Exposing the Ritual: Delta Sigma Theta's Initiation Ritual Review

[Music] I'm going to read and we're going to throw some flags on the play when we hear stuff that we're like this is a problem so basically the way now this is their 1969 ritual I don't know how much of it has changed since then however um this is the initiation ritual theid president and the presiding officers they'll stand throughout the ceremony unless they're otherwise indicated to do something different the President says will the meeting please come to order sergeant-at-arms are we free from intrusion and then the sergeant-at-arms says worthy President we are free from intrusion then the President says I light the torch of wisdom yeah flag on the plag we didn't get very far the torch of wisdom is confusing for me because scripture tells me that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ so this torch of wisdom I mean the knowledge of God is the beginning of wisdom I I have concerns when when an when an organization or a group is trying to allude to the fact that they have some other path of Illumination that can lead me to wisdom or knowledge right we know the gnostics would do that but here right off the bat they're lighting a torch of wisdom where where's the source of this wisdom is it Yahweh the god of the Bible I don't see how that's possible considering you don't have to be a Christian to be a member of this organization yet they're lighting a torch of wisdom and my question is where's Who is the source of this wisdom who is the source of this wisdom the vice president goes our motto is intelligence is the torch of wisdom okay is is that humanism because in if intelligence is the torch of wisdom and then it says behold the torch of wisdom pointing to a red taper I I thought the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hidden in Christ but here we're told that intelligence is the torch of wisdom and now they're asking me to behold the torch of wisdom and now they're pointing to a red taper and then it says it burns whenever Delta women are assembled and it guides our footsteps as we work in the name of our sorority flag on the plate I thought believers all that we do we do unto the glory of God and we do it in jesus' name we we don't do we don't in the name of the sority like in the name of Delta like Christians Christians do that that's weird to me as college educated women holding the torch a loft we seek to use our trained intellect toward the advancement of intellectual social and spiritual Pursuits in the service of mankind well no wonder they think this is compatible with Christianity they just mentioned here that they're trained they use our they trained intellect which is man- centered wisdom right and they use that trained intellect to advance intellectual Pursuits social Pursuits and spiritual Pursuits so that means they literally approach their spiritual life by training their intellect but the question is it can't be with the knowledge of God gained through his word and then there's no wonder why they Champion socially negative and detrimental policies because they're not starting with the basis and the foundation of all wisdom and knowledge which is in Christ they're not gaining this knowledge from God's word it's from their intellect which means their trust in their hearts which Jeremiah clearly tells us our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked no one is good no not one no one understands no one seeks for God all have turned aside like our our our our default position before God is not one of a trained intellect apart from the knowledge of God y'all we can't know anything hold on one second I've been going through knowing the Living God y'all I've been going through this for a minute I'm going through it again with my children I was just talking to Sister Christy on Facebook she's still going through we done had this book at least six seven years but the knowledge of God you guys according to Jeremiah 9:23 to 24 is the most important and Essential Knowledge as through this is how one can know and understand what love and Justice and righteousness is the knowledge of God begins with his attributes but it doesn't stop there and so if the Bible is telling us to do not be foolish but to understand what the will of the Lord is how can we have this Essential Knowledge apart from him right how like I don't I don't know let's finish we ain't going to never get through this if I keep stopping the president goes is their new business the secretary goes worthy president and Soros they await without those who would join our Sisterhood the president goes Sor Ro you hear the words of our secretary what is your pleasure Sor vice president do those without give evidence of being worthy to join our Sisterhood have they been examined diligently aren't y'all grateful for the fact that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and we didn't have to be worthy we didn't have to prove ourselves to be worthy cu the good works we do were like filthy rags but just because he set his love upon us is he gave us new hearts and raised us to newness of life I just wanted to point that out the vice president goes we have examined them diligently and we believe them worthy to be admitted president have they satisfied our financial requirements in other words they put that bread in our pocket because you know you can't get in without the bread in your pocket president treasure I'm sorry worthy president they have satisfied these requirements the president goes sergeant-at-arms permit those who are without to enter so the sergeant in army opens the door the candidates enter and this it says here is here it is important that music be played the Delta choir May hum Delta Sigma Theta that's a hymn that's a hym h y m n sounds pretty religious to me or there may be soft soft or sorry that New York accent comes out I'm sorry I be trying to fight it that soft that soft organ piano or record background music music stops after candidates line up dean of pledges worthy president I present these candidates for admission to our Sisterhood the president goes we are assembled on the most serious occasion in the cycle of our sorority life the induction of new members into Delta Sigma Theta the dean of pledges and Soro is responsible for your probationary activities have indicated the sore Roars of whatever chapter that you have fulfilled the necessary requirements for membership into our sorority as we proceed in this C ceremony will each of you pause to consider this question do you this is the question that are asked of the initi of the initiates this is very important you guys listen up carefully do you do you is that a typo no it says do you of your own free will and Accord seek admission into Delta Sigma Authority Thea sorority candidates reply and say I do the president goes you seek of your own free will admission to our Sisterhood and we agree to accept you you are about to take upon yourself vows and obligations from which you can never be free flag on the plate I'm sorry those who the son has set free has been free indeed you you're telling me if I take this vow to yoke myself up with manura and all her Temple harlotry I can't never be free so so even the freedom that Christ has released me from the bondage of my sin you want me to be com I mean if you're in Christ and you said these words according to Delta you'll never be free that and the hymn and the choir it's a problem but you know who's majoring in the minors let us continue they talking about these oath these this The Vow and the obligations they will follow you to the final judgment wow they ain't never lied if you've not repented yeah they all gonna follow you to the final judgment flag on the plate that' be facts they will follow you the final judgment but my question is who's the righteous judge is it Yahweh the god of the Bible like who is the who who adjudicates this final judgment who enacts the final judgment in in this Paradigm that's that's a legitimate question that I have who is it um I charge you that you approach with serious Minds as we do now perceive and then there's a pause Delta Sigma Theta is a glorious International Sisterhood if there's any sorrow present or not present toward whom you cannot have a feeling of kinship kinship and Devotion to whom you cannot pledge true loyalty and sisterly attitudes I charge you here and now to withdraw well flag the we know for a fact that this is a lot because there are so many stories if you look at any of the videos that sister Titus has done on her Channel there are girls on the same line that can't stand each other and not now one of them ever get to this point and be like you know what I really don't like that hea and I can't see myself pledging true loyalty and sisterly attitude toward her they don't withdraw they just keep going don't tell me that's not idolatry if you can't even search your own heart be like well you know I don't even like Tanisha like that like she did me so dirty I don't like her but for the sake of The Sisterhood you child please candidates respond and say I do not wish to withdraw here a Maria The Lord's Prayer or Delta Sigma Theta may be sung by sorar if a song is inserted here the president must instruct candidates to be seated this how you sing flag on the plate how you singing The Lord's Prayer doing a pagan ritual make make that make sense and and the thing about it is they get to pick one they get to pick a Maria the Lord's pray or the Delta Sigma Theta hm you you you want me to believe this is just benign and there's no idolatry here there's no syncretism here president goes you will observe that there are nine jewels in the sigma of our emblem these Jewels represent the foundation of our sorority we believe that the strength of an organization lies in the personal integrity and character of its individual members the nine cardinal virtues symbolized in the nine jewels of the sigma were conceived as basic attributes with all Delta which W which all Delta women should strive to attain these are the virtues we're going to go through them honesty Purity Fidelity Justice compassion Fellowship Temperance courtesy all right a few that I need to go through the first one is honesty I wrote some notes down because I'm trying to understand um I'm going to read to you when they do honesty right they they they like these nine tapers represen the jewels and then under honesty it says TR truthfulness to One's Own Heart in determining the moral quality of all one's own thoughts and actions is the loftiest faculty of the human mind scrupulous exercise of this faculty is the first requisite to keeping peace with oneself and meriting the trust of others in the name of our mothers who by precept and example in instilled in us a love and respect for truth I lik the first Jewel of our golden Sigma honesty all right here's my commentary on honesty I'm confused here because well flag on the pl just a formality um Jesus is the otomy of Truth like he like Jesus is truth um and when I read that that conflicts with the fact that we are never called to trust one's own heart but here it's telling us that truthfulness to One's Own Heart in determining the moral quality of all one's own thoughts and actions is the loftiest faculty of the human mind um our our hearts are sick and desperately wicked who can know it so if we're unable to determine the moral quality of our own thoughts but yet this statement here is trying to convince us that it's a faculty of the human mind that that is something that we're capable of doing we've already learned that all the treasures according to Colossians of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ so how is lighting this taper that's embodying this this Jewel of honesty I we can't look to ourselves for virtue like we we can't do that ACC according to the scripture The Human Condition in our natural default state is sinfulness all have sinned so if that is true how can this truthfulness to one's own heart and determin the moral quality of