Just wanted to know how you feel about OES and Masons also being Greek? They are often listed amongst greek organizations and you can usually purchase their paraphernalia on sites selling Greek nalia. A friend of mine stated that these organizations are wannabe Greeks and was very offended by seeing some Eastern Stars stepping at a campus party. Being an Eastern Star as well as interest of a Greek organization, I'm wondering if this view is shared by anyone. This friend states that I have already taken an oath of another organizatin and therefore can't take the oath of another.
I would suggest that your friend conduct a little research. Prince Hall Masonry has roots that extend back to before this country was even formed, before blacks were even granted the right to go to a college or university in this land, let alone create their own Greek Letter Organization.
A lot of the rituals that Greeks have, come from the Masonic groups. Actually, alot of the founders of greek organizations were in these Masonic groups. So I don't know what your friend is talking about? You can join both. There are many people that belong to both.
whew....
your friend is grossly misinformed. I will say tho that the Freemasons and Eastern Stars that I know tend to frown upon things that mimic certain "traditions" we find in greek culture like Line Jackets and Stepping (especially the older ones).
Being an Eastern Star I'm sure you understand that Freemasonry and OES are pretty much the foundation on what modern fraternal culture is built upon. As a result of this there is a deep rooted connection between the two, however, they are are two different organizations with similar but ultimately separate purposes/goals.
Therefore, I see no reason why your oaths should conflict. If anything they should compliment each other. The only thing that should be an issue is a personal one when it comes to your time management and priorities.
In my personal experience, there is a large amount of Freemasons in my org and many of them are the best frat a brother can ask for.
I never understood the OES symbol being an inverted pentagram, being that that symbol had roots well before there was a such thing as OES. But the members of it swear it has nothing to do with Baphomet....hmm
Well, my sister did research on the Masonic groups and said that the Masonic groups are traced back to the idol Bael. I don't know what that star represent in Eastern Star, it looks like some type of witchcraft symbol to be honest. I am a Heroines of Jericho, and I'm not to sure if I want to be a part of the organization now, because no one actually knows the history of how far this Masonic stuff can be traced back to. Black people joined this stuff from the white people, and blacks do not actually know the history of where this stuff came from. You have to be careful when you don't know the history of stuff.
I don't profess to be a scholar about Masonic organizations but in the three houses I belong to, OES, Daughters of ****, and Ladies of the Circle of Perfection, I have not taken any oaths or made any vows related to idoltry or the devil. Actually, the foundation of theses orgnaizations are based on figures and subjects that are Christian base. You have to know that most things that people don't understand or deem 'secret' tend to fear them and therefore link it as somthing that is ungodly or just 'not right.' I've heard and read the same comments concerning devil worshiping as something that Greek organizations are founded upon as well. As a member of a greek organization I have not ran across anything in my pledge, songs, etc that warrant those accusations, either.
