders were desiring to creat frats/sororities in the image of the whites. This is fact! Many of the BGLO org’s give reference to Phi Beta Kappa as the first frat. Phi Beta Kappa also was influenced by masonic. So as a way to draw men into the ranks as they became more mature, these college fraternities were created as a way of grooming young men towards the “Light”. Much in the same way as the BGLO’s have junior groups that they mentor. Many of your founders were masonic or eastern star, in the way of Prince Hall, the black version of MASONRY. Starting to get the point? Why would your founders immulate something created in the image of whites? Did they feel left out? I know for one, my former BGLO’s founders stated in their history book that they did feel left and excluded on that white college campus and were not acccepted by the whites. And because blacks could not join regular white masonic “LODGGES” back then, they became members of Prince Hall. Sigma Pi Phi, emphatically states in their history they wanted to immulate a certain white “Secret Society”. The boule is the predecessor of all BGLO’s. Not true? Look at their membership and look at your fraternities “Illustrious” lineage of notable members. Bill Cosby, Charles H. Wesley, etc. All this is to say, your organization did not start with itself and it’s founders. These BGLO’s were an “Immulation” of something before it which happens to be white Greek fraternity and because that was originated from Masonry, that as well. Now people in BGLO’s will say “Do Your Researc”. See the problem you all are having is that people that have denounced or renounced the BGLO have done just that and have seen what the Greek/Masonic/Perverse light is (Lucifer – read Albert Pike’s book on this) and have decided to turn away from it. The one’s who continue to defend it to the death, even in opposition to the word of GOD have to do some personal inventory on this. It is your personal choice to be a member or not. But to those who have turned away from this sinful thing, they have heard GOD speak to them and have broken the bondage/Unequal Yoke of satan who is deceiving many with the statement “It’s not literal” or “It aint that serious”
Lets be honest, you aren’t paying attention. We are talking about BGLO’s not the white Greeks. BGLO’s were formed out of totally different purposes. We were not allowed in the white greeks so we needed a place to socialize outside of church that could bring all men together to achieve a common purpose: uplift mankind through community service. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Lets be honest, you aren’t paying attention. The BGLO’s were formed from those greek orgs in promise that educated blacks would have a slice of the pie, if they managed other educated blacks(through joining up) to keep people (other blacks then, all others now) enslaved to this systems purposes. C’mon with the hokey-pokey. The big thing I see is that believers IN God don’t have secrets, because we know that anything done in the dark will come to the light.
To the young man above, it is your obligation as a “Christian” to not be “Unequally Yoked” with non-believers. 2 Corinthians 6:14. You can minister to non-believers, but, by taking a BGLO Oath/Creed/Ritual/Affirmation (these are still nothing more than SWEARs) you all become the children of the same mother. People, stop justifying to people that have been called by GOD and to yourself why they should not denounce or renounce their letters. Realize what YOU are doing. Are you operating under the authority of GOD or that of satan? Yes it is that simple and literal. There is no in-between. Who are you defending BGLO for GOD or the enemy? Just because these rituals and oaths of these org’s seem outdated, the meaning and symbolism is still the same. Don’t be fooled. The enemies job is to trick and lie to people right? All I am saying is, do some indept research on where your BGLO and all others come from. Is Greek relevant to Blacks? Why did your BGLO founders want to create a Greek org in the first place? Were my founders Masons? What does it mean to take an Oath, perform rituals, CROSS, stand in a circle and CHANT? Why is NUMEROLOGY so important to my BGLO when it is contradictory to my beliefs as a CHRISTIAN? These are just some of the few questions we must ask ourselves as we try and balance or allegiances to Christ and our BGLO which is “In Our Heart” and is the “Light of the World”. Oops, those things are supposed to be Christ, right?