One's Own thoughts and actions is the loftiest faculty of the human mind like you really think way more of yourself than you ought to according to scripture because scripture doesn't speak to us in our normal sinful default self in in this way it just doesn't um the issue is here's a question I'm G to ask you guys um because according to this pillar where it says in the name of our mothers who by precept and example instilled in us a love and respect for truth um they're they're they're doing this in the name of their mothers I guess I don't know I can't assume I'm assuming that's previous soror or parents literally mothers I don't know I mean are we giving a head nod to a little ancestral worship I don't know I don't want to misrepresent I'm doing the best that I can to De mystify this complexity of all this it's kind of vague um but my question is whoever these mothers are referring to there's no way they could in have instilled a love and respect for truth apart from the knowledge of the god of the Bible apart from there no no for the believer that's it this if it don't come from here if you if your love for truth is not rooted in the scriptures then that not truth that's something else um Purity the next one they have here's Purity purity of mind and conduct is the first Glory of Womanhood in the name of our Founders whose exemplary lives before us have been an inspiration I like the second jeel of our bright Sigma Purity well flag on the plate that's false because the first Glory of Womanhood is for us to to glorify God and enjoy him forever and and to love him with all our heart soul mind and strength and my question is who deser who determines this Purity like Purity on the basis of what what does that mean um like what what is the standard that we are appealing to to say this is pure and the reason why I ask that is because before this initiation process during the pledging process is a lot of impurity going on so how you how are you calling these women the Purity when you actually encourage lasciviousness Deery and impurity I I don't I don't sexually perverse stuff happens like how how is this compatible with this Purity like part just and that's just to become a member and that's if you last like this live is not really dedicated to talking about the pledging process I know they claim we don't hate lies they do the stories are out there there have been plenty of videos done on this topic I don't need to go there I'm just trying to understand this Purity component if this is the first Glory of Womanhood for them and not only it's purity of mind and conduct there a whole lot of impure thoughts and conduct going on before they even get to this process so is it is it Delta makes them clean from all the impurity that they participated in before they cross I don't know I'm I'm just asking questions the next one is Fidelity it says nothing is more noble nothing is more venerable than Fidelity Fidelity and truth there's that word again are the most sacred excellencies and endowments of the human mind wow in the name of our departed sorors that's dead people faithful until death to the ideas of Delta I like the third Jewel of our beloved Sigma Fidelity so I went and pulled the definition of fidelity Fidelity is the quality or state of being faithful and so here I would agree that Fidelity and Truth we should definitely seek after them right but the question is what are we being faithful to and true to what like I know I keep asking a lot of questions because you have to ask these questions in order to discern what the will of the Lord is like our faithfulness is to be to God first and we're supposed to be clinging to the truth of scripture because Thy word is truth like John 17:17 says sanctify them in the truth Thy word is true truth so how do we learn to be faithful to God apart from truth because the thing about it is membership in these organizations it actually causes one to violate that one principle like if you're a Christian you would you have to violate this one PRP principle if you're a Believer and we're to be Sanctified in the truth of God's word but yet you're saying here we don't know if you're not clinging to the truth of scripture and if membership in this organization is telling you to cling to some other truth you're violating the imperatives in scripture simply because you're you're you're you're trying to do both and and it you you can't do that um and and another reason why I would say that um I have heard this chant before all of my love peace and happiness I give to insert organization here I don't see how you can say those words and claim that you love God with all your heart soul mind and strength and they don't all all of my love my peace when Jesus is the prince of peace and he's come to give us peace you're going to Pledge Your Peace to a to a false god and your happiness now granted the joy of the Lord is our strength right the Bible speaks more about Joys than necessarily happiness but I would argue that happiness comes from the joy that we have in Christ I got to give that too huh all that to a representative deity a group and this is not idolatry the next one is fellowship they say Fellowship is heaven Fellowship is life these are quotes it is the service that we render that makes us happy the communion with God that gives us strength and the fellowship with one another that helps us to understand in the name of our many graduates and undergraduates who keep alive the spirit of Fellowship I like the seventh Jewel of our Mighty Sigma Fellowship ship H flag on the plag when it says Fellowship is heaven how is fellowship heaven like I know that when we get our glorified bodies in heaven those of us who've been justified by grace through faith and we're you know at the marriage supper of the lamb and we're sitting down eating and drinking and fellowshipping with listen there's gonna be some good food there and that's when our Lord is going to to eat the the the the love Feast with us again I mean I I know that kind of Fellowship