Kappa Sigma Question

This thread is a HOOT! All you Kappa Sigs, all you Kappa Sig wanna-be types, and all the conspiracy-theorist hangers-on just make me laugh!

I was /am a Kappa Sigma alumnus, initiated 30 years ago. After setting up my career, I subsequently volunteered as the alumnus advisor for the chapter in my adopted town. I held that position for ten years. Then, there was a falling out between factions in the national organization (the old IMH vs. Kappa Sigma Foundation war). So much for "brotherhood"! The chapter I was advising got caught in some of the cross-fire and fall-out of that battle and was forced to surrender their charter even though they had done nothing wrong - at least nothing contrary to IMH rules, national by-laws, or local by-laws. So, 45+ brothers were "orphaned" before they could graduate by a turf war between money-grubbing old farts. It really opened my eyes to the lack of commitment that was supposed to be engendered by all those words in the now famously public ritual book (BTW, I have seen the published version on the 'net. In fact, hearing a rumor that it had been published was what led me to this web site. I am still ritually proficient, being able to recite the entire chapter meeting ritual, initiation ritual, and explanatory lecture from memory - I held both GM and GMC offices as an undergraduate, and I can attest that every single word in that book is accurate.)

Am I totally soured on Kappa Sigma? You BET! As an organization, I couldn't ever in my remaining life heap enough excrement on the collective whole to satisfy my disgust. On the flip side, the men whom I interacted with back in my undergraduate chapter days will always be held in high regard as my personal friends, with a shared oath of mutual support. Any oath of fealty I ever took to Kappa Sigma in the larger sense was broken when the organization as a whole reneged on its obligation to ME and the individual brothers to whom I was bound to support and assist.

So, to those Kappa Sigma brothers reading this in righteous indignation: Get over it. Kappa Sigma is a useful tool for surviving college (social structure, academic aid, whatever). For some, the remnants of the social structure will assist you in getting started in your careers. For others, the remnants will provide an ongoing opportunity to re-live the "good ol' days" with those who share a common memory set as you age. For only a very SMALL few, the oath you swore and the allegiances you formed had a psychological impact sufficient to lead you to do bigger, better things than you would otherwise have done in your lives (can you say operant conditioning? I knew that you could!) and I commend you in that.

To those of you on the "outside" looking in: Get over it. Kappa Sigma ritual is nothing more, or less, than a slightly modified form of masonic ritual. The founders of the order changed the words and some of the motions to be more appropriate for psychologically bonding together liberal-arts college students as compared to blue-collar and professional workers (masonic lodges). They steeped it in a fairy tale about 1400 A.D. European origins to give it legitimacy. Once you peel back the cover of "secrecy", you'll find that it is no more sinister than the social networks set up by a ritualistic forced perception of common adversity set up within other institutions such as the Naval Academy or the Citadel. (Got a Naval Academy or Citadel, or Kappa Sigma ring? Know the right pass phrases, secret handshakes and gestures of recognition? Go right to the front of the line if another grad from your clique is in charge.)

To those of you who tried Kappa Sigma and either left or were de-pledged: Get over it. You didn't fit in. Enough said. Social groups are self-policing. They didn't like you or you didn't want / couldn't adapt to an actual polite social structure within THAT SET OF INDIVIDUALS.

That's all it is and nothing more.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Actually, the "original" wording for the Alpha. Epsilon. Kappa. Delta. Beta. closing salutation is" ADELPHOI EN KARDIA DIOS BOUS. (Note they are GREEK letters, not latin. One only uses the latin lettering when forced to type. When hand-written, the original greek lettering is used. It translates roughly to "Brothers in heart throughout life". The actual english translation is not important though. It is the meaning BEHIND the words that Kappa Sigmas hold dear to their hearts; just like any other band of brothers, whether it is a social group, a group of war veterans or a religious sect. The words represent their bond, just like "Semper Fidelis" does to the marines.

reply to post by Sandalfon


We both did go on a tangent. My initial point was that frat boys (including Kappa Sig's) should not assume that every member of there organization is loyal, honest, or otherwise has a decent character. Just as not all frat boys alcoholic, misoginistic low lifes, not all (insert your favorite fraternity's name here) members are great people either.

As for my own fraternity, there were guys in my chapter that were good men. There were also a couple dope heads, a guy that beat his girlfriend, some guys with racist tendencies, and some genuine jerks. Some chapters of my fraternity seemed to be, for the most part, filled with decent guys. Other chapters seemed to be, for the most part, filled with horrible guys.

We had a chapter in Canada that was full of good students that were some of the nicest, fun loving guys you will ever meet. We had a chapter on the East Coast that had a well deserved reputation for rape.

My advice to all you fratboys out there is not to give too much credit to someone just because he knows the same secret handshake as you. It seems that those who use the secret handshake the most to get in someone's good graces need it the most because that is all they have. Their true friends, family, and business associates are unwilling to extend aid because they lack a decent character.

reply to post by Appak


you're a #ing cock sucker for one. two, you think you know what it means, but you really don't. due to you not being part of it and thinking you know what it means makes you a poser, and posers are #ing #s that can't do # with their lives. if you were to say that # in public around true kappa sigma's, you would get your #ing ass beat.

I am a kappa sigma pledge and I think it is absolutely horrid that anyone, brother or "expelled" brother would even think about revealing any of our traditions. It is more than frat stuff, if you spent countless hours, dedicated to learning privileged information you would be angered at a situation like this.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Hate to bust your bubble, but any "privileged" information you learn as a Kappa Sigma pledge is DEFINITELY NOT privileged or confidential. In fact, the pledge training manual, "Bononia Docet", is available from Amazon.com. The Kappa Sigma international organization itself even gives away free electronic copies on their website: www.kappasigma.org... If you're getting anything else, other than your memory of the pledging ritual, then someone in your chapter is divulging "secrets" *** he shouldn't be talking about, per the Kappa Sigma "rules", or the chapter isn't as secure during formal meetings as it should be..

***(except that it is all public information now because the ritual book was released into the 'net, from which it will never be removed. I even uploaded it to approx. 3 dozen server sites and seeded 6 redundant torrents in different countries, some of whom do not recognize US copyright law nor the UMCA , just to make certain it is never made secret again!).

reply to post by randomsidekick


whats the grip?

reply to post by soundaddicted

first off its not a pentagram, it's a star and crescent, we wouldn't use a demonic symbol for our fraternity

reply to post by fallen21


99% of college kids party, being in a fraternity does not make you a party animal!!! idiots... thats the same thing as saying if your black then your poor! #ing dumb people..


A.E.K.D.B. the ritual lives in us passed on to those that we feel have earned the right to be brothers in our great fraternity.

I think that this thread is way over done! every fraternity secret socitiy etc had there secrets and reading someone else's is great for someone who has never gone through a real cermony or has had anything to do with it. Also to the not so smart person that said fraternites dont prepare you for life I just want to say that if you were smart and sucessful or maybe even graduated you would know it doesnt matter what you know it matters who you know. Also on top of that thanks to an old guy as we refer to them 3 non fraternity men that graduated with me all getting similar jobs in similar fields are making 20,000 dollars or less than I am benifits dont even touch mine and they only get 2 weeks of vacation a year I get 4 thanks to an old member hooking a bro up and I guess graduating #1 in my class helped to. Other than that fraternites are great for networking and let me tell you that has gotten me way further than my 4.0 since graduation I have been asked once for my GPA out of many employers and anyone else who would be interested. All you brothers out there I hope to see you in san antino this summer AEKDB!

AEKDB is something that no one can understand, unless you're a member and even if you are, it takes time to learn the true meaning. i'm currently a kappa sig at a very good chapter and sorta on the EC, i am a guard and i don't even know the true meaning of it.

reply to post by Kappasigmar


You are a straight liar! I don't know if you really are a Kappa Sigma but if your are it's a disgrace to all kappa sigs that you would even act like you would tell about the ritual. Remeber your oath don't ever speak about even if your "not telling the truth".

reply to post by some_random_guy


A-B

(Lambda)

reply to post by wildswan

There we're no males of any type involved in the writing of Sigma Kappa's ritiual.

Unless you are a sig, you can be told anything true or not, but you will never know. never. because the secrets of sigs go far beyond what a so called brother can tell.