To all the BGLO members, why all the sarcasm when addressing people who profess to be Christians? Kind of makes you wonder? The word of GOD is the word of GOD. In whole or in bits, it has the same value. All of us have sinned, even Christians. That is what makes a Christian a Christian. But by not admitting to BGLO being a sin, which it is because of the perversion that it is of the truth, we put ourselves in jeopardy. I personally ain’t going to an “Omega” chapter with people who doubt the word of GOD. Does’nt seem like a comfortable place to be for eternity. Get what I’m saying? I was a BLGO member and had a fairly pleasurable experience. But the truth is the truth and you guys know it. I made and continue to make mistakes but this is one things I am letting go of and asking GOD to forgive me for and not bring my inequities on my children. Exodus 20:5, 34:7
Obviously none of you religious nutcases didn’t read the article. Not surprising from a bunch of idiotic hypocrites.
Very well written! I am a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. I find the comments very interesting. Well, off to due my Christian duties and provide more community service, thank God for the mind to do so.
No matter what you believe, only what you do for God will count!
Of course, the flesh will do what is pleasing to the flesh, but God is the RIGHTeous judge and he will just all of us accordingly, not to my standards and not to yours!
In the end, EVERY KNEE will bow and confess that he is the one and ONLY GOD!
Ask the Lord for discernment, wisdom and knowledge in leading you and ask that HIS WILL be done and not your own.
The Bible must be taken for every word! The word states: WE MUST NOT ADD OR TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT!!!Proverbs chapter 30:5 states: EVERY WORD OF GOD IS TESTED; HE IS A SHIELD TH THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM. VERSE 6:DO NOT ADD TO HIS WORDS OR HER WILL REPROVE YOU, AND YOU WILL BE PROVED A LIAR. DEUTERONOMY 12:32 STATES: WHATEVER I COMMAND YOU, YOU SHALL BE CAREFUL TO DO; YOU SHALL NOT ADD TO NOR TAKE AWAY FROM IT. Again, YOU do have a choice. These conversations fromm this blog will come up again my sisters and brothers. Don’t forget; you are loved first by JESUS who is the LIGHT of the world!!! There are other many secret socities that will be judged, not just the Masons (and there is a Ex-Mason) who said that most people who don’t get that chance to make it to the 33degree level don’t even realize the evil that is really going on in that organization! So you have the Masons and the Eastern Stars who started most of the Greek lettered organizations, then you have the Bohemian Grove and they use elegys during their rituals, you have the Council on Foriegn Relations(Angelina Jolie Pitt) is a member. Most of our politicians are members of one or more of these organizations!
These groups are controlled by the Illuminati yes the all seeing eye of ra! You know that sign that Beyonce and Jay-Z use to throw curses out over their fans!! Again THIS IS A SPRITIUAL WARfare!! The devil wants your souls! Please do not give him that chance!!!!
While it is time, make up your mind!!!! Know that LOVE WILL WIN OVER HATE!!! MAY OUR JESUS BLESS AND KEEP YOU!!!
Watch out for this fool. He’ll be a sniper on the freeway soon. Conspiracy theorist…wow!
Great article. What I’d like to see is an analysis of whether Christianity is a suitable religion for Blacks. Considering Christianity was forced on us by people who many in the Black Community refer to as White Devils I’m not so sure it is. Christianity is responsible for more death and destruction than any religion in human history. One of the slave ships was called GOODSHIP JESUS! I see no conflict between belonging to a fraternity or sorority and belonging to the church, mosque, or synagogue. For too long Blacks have uncritically accepted Christianity as the one true religion. They label all things evil that does not accept Christianity as the word of God. Yet they know nothing of Traditional African Belief Systems. I’m all for analysis and debate while seeking truth and understanding. That means that if we are going to engage in a conversation about Black Fraternities and Sororities, it’s only fair and right that we critically examine Christianity as a religion as well.