is heaven I don't know what they mean by Fellowship is heaven and fellowship is life I mean outside of being a member of the household of faith and being a part of the body of Christ because we're United in Christ I mean we're his body um and we're abiding in the vine which is the true vine is who gives us life I don't I don't I don't I don't know what they mean by Fellowship is life I don't I I can't really comment on that because some people are say well you're overthinking it they're just saying you know like Fellowship is life and joy with one another I get that but there there's a there's got to be a basis of that Unity if it's doing all it is and then it says communion with God that gives us strength which God is it Yahweh CU so far Yahweh is is in no parts of this because he's like I don't share my glory with with I'm not sharing my glory with manura I'm not sharing my glory with your Sor Ro I'm not sharing my glory with none of this so I don't see how this could possibly be talking about communion with God it can't be the god of the Bible it can't be I I don't know um cuz I know that uh um it says communion with God gives us strength huh that's think that's interesting um communion with God I guess I know under need which God it's not Jesus of Nazareth part of the godhead it's it I don't know Temperance quote Temperance is a bridal of gold it is the firm and moderate Dominion of Reason over passion and un righteous impulses the good Bishop was talking a lot about hypocrisy and I think it's interesting that they claim that Temperance is the firm and moderate Dominion of of Reason over passion and unrighteous impulses and that in all of our activities let us be temperate in the name of our national officers past and present whose decisions and Authority have been characterized by wisdom and Temperance I like the eighth Jewel now that seems like they are so far it seems like they're attempting to mimic the fruit of the spirit love peace Joy patience Temperance self-control I I mean they got their own fruit but here's the thing Believers are not filled with the spirit of God though so on what basis are they able to demonstrate the the the this fruit this Temperance this honesty this purity this Fidelity like all of these I mean these some pretty nice virtues right but apart from Christ no one does good I mean you might walk a little old lady across the street and be like that's a good deed but remember God defines what's good it is his standard and none of us meet that standard so if they're telling you that you can achieve these this highest good by being yoked to this organization where does where does the fruit of the Spirit come in like are you going to syncretize what you learn here with what the Bible teaches and make an amalgamation of your own religion because that's what it sounds like many people are doing and that's how they reconcile how they could do both and I don't know but how can they claim in all of their activities that um they're called to be temperate when there's a whole lot of stuff that ain't temperate that happens during the pledging process I mean these initiates are lured into doing some pretty rank stuff that's not representative of temperance so I thought I thought it was interesting that the bishop brings up hypocrisy because I'm like well you y' your wife's organization here talks about Temperance but we know how they get down there's nothing temperate going on there or is that after you cross the burning sand I don't I don't know but then the presented goes these Jewels there's there are others it's Fellowship Temperance courtesy dedication compassion Justice I can't go through all of them here but here's a part that I wanted to read that was very very concerning um it says I this is where the candidates read this pledge alone from the paper pinned in front of her candidate says I doe promise in the presence of the eternal spirit flag on the pl what is that who is that the eternal spirit of Truth the only Spirit of truth that I know of is is Jesus and I don't think they're talking about Jesus of Nazareth here like we just don't get to call him something else and then insert whatever they're representing this to be and then for the Christian we can say well when I when I said it I was talking about Jesus no no but let me read it I do promise in the presence of the eternal spirit of truth that these finite witnesses that I will never reveal in any manner whatsoever for any purpose whatsoever any of the secrets passwords signs grips or other confidences entrusted to my keeping as a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority now at the time of my initiation Into The Sisterhood or that may Hereafter from time to time be so entrusted I do further solemnly promise that I will dedicate my life to the nine cardinal virtues Delta Sigma Theta this pledge is upon my sacred word of Honor there're lighting more candles and I'm just trying to figure out who the eternal spirit of Truth is because I I only know of one Spirit of Truth and that was Jesus incarnate this this this is Blasphemous for me because you can't insert and say that this is Jesus right here because Jesus would have no part of of this he's not going to share his glory with manura and your false god worship this is worship how do I know it's worship cuz now they're about to sing No before they sing they pray now hear the Delta prayer We Believe quote this is the President we believe in a spiritual life but we leave to the individual the selection of the medium for its outward manifestation flag on the plate so they believe in some arbitrary you know it's spiritual life but it's up to you for you to select the medium for that outward display this is not syncretism because they believe in a spiritual life is this what the pastor's wife meant well you know it's kind of kind of loosely based off Christian principles but it's not a Christian organization yes we know we know then it's I don't know if this is an incantation or what but I was like this is wicked