Grr. Arrgh. Rainbow bitching.

[quidditchgrrl]

Took a couple of my girls to Euclid Saturday night for an Installation. I worked out right before we left. I need to remember that it is a bad idea to workout then hop into a car for a two hour car ride, two and a half hours of sitting, then two hours home. Am much with the soreness now.



I have been to two events in the past week that have really boiled my turnips. Rainbow and Eastern Star are NOT Christian organizations. All they require is that you believe in a 'supreme being.' I can get around this requirement by a number of my own personal beliefs.

Last night the girls brought the flags in - American, Ohio, Rainbow, and CHRISTIAN. Excuse me, but no. This is not a Christian organization, no matter if every girl or person in the room is one. They gathered around the altar (which, for those of you not familar, is in the center of the room, and the Bible is opened on it for most of the ceremonies) in a cross formation and sang "The Old Rugged Cross." Again, so much with the no. That's not too awful, that can be excused. But man, I'm sick of being thwapped with Jesus in an organization that is supposed to be non-sectarian, and welcomes people of all faiths.

And last weekend was Grand Chapter of OES. Again with the Christian flag. There are members there who are pastors or in seminary - pastoral support. They were VERY unhappy at the placement of that flag (at least they understand that non-denominational means all faiths, not just Christians). And the drill - it was a complete Jesus theme, with the officers forming a cross, women in red dresses symbolizing Christ's blood, and...GAH! It was horrendous. And there was Snoopy as the Red Baron in there at one point. I was like O.o?

And then I overhear one of our board members say that Amaranth is for people who aren't good enough for Eastern Star. Well, I'll put that up with the 47325426586 other reasons not to join OES. Bint. I'm glad I don't belong, and every event I'm associated with makes me that much more grateful.



This morning I had a rather successful shopping excursion. I bought two shirts for work, a pair of trainers, socks, and anti-bacterial soap from Bath and Body Works. Tomorrow I'm going down to campus to shop some more. Yay shopping! :-D

Comments

Y'know, I get sick of the same things with Rainbow...

[azurerose.livejournal.com]

... and OES. Amaranth, at least, does try and keep it non-sectarian... and succeeds.

But if they ever come over to my house, there's a whole shelf of books I need to hide in my closet, in case they get too close... ;)

Y'know... A lot of the people in Amaranth in CA are NOT the kind of people I'd see in OES... and for that, I'm GLAD. They're nice. They're not phony. They enjoy the Order and have FUN. I have yet to see OES have fun around here. They're too busy grouching, sniping, and putting on airs.

My OES chapter sent me a birthday card last month (first time ever since I joined in '95)... big, fancy $3 Hallmark card. I know they're just doing it to kiss my ass... the WM whose term is ending in a month even put me on a committee, after she called me to ask if it was OK and I said, "sorry, no -- my time is already stretched thin between my activities, and I am really not interested." This was 2 months after she called me out of the blue (she didn't even know me at the time) to ask if I would be their AC. "Sorry, I've already committed myself to be AC in Amaranth."

Re: Y'know, I get sick of the same things with Rainbow...

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, here a lot of the Amaranth people ARE in OES as well, but they aren't very popular there because they are nice and fun and hate all the griping that goes on in OES. One full day of it was totally overwhelming for me, like the people in OES never left high school.

I don't mind that the majority of folks are Christians in the orders, but it's very offensive that they shove their beliefs into the faces of those aren't, even if they think that no one cares.

I went to an OV once (at my home Bethel) where the Advisory Council refused to change the outgoing march of 'Onward Christian Soldiers' or the cross formation (you can do a triangle or a square and compass instead) at the end for the initiate, whose family (her father is a Mason) was Muslim. Needless to say, that family NEVER set foot near a Bethel meeting ever again.

[siriologist.livejournal.com]

Hey there.

I was a rainbow girl in PA in Highschool. I haven't had any contact with the organization since then. Went through all the chairs and did my time as ...um... jeez don't even remember what the head gal is called ... am brain dead ... had a little gavel and everything, the white dresses and the whole thing.

All I remember of when I was in it was that it *was* a very christian organization, so I can't help you much there. I was always under the impression that it was christian, but that was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.

Good luck with it. Don't let the nimrods get you down.

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

It's Christian in that it references the Bible, and 'the story -emphasis on 'story' - of the Christian religion', but it's supposed to be for girls of all faiths. I think many people assume that it's Christian b/c the majority of the membership identify that way.

I do enjoy being an advisor - I'm young enough that the girls listen to me, and old enough to get respect from the old biddies - and I think it's a great organization for girls. It's just the little things that tick me off sometimes. I'm there for the girls, not for the snark, you know?