Alpha & Omega, you do know that Christianity is an African religion created by tribal Blacks don’t you? Jesus’ real name (tribal) was Yashua and his roots are from Ethyopia. At the time of his earthly reign, there were no whites in Northern Africa (now called the middle east). Even the Romans had black blood in them. And notice I didn’t say Jesus had arabic blood in him either. We taught the white man Christianity and he in turn changed some things and force fed us their version. Do your research and you’ll see that all of those ancient civilizations were black people and people of color….not white.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding! Acknowledge him in all of your ways and he will direct your path!
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the unGODly nor standeth in the way of the sinner nor sits int he seat of those who scorn! His deligth is in the law of the Lord and in His law does he meditate day and night!
Read the good book(s) for yourselves instead of listening to other people’s interpretations. If Hatchett and the ilk understood the word, they would understand that it comes down to leading by example and not “do as I say, not as I do”. He and his followers have/had personal issues that they need to address themselves. The people I see living the word don’t have to say a word. One can feel and see something is different and special about this person. I have never heard this type of person ever say a cross thing about another person or organization, especially in support of their spiritual beliefs. I digress…this conversation is about religious doctrine and not spirituality and faith which transcends the confines of religious and control hungry zealots…
I am truley confused. i’ve read so many different stories pertaining to greek Vs. Christianity and ive heard arguements for both sides of the story.. some christians are against it, some are for it just as long as you personally know who u are in Christ. I am so confused. because i don’t know what to do. I am basically in the middle of a process of becoming greek. but before i decided to i researched alot of stuff like this but after talking to a few people and praying, i felt comfortable with my decison, but now i don’t know anymore. I just want to cry but wat if im wrong for joining does that mean im automatically casted into hell, but wat if i don’t idiolize it and i put GOD first and the greek org. came last in my life, am i still hell bound?? im just confused. i mean ive read diff. stories about ministers saying that we are not suppose to pledge and oath of any sort, but in elementary-middle-and highschool everybody said the pledge of allegiance to the american flag…so what does that mean? and in high school and college we sing school anthems and school hymns so what does that mean, that means we idiolized or worshiped our highschool or college because we enegaged in singing the school motto and anthem and hymn??? im really confused.. i also joined a business organization which is a lifelong commitment, but i don’t plan on joining a grad chapter and i def don’t put it first but i believe we did repeat some type of speech read from a book, but i listened to what was being asked of me to read i didnt hear anything challenging my relationship with God or anything… idk… IDK… im scared actually because i have a calling on my life and i don’t want to do anything to have me hell bound… but ive heard people that say they are against greek org. but yet they still having sex and sinning. well sin is sin isn’t it? God looks at all sin as the same and equal. hmmm this is a challenging topic. im just going to continue to pray and call my pastor.
Ms. Confused,
You worship in the church/religion whilst you join a BLGO. Why are you confused?
Read the Good Book for yourself then make your descision.
Sammy
Ms. Confused,
I have an e-mail address, website, and and phone number, 919/278-8911, to naswer any questions relating to salvation, secret societies, biblical worlviews, etc.
I see Greek site after Greek site with the opening pages that say, Greetings in the Name of my lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After that, NOTHING, nothing but religious pluralism and platitudes.
Allow me to give a great example of why not to join. Sinners are allowed to join. Sinners who have no concept or menaing of scriptures, worship other gods, no god, dabble in paganism, etc. Some actively try to win you to their beliefs. Some just simply oppose Christianity. I call it UNEQUAL YOKING.
You see this guy Sammy. He’s no Christian. He came to my website with his irreligious mumbo jumbo about the Nicene Council. He tries to bash the historical reliability of scriptures, and tries to make the Word of God subjective or in other words, it’s not the truth.
Fred,
“Sinners are allowed to join. Sinners who have no concept or menaing of scriptures, worship other gods, no god, dabble in paganism, etc. Some actively try to win you to their beliefs.”
Based on the Christian scriptures, we all are born into Sin. Every church accepts sinners. You are a sinner. You continue to sin by not speaking the truth. You sinned by abusing pledges. You sinned by running the women while under the guise of being a Que. You sin by telling people that Jesus is Christian when you know He is not and never was a Christian. You sir, are nothing more than a flim-flam artist… and based on what ‘ve googled about you, are not a very good one at that.
Ms. Confused,
1. Jesus was NOT a Christian and neither am I. Jesus, according to scriptures, was a Jew.
2. Christianity was established by men, not Jesus.
With that said, I will tell you to read the good book for yourself and not rely on what I, or anyone else says. You see with M. Hatchett, like most others religeous zealots, one has to believe and do exactly what they say or face eternal damnation ala Dante’s Inferno. …lol
By his own volition, Minister Hatchett lived foul and abuse people whilst blaming Omega Psi Phi and the Masons. He is a very weak man hiding behind His shortcomings. I do not bash the scriptures because I have, and continue, to read them for myself. Items #1 and #2 can be verified by reading the scriptures. Minister Hatchett, you have my sympathy for I could never live a life of fear as you currently are……. If you truly lived in the spirit of Jesus, this conversation would never happen.
Confused, figure it out for yourself. Read the scriptures yourself. There is nothing in the scriptures that says you cannot join a BGLO. My organization has Christians, Muslims, Jews, Agnostics…etc.. and we are a Christian based organization.
F. Hatchett is probably living foul like Bishop Long: talking hard Sunday and on messages boards, whilst living foul the rest of the time.
Ms. Confused,
It’s people like Minister Hatchett that you need to worry about not the specific organization you wish to join. You see, people like him( if you decide to follow the intake process) will attempt to abuse you behind the viewl of brother or sisterhood. Then, like Minister Hatchett, they will have an ephipany that they want to serve the Lord AFTER they whup your behind. Sound familiar Minister Hatchett?
You’re a funny person….lol
Sammy
……….Following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become………..
I renounced my letters because of an internal conflict with what I was saying from the ritual. I don’t care how you try to dress it up — sin is sin is sin. Kriss states that noone would be able to be a Christian and live in the United States. WRONG analogy. We are born into citizenship of the country our parents are natives of. Joining these organizations is a CHOICE made, and most of the time it is ill informed.
Sammy you keep accusing Min Hatchett of hypocrisy, but instead of a compassionate discourse on a disagreement, you call him names and make sarcastic comments about him beating pledges then getting an epiphany from God. Usually, a sinner is in sin until the revelation comes that they can be saved. So it stands to reason that you will do a lot of STUPID and WRONG stuff before you are made aware that it was STUPID and WRONG.
And unless you were with Bishop Eddie Long when he allegedly was involved in these incidents, watch your mouth because he is still a man of God. Please get the plank out of your eye before worrying about the speck in someone else’s.
The one thing I will ask is this: Who gets the glory from the activities of these organizations when people are killed trying to pledge? Hmmm… is God pleased with that? Is it glorifying God when someone has to have two skin graph surgeries because they were beaten so many times in the same place with a cane? Head injury from being pushed out of a moving vehicle?
No, it’s not all negative. Who gets the glory when an awesome community service event is carried out? Where do the praises go when it’s all good in the brother/sisterhood? There may be a few who thank God, but if you are wrong in one part, the WHOLE thing is wrong. THAT is scripture.
When you take the oath to belong to that organization you are soul tied to the people who confessed it as well. The same way that we are brothers and sisters in Christ because it is the same confession that joins us. WE believe in one God, one faith, one baptism. In the same manner, a married couple takes the same vows to love and cherish, etc. and are joined as ONE by their confession. So if you are confessing lifetime pledgeship to a freakin alphabet, what does that join you to? It certainly does not make you a joint heir with Christ because your oath was not taken in His name but in the name of that organization.
I also believe if you prayed and sought God for a revelation on this stuff, He will give it to you. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who will give it liberally and without reproach.” James 1:5
Totally Wowed ,
Regarding Minister Hatchett. There is not such thing as “compassionate discourse ‘ when one engages in suspect behavior even if that behavior comes under the guise of calling oneself Christian.
