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| The point of WELS hazing is total conformity to the sect, continuing an atmosphere of deceit and fear. |
Good morning Pastor Jackson,
I just read the comments from Grumps concerning MLS hazing. Hazing and
initiation rituals have been present in many educational institutions. I never
cared for any of it. I have found the rationalization to be extremely lame. The
defenders of it sometimes try to draw an analogy to military boot camp. Besides
being a logical fallacy, it is also an insult to the military and the purpose of
boot camp. Recently, it became public that the West Point pillow fights got
dirty and some cadets were injured. Military academies tend to keep a closer
watch on this. Forty five years ago, freshman initiation was common at the
public high school that I attended. Two upperclassmen tried to drag me to the
boys' room for a head dunking in a porcelain bowl. They stopped suddenly in the
hallway. I looked up and saw the stern face of the vice principal. Somehow I
made it through high school just fine without being initiated.
When I went to a professional school, all of the fraternities had their hell
week for the pledges. Most of the fraternity houses were a considerable distance
away. Those of us in the dormitories saw no advantage to belonging to one. I
thought of them as a collegiate version of the Freemasons. They pitched their
access to gouges as an advantage to exam answers so the student did not have to
study. As a college instructor, you are aware of how lazy students can get at
times. There is no substitute for hard work and knowing the material.
Still, there is something different about WELS hazing. It is not nearly as
innocuous as West Point pillow fights or pledges wearing pots and pans for a
week. When you intimidate and degrade initiates, you can have the goods on them.
You have pointed out how various WELS conventions are like a meeting of a good
old boys' club. Likewise, the references made by called workers to classmates.
There certainly is more there than just sharing the required classes. Even
though the claim is made that GA no longer exists, this type of activity simply
does not disappear by executive decision. WELS leadership has a long history of
being less than honest with the laity.
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GJ - GA now exists as HB, just change two initials and carry one the abuse.
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| If you go through the proper channels, the clergy will take you - the victim - to court. "We don't want your opinion, only your approval." |