Should Christians Pledge Fraternities & Sororities? - Part 1

Blessings to Israel presents Discerning the Times, a program committed to encouraging you to view current events through the lens of the Bible. Now in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, please join us for today's program. Welcome to Discerning the Times.

My name is Brian Thomas. So great to be with you as always. I have a very interesting topic, a very much needed topic that we're going to look at today that I've been looking forward to for quite some time. But before I get into that, I want to remind you, as we always do, that your eternal state is far more important than your current state. If you have never received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I urge you to come to him today to receive him. Because if not, your future will be the lake of fire where you will be eternally separated from our almighty Lord.

But for those of us who have received Jesus Christ, the best is yet to come because we will live in a perfect kingdom with our Lord for eternity. So if you've never received Jesus Christ, please come to him on today. So once again, folks, I want to thank you for joining us on today's podcast. Again, we have a very interesting topic.

I'm excited. We have special guest, Pastor James Tharenton, who is here to speak with us about sororities and fraternities. So, Pastor Tharenton, I want to thank you for joining us today.

Welcome to the program. Thank you, brother Thomas, for your wonderful invitation and your hospitality. And thank you again for the opportunity to share with the audience today.

Looking forward to it. It is truly an honor and a privilege to have you. And I thank you for your time. So we're going to discuss the topic of should Christians pledge fraternities and sororities? And this is from a book that Pastor Tharenton authored several decades ago.

And it came to my attention not too long ago, just a few months. And I said I really wanted to get him on to share with our audience because this is a very important topic for the times that we are living in. So just a little bit about Pastor Tharenton. He was born in Durham, North Carolina, graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in speech and theater communication, where he served his senior year as the student government president. He currently pastors Evangel Fellowship Church in Reesville, North Carolina, and Successful Life Word Ministries, both of the Church of God in Christ that is in High Point, North Carolina. He's the author of nine Christian books, including Should Christians Pledge Fraternities and Sororities, which he is here with us today to speak on. And Superintendent Tharenton has been married to Lady Dawn Pruden Tharenton for 36 years.

They have three children, one son in law and three grandchildren. So, again, it is really an honor and a privilege to have Pastor Tharenton and Pastor Tharenton to get us started. I'm going to just really turn you loose and just have you share with us what God has placed on your heart over the years on this topic. But I did mention in the introduction where you attended college. But if you could share with us again where you attended school and what your experience was there with fraternities.

Yes, sir. Well, good afternoon to you, our brother Thomas and your audience. Thank you again for this wonderful invitation to share the subject today, which would be Should Christians Pledge Fraternities and Sororities? First of all, I'd like to say I thank God for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and Him giving me the wisdom and insight to want to encourage the body of Christ. I attended North Carolina A&T State University, graduated on May 17, 1986, entered school in the fall of 1982, came to school. I was not saved at the time when I came to school. Knew about the Lord, knew about the church, but was not saved. I guess about five or six months later, I got saved, filled with the Holy Ghost.

At that time, the Rescue Temple, which later became the Banjo Fellowship Church of God in Christ in Greensboro, under the leadership of our spiritual father, the late great Bishop Otis Lockett Sr., and Mother Barbara Turner as well, Lockett. And then was on campus, historical back college campus, there, got saved and joined my college experience. And as I always say, when I attended college in the early to mid ages, there were two questions that were traditionally asked in the circles that I was involved in.

One, what was your major? And then secondly, when were you going to pledge? And that's where we go sorority.

So that kind of got my my peak saying because people were asking me. I remember one of my mother's friends who worked on campus at the time, she was in a sorority. That's one of the first questions she asked me. When am I thinking about pledging? Because she was in a sorority. So I got introduced to sororities and fraternities somewhat at a distance, didn't know a lot about them. But the more I begin to just watch, begin to study, begin to inquire, never went to an interest meeting, never really got involved with trying to find out more, just watching from a distance and talking to people who were thinking about pledging and those that are going through the pledge process.

So it said to me as a Christian, then that's not something I should be involved in because of what I've witnessed firsthand. That's interesting. And I think back to my days of college, I entered college in 1994, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. And it's interesting, I think back on it because I love the color red. Red has always been my favorite color. And also my complexion.

I am of the lighter shade of brown. And so I was wearing I was wearing my red and and again, I loved baseball caps. So I collected baseball caps in my freshman year.

I actually got a red baseball cap that had the Indiana University logo on the front. And so for anyone that's familiar with fraternities, they know that that is right up the alley of the Kappas. And so I was going around campus and I remember one of the guys who was a Kappa, he came to me.

And like you said, Pastor Tarantino, it wasn't a question about if you're going to play as it was a matter of win. That was that was how people looked at it. And so he came to me one day and he was talking with me and he was saying stuff about the cap and everything. And I didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about. Well, what I didn't realize until later on was that as I was walking around wearing my red and the red cap was that the Kappa fraternity was founded at Indiana University.

And so he was later telling me, he said, yeah, man, I was looking at you and I was thinking Brian was wanted real bad. But that was the furthest thing from my mind, because like you, I had no interest in fraternities. And so but it's interesting, though, to to hear of how many people have the similar experience of the expectation for for people to get into a fraternity or sorority. And and also you ran for student body president. You were student body president as well, right?

That's correct. I ran in March of 1985, got elected by the student body. I ran against a guy that was in a fraternity who by all accounts should have won by a landslide. So that was an interesting interesting process, because while we were having our campaign, my cousin, who had a namesake, he was pledging that for that particular fraternity at the same time. So he went through a lot of things. Let's just say that that maybe had we not had the same last name, he may would have escaped. But once they found out that we were related or had the last name, I heard he had some challenging times.

So I ran against big brothers. That was a that's a whole nother story. OK, OK. All right. Well, let's let's talk about. So when it comes to these fraternities and sororities and I read your book and it's just so much great information and we'll share with the audience how they can get a copy of it at the end of the program. But you speak to the fact that there is a lot of ritualistic things and ceremonial type of things that go on. So so speak to that, please. Yeah, I think that that's what the conversation really changed brother Thomas for when I started addressing the Christmas pledge.

I first started off by addressing because I just I never had a peep about pledging, especially why I got the word and I started growing in my walk with God. But the conversation starts shifting what I thought really, really, you know, studying, taking a deeper dive into why they do really what they do now. Most all of the fraternities and sororities and there's nine of them. And, you know, they're referred to as the divine nine of the fraternities and sororities. And so I start studying and researching and gathering information. OK, now I need some factual information to really back up what I'm saying, because people just think it's my opinion. You know, James is on a tangent.

Whatever, James, keep it moving. But when I when I start really studying how they actually have ritual books and what most people don't know, anytime you have rituals involved, something or someone is being worshiped, whether you know it or not. I use the analogy in the Christian church and we have in our church we have communion once a month on the fourth Sunday. Well, our ritual is that, you know, we eat of the Lord's body, we drink of his blood and we do this until he shall return again. Well, the ritual, who are we highlighting? Who are we exalting? Well, we're reