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Fraternities Sinful?

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Jamal5000, Oct 9, 2001.

  1. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    Hi All!

    I'm a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. I just joined my graduate chapter in my town this past March in fullfilling a life long dream.

    Had to do a lot of soul searching before making the big jump.

    What does everyone else think of this legendary "Rite of the College Man"?


    Jesus U are my heart!
     
  2. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Can't think of any ifb schools that have fraternities or sororities. Have never given it much thought - the frat houses on campus at UW (alma mater) were dens of disgusting activities that I will not list, and pretty much avoided by any Christian.

    Frat parties were a lot like Animal House and frat organizations like Animal Farm.

    What is Alpha Phi Alpha? Has it a national identity and agenda? I, with you, will be interested in the responses to this thread.

    [ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Dr. Bob Griffin ]
     
  3. p

    p New Member

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    Hey,

    I don't know about y'all, but the IFB school I attended, there was no time to be in a fraternity.

    Let's see:

    Pray/Bible: 30 7 days/wk
    School 6 hours a day (thereabouts) 5 days/wk
    Study 3 hours a day (thereabouts) 5 days/wk
    Work 6 hours a day (thereabouts) 5 days/wk
    Shower, shave, eat. 2 hours 7 days/wk
    Wed Nite Prayer Meeting 2 hours 1 day/wk
    Thursday night visitation 2 hours 1 day/wk
    Laundry 2 hours 1 day/wk
    Saturday Bus Ministry 6 hours
    Sunday AM 4:30 - 6:00 Radio Program 1.5 hrs
    (includes rehearsal)
    Sunday AM 7:00 - 9:00 Bus Route 2.0 hrs
    Sunday AM 9:30 - 12:00 SS/Church 2.5 hrs
    Sunday PM 12:00 - 2:00 Bus Route 2.0 hrs
    Sunday PM 3:00 - 5:00 Jail/Mission 2.0 hrs
    Sunday PM 5:00 - 5:30 Rush Home .5 hrs
    Sunday PM 6:00 - 9:00 TU/Services 3.0 hrs
    9-10 PM Devotion/bed 1.0 hrs 7 days/wk
    Sleep 7 hours 7 days/wk

    Ok, that's (I think) 169 hours in a week.
    Since there are only 168 hours in a week, one of these numbers is off by a fraction.

    (Every now and then we played hooky, can you blame us?)

    MOST of this activity was mandatory! If a student was not involved in these exact activities, they had to be involved in others that took just as much time.

    They made us fill out activity slips every week and turn them in. If you didn't have yours filled, you got to talk to Dr. Cliff.

    There were also people who worked for the school full-time who were called "checkers."
    If you were in violation of ANY rule, you got demerits. So many, and out the door you went. They would ship your luggage later.

    Thank God for freedom in Jesus.

    I was young, and had energy.

    But now?

    Ok, I'm hunting up a glass of warm milk now while I listen to "The Rest of the Story" by Paul Harvey.

    Fraternity? Sure, let me check the schedule.

    LOL!!!

    In His Steps,

    Alex Peterson
    II Corinthians 10:5
     
  4. Nicole

    Nicole New Member

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    PetersonAlex, you have just given me something to remember the next time I feel overwhelmed with so much to do!!! THANK YOU! No matter how busy I get, it NEVER compares to that!
     
  5. Jonathan

    Jonathan Member
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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jamal5000:
    Hi All!

    I'm a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. I just joined my graduate chapter in my town this past March in fullfilling a life long dream.

    Had to do a lot of soul searching before making the big jump.

    What does everyone else think of this legendary "Rite of the College Man"?


    Jesus U are my heart!
    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    You sound like my kind of person Jama1500! During my sojourn at one of the colleges I attended, I was an active member of a frat (Lambda Chi Alpha). Was it inately sinful? No, flesh is but the fraternity was not.

    Can membership in a frat be used to glorify God? Hmmm...you are in a brotherhood/sisterhood (if a sorority - or Phi Mu fraternity) you will have serious links and relationships with others....many who are lost. I think that a case, for the mature believer, can be made for a God-centered frat membership.

    The option, of course, may be to live in a pagan independent dorm.

    As an aside, Jama1500, have you read Piper's Desiring God?
     
  6. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    I attended a SBC college.

    We had social clubs instead of Frats and Sororities.

    Ours was focused on Christian service.


    I was in Alpha Chi Epsilon.
     
  7. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    I wish to thank everybody for their awesome responses. I love this board because people speak their minds.

    All opinions are welcome all the time. Please keep 'em coming.

    In Christ We Trust,
    Jamal5000 [​IMG]
     
  8. Pete Richert

    Pete Richert New Member

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    I just have to say that where ever Petersonalexw went to school, I am going to try to put myself exactly 180' around the earth from it.
     
  9. mark

    mark <img src =/mark.gif>

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    When I was a freshman in college (back in the good old days) the frat I wanted to join didn't want me, but after turning me down, 3 of the members of that very chapter were intramental in my conversion to Christianity and in my becoming a Baptist.
     
  10. Joseph_Botwinick

    Joseph_Botwinick <img src=/532.jpg>Banned

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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dr. Bob Griffin:
    What is Alpha Phi Alpha? Has it a national identity and agenda? I, with you, will be interested in the responses to this thread.

    [ October 09, 2001: Message edited by: Dr. Bob Griffin ]
    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


    We had an Alpha Phi Alpha chapter at the college I attended. It was a social fraternity for Black Men. I am curious, Jamal, whether or not a white man could ever be a member of this fraternity (or if they already are? [​IMG]) I am not trying to be rude, but this is something that I never liked about APA is that they seemed to be exclusive in the race of their members and they would use the oppresion of the past to justify having an organization that was really for blacks only. Is this a misunderstanding on my part? Is this the way that you and the brothers at your college view things. Just curious.

    Joseph Botwinick
     
  11. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph Botwinick:
    We had an Alpha Phi Alpha chapter at the college I attended. It was a social fraternity for Black Men. I am curious, Jamal, whether or not a white man could ever be a member of this fraternity (or if they already are? [​IMG]) I am not trying to be rude, but this is something that I never liked about APA is that they seemed to be exclusive in the race of their members and they would use the oppresion of the past to justify having an organization that was really for blacks only. Is this a misunderstanding on my part? Is this the way that you and the brothers at your college view things. Just curious.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Hi Joseph,

    Sure. Whites and any other races are welcome to join Alpha Phi Alpha. No problems. In fact, when I joined, one of the main officers was White at U of SC. It does puzzle me why the BGLOs (Black Greek Letter Organizations) do not attract a more multi-cultural membership unlike KA and Pi KA.

    Thanks be to God that my chapter is filled with men who follow Jesus Christ, too. So many other frats are so promiscuous.

    Thanks for comment [​IMG]
     
  12. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    To Jamal5000:

    I don't think many non African-Americans understand the important place of the black fraternities in American life. I know several members, and they actively maintain their ties and dedication to service long after they've left school.

    If participating in the fraternity is not inconsistent with living a Christian life -- and I don't know how that could be -- the fraternities can provide a life-long blessing and call to service for the community.

    Good luck.

    [ January 03, 2002: Message edited by: rsr ]
     
  13. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    Thank you for the nice words, rsr. [​IMG]

    Have you ever heard of any Christian fraternities?
     
  14. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    To JAMAL5000:

    Can't say that I've heard of any Christian fraternities. Probably, everyone would fight over what a "Christian" is.

    But there are many Christian organizations -- including the Baptist Student Union, the Wesleyan Foundation (Methodist) and many others that maintain a presence on many campuses to provide a forum for expression of faith and mutual encouragement. They are not "residential fraternities" but may offer another avenue of encouragement.

    [ January 03, 2002: Message edited by: rsr ]
     
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