Bishop Eddie Long. What makes Him a man of God? Because he calls himself a “Bishop or Minister”? Mr. Long did not come out and deny the allegations which leads me to believe that those allegations are true. Based on what the alleged victims have come forward to say, Mr. Long is a sexual predator at the least and a child molester at the most. Religious people, like yourself, will continue to defend such a person while a spiritual person who follows the teachers of Jesus will look at it for what it is.
Who gets the glory? Ask Minister Hatchett since he, by his own volition, engaged in such behavior.
As far as a life time oath. If you’ve ever been part of the U.S. Military, you took a oath to protect our country and to follow the orders of the commander and chief, no matter what. If that means taking the life of innocent people in the name of America, a soldier is require to follow orders. Does that mean the soldier worships the Commander and Chief? Every school day, American students pledge their allegiance to the American Flag, not to God. Does that mean American students worship the U.S. Flag? If you answer no to any of the above questions then the same should hold true for the oaths taken to be a part of a BGLO. Now the flip-side. How many Minister/Pastors/Preachers/Priests have taken the oath to serve God and Jesus and have engaged in nefarious activities such as physical abuse, child molestation, rape murder..etc? Now how many BGLO members have been accused of the same crimes?
I suggest that people opposed to BGLOs research what they are and how and why they came about. I suggest people also research how and why Christianity came about.
Like it or not, all religions, including Christianity, were invented by Men…not God nor Jesus. I challenge any of you to prove this statement wrong. And since there are no direct writings from Jesus, all of what we have in the Bible is nothing more than Mans interpretation of what THEY think Jesus meant.
As for praying on a revelation from God on this stuff, I don’t need to pray for that. I just continue to work with my organization for the betterment of my community through our:
Elementary, Middle and HS AAMAN Mentoring initiatives US wide.
Feeding the Homeless
Providing Food for the Home Bound Seniors
Providing Scholarships for college bound seniors
Donated $1 million dollars to St. Jude Hospital
Provide Summer Camps for underprivileged young men
You see, we put our money where our mouths are. What are YOU doing for YOUR community? IMHO, you (plural) complain about BGLOs but all I see is a bunch of whiners who don’t do a damn thing except for following knuckleheads who pontificate about things they know nothing about: such as being like Jesus.
I suggest you re-read this:
……….Following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become………..
Again, I ask, What are YOU doing for your community? What are YOU doing as you try to follow in Jesus’ teachings? What are YOU doing…….
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=151301473#!/topic.php?uid=116305415048767&topic=79
This is a link to a discussion question regarding this very same topic and I think one of the best responses came from Nnenne when she stated:
“People need to ask themselves questions -
- Would I be willing to take two-three months and devote to God, hardly eating, hardly sleeping, like I would for this frat/sorority? Most people would not be willing, which makes an organization an idol, this is a problem.
- Would I be willing to publicly testify that “all my love, peace, and happiness” is for an organization instead of for God as it should be?
- Will the sisterhood/brotherhood I’m forming line up with what the word says about forming brotherhoods/sisterhoods with those in Christ first?
- How often do I throw up a cross or put on something to represent Christ/God? And compare this to how much you will be ‘repping’ an organization and having letters written all over your items.
- Will I, in order to become a part of this org, be submitted to do sinful things or things that would not treat my body as a temple? If one is being asked to sin, this is not love.
- Will this be a group of young women or young men who will be able to sharpen me as iron does iron?
the list of questions goes on… I think if we answer them honestly, we may be able to see what the answer is as far as what we should do.”
I believe it we were to all take a moment and be honest with ourselves and God then the answer to these questions would indeed be obvious. As a former member of a BGLO it was this response that God used to start stirring within me that something wasn’t quite right. All of those good things that we do like giving back to the community are done for vain reasons and are only to receive some kind of accolade or praise for ourselves or the organization that we serve. That’s real selfish and the Bible is very clear that only those things that we do for Christ stand.
To Sammy, just because people may have proclaimed Christ’s name while doing those terrible things do not make them Christians. Christ is very clear that those who belong to Him bear fruit. “Killing, raping, etc” is not a fruit of the Spirit. From beginning to end Scripture is very clear that there is no such thing as a “good” person so you’re attempt at comparing the sins of the BGLO’s to those done by the people who proclaimed Christianity is not a good argument. God is very clear in His Word that sin is sin, it doesn’t matter who commits it. There is only one way that sin can be atoned for and that is through the blood of Christ. I fear that if you continue on the path that you are currently on that you will end up being like those mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23 where they ask the Lord did they not prophesy in His name and He is going to tell them to depart from Him for He never knew them. Just because you follow His teachings doesn’t make you His. If you lack a personal and intimate relationship with Him then all that you are doing means nothing! Even though you feel you may not need it, I’ll pray for you anyway. If you truly seek the Truth, Jesus will make Himself known to you.
Jasmine,
Your questions are easily answered. I fast and pray all the time but most “Christians” don’t. I never went without eating or sleeping when I pledged. In fact, I gained 6 pounds and my GPA went up.And those who did lose sleep while online didn’t do so out of worship or idolatry but merely not having enough time in a day to finish the tasks set before you. As far as publicly testifying, yes I do everyday. Most sound minded Christians will minister to those who are iin need of spiritual growth. I teach kids and invoke God into their live everyday. I also line up, as you say, with my fellow Christian brothers and sisters at my church. But having said that,let me say this: Christians can be some of the most fickle and hypocritical people on the face of the earth. Most Christians don’t live by what Jesus teaches. I’ve seen devout Christians buy lottery tickets, buy wine, smoke cigarettes, stare at women or men’s bodies as they pass by etc. Go figure. Throwing up the cross to indicate that God is in you is the very opposite of what a true Christian should do. People should know you are Christians by your actions. No sign can truthfully display what is in your heart. You are implying that Christians don’t sin and you’re very wrong. Christians are not perfect and never will be. Christians do have an advocate with the Father who can wash our sins away. As far as treating the body as a temple, some of the most obese people I know are in the church. We eat garbage at picnics, gatherings etc with no concern of how this food will treat our bodies. simply put, being a member of a BGLO doesn’t make me less of a Christian than you or a nonmember. Your relatioinship with God is your own’s and is not to be interpreted as God’s relationship with anybody else. Christians are some of the most judgmental people around and yet they serve a God who condemns such action. While you’re looking at the plank in my eye remove the log from yours.
Jasmine,
Why would you look to a BGLO(s), which are service/social organizations for spirirtual enlightenment?
Sammy
Hello people
I must say this is a great article. But Sadly the Word of God is not debatable.
It is sinful to make oaths.
It is sinful to kneel to an alter that isn’t representing the God of the Bible
I understand you guys dont take that stuff seriously but it is still a sin, and it made the 10 commandments.
“you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,”
it is right there in plain english.
We have no problem with the organization itself. I dont believe you guys are just kneeling at every meeting worshiping false gods, that is silly in that context but I think you have made the life style a false idol. I’m not saying everyone but most that involved are.
I see nothing wrong with pledging and I see nothing wrong with your organizations secrets as long as those secrets arent leading our people down the wrong path. like the oaths and the kneeling at the alter of apollo (etc.)
I like the community service aspect of the organization
But if you want to serve your community there are much better ways to do it beside a BGLO
The reasons most people pledge is for vain reasons. (popularity, status on campus, etc.) most people don’t really join for the community service, Well at least not in Under grad. If it is truely about the community service you can do things with a group of friends. The only reason they do community service is because the university require it ,most of the time, and the other times are for selfish reasons, maining to increase personal image in the community or to improve the image of the organization to attract more members.
You say we are on the outside looking in so we dont know what we are talking about. It is very understandable you feel this way. For the former members you try to play them by saying oh they must have had a bad experience and decided to attack the group or they just didn’t understand the ritual. which might be the case for some, but you dont acknowledge the people that just seen the blatant idolatry didn’t line up with God’s word.
I have never pledged but I have talked to those who have tried and I have talked to those who became and stayed in for years and then denounced. So I might not know everything about what goes on but it doesnt matter that I dont know everything. 1 part doesn’t validate another. I might only know the end of the ritual but that is enough, i dont need to know what happend before to say it was wrong.
Ex a Man gets killed. I dont know what happen before hand, but I do know 1 thing, it was a sin to kill him. it doesnt matter if he killed the dudes 6 year old son a week before. He deserved but it was still wrong to do.
The real problem is you guys really dont know scripture, better yet you may know it but dont take it serious when it says not to kneel to a false god. Your problem is you take everything to lightly. “oh I kneeled to Apollo as just a symbol it didnt really mean anything” but to God it meant alot. How would you feel as a father or mother if your child that you have raised from birth and took good care of. how would you feel if you caught them calling someone else daddy or mama?
To Kiss
you call yourself an up standing lady and you can’t do any better than name calling
to Sammy I also think the name Christanity is misused. I don’t believe in religon I believe in Jesus and the Bible. that is the thing I attach myself to. Religous people are the worst.
Honestly I was thinking of joining a BGLO and wanted to research this topic. I was on the fence but after reading this article and the comments I am certain with the choice I will make. The path to destruction is broad but the path to everlasting life is narrow.
People realize this, if you are a member of a BGLO ask yourself these questions: If we are serving the community, networking, and joining for brother/sisterhood, why do I have to pay money to help others when I could do the same thing as a Christian for free? Also, why must I swear and “pledge” to an organization that was supposedly founded on Christian principles when my main purpose is to provide service and help others? But the most important question that you want to ask yourself is this, IF IT DID NOT HAVE ANY UNDERLINE MEANING, why do people such as Kriss feel the need to write an essay to explain this? Most of the article listed above makes comparisons to “worldly” things. The WORD is not complicated, deceptive, or has any gray areas.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVIL IS NOT AGAINST GOOD MORALS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR BROTHER/SISTERHOOD HE IS AGAINST JESUS CHRIST!!! And if you put anything in your life that contradicts the Word or in this case the LIVING WORD (JESUS CHRIST) than the devil is who you serve and not JESUS. Who cares if you pray before your meetings, that’s equivalent to eating a greasy burger and drinking a diet coke, it doesn’t make sense. All I say is, if you are confused it’s because there is the HOLY SPIRIT in you that does not agree with this. If you are angry it’s because deep down inside you may have a thought that maybe…just maybe these believers might have a point and you don’t want to believe you may have made a crucial mistake. And last but not least, if you feel neither confused or angry then you need to ask yourself a logical question…..what did I have to sacrifice, or pay, or pledge to become apart of this BGLO? And that last logical question will give you an answer….every member of a BGLO had to either sacrifice, or pay, or pledge something before joining. Just think about it….
I am a legacy, and most of my family on both sides are second and third generation BLGO, if I’m saying it correctly. I have also had friends (or so called friends) who were also members. I have experienced nothing but verbal and emotional abuse from them, to the point where I want nothing else to do with them. They enjoy playing mind games, and are so happy when I show any sign of distress or pain. They talk about me behind my back, and turn others against me. The wicked thing is that they keep trying to get me to come around them which I have stopped doing because of the stress they cause, and I’m tired of the backstabbing and betrayal. It’s also sad that some claim to be christians, but the word says you shall know them by their fruit & quote. My grandmother destroyed my mother’s life because she was physically and verbally abusive to her. My mother pledged but left for whatever reason (she claimed that she was upset about a boyfriend leaving college) but she knew enough to damage me psychologically. I wonder if others have experienced mistreatment from these people who get demons after their joining themselves to false gods.