a fire mist and a planet a crystal ball and a cell a jellyfish and a saaran and caves where Caven dwell the a sense of Law and beauty and a face turned from the cloud some of us call it longing and others call it God there's another stanza to the prayer a haze on the far Horizon the infinite tender Sky The Ripe Rich tent of the corn fields and the wild goose sailing high and all over the Upland and lowland the charm of the Golden Rod some of us call it Autumn and others call it God are we are we are we a huh are we attributing the creation of God and and I I some of us call it Autumn some of us call it God some of us call it longing and others call it God no there's one creator of everyone and everything y'all remember when I read Romans 1 they worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever amen how are you a Believer and you're going to leave room for some people that you are calling your sister to be like H some of us call it longing some of us call it God you know we don't really care how were you not concerned for the Eternal Soul salvation of your sisters and just will allow them y'all you all gonna participate in a ritual and you know whatever they call their spiritual life it's okay with you you you not going to call out the unfruitful Deeds of Darkness you're not going to expose them how can you when you're a party to them third stanza like the tides on a crescent sea beach when the moon is thin and new new and thin I'm sorry in our hearts High yearnings come rolling and surging in come from the Mystic ocean whose rim no foot has tried some of us call it longing and others call it God Frozen a picket Frozen on duty a mother starved for her brood Socrates drinking the hemlock and Jesus on the road huh huh and millions who humble and nameless the straight hard pathway trod some call it Consecration and others call it God the president continues Soros in Delta Sigma Theta I am about to administer the oath of allegiance to these initiates I charge you to receive into our Sisterhood freely and with a feeling of loyalty and affection may we stand and repeat the oath together why is there a prayer why is there like a Delta prayer and who they praying to like I I I need to know it's not it can't be Yahweh this this is extension his nostrils so who they praying to many have tried to argue that this is not religious in nature we have a hymn and a prayer um they've even mapped that out the reason why I say they've mapped out a Plan of Salvation cuz it's it's got fruit right that is supposed to be demonstrated if you're a member of this organization this is supposed to be your fruit those of us who are believers and who've placed our faith in Christ alone and repented of our sin and we're filled with the spirit we have fruit too they look eerily similar but the sources are not the same they have prayers and doctrines and rules to live by like don't tell me this is not a false religion of human achievement that's a false religion of human achievement and all it is it's a false religion of human achievement cloaked in secrecy and and rooted in wickedness but you know let's read this oath real quick I will strive to reach the highest educational moral and spiritual efficiency which I can possibly attain wow the religion of human achievement y'all apart from Christ we can do nothing how do you expect to reach moral and spiritual efficiency in your own strength because it says which I can possibly attain kind of man centered to me I will never lose my aims for any temporary benefit which might might be gained wow I will endeavor to preserve my health for however great one's mental and moral strength may be physical weakness prevents the accomplishment of much that otherwise might be done ain't no argument with me there I think we all should Endeavor to do that I will close my ears and seal my lips to slanderous gossip I will labor to en Noble the ideals and purify the ATM feere of my home H burning some sage like what we doing to do that Lysol Sage I don't know I will always protest against the double standard of morals H H okay I will take an active interest in the welfare of my country using my influence toward the of laws for the protection of the unfortunate and weak and for the repeal of those depriving human beings of their privileges rights flag on the Play Lies there's no way that this is your oath and you advocate for Reproductive Rights as you call them I call it the womb War child assassination in the womb no you don't what about The Unborn in the womb th th those right there are being deprived of human life and y'all wholesale support that advocate for that in your churches you bring that crap in most of these churches have been corrupted because these organizations infiltrate themselves in and got the pastors and the pastors wives thinking that they are righteous and Noble because they're they're they're doing these things and they're trying to syncretize this with their Christian faith and then they do it in the name of Delta no I don't believe that you're not taking an active interest in the welfare of this country I don't believe that most of y'all hate this country I will never belittle any race lies flag on the plate lies lies and will try to persuade others to take the same stand wait the way y'all talk so bad about white folks I don't believe okay then the president as you pass your candles remember our motto is intelligence is the torch of wisdom behold the torch of wisdom it burns whenever delts are assembled and guides our footsteps as we work in the name of our sorority flag on the plate that's a problem that's a [Music] problem that's a problem the reason why that's a problem because why is is this torch of wisdom got in your footsteps and not Jesus the light of the world with the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ why is that not got in your footsteps could this be the reason why you don't see the idolatry of it all because this is what's leading you and not a foundation that's built on the scriptures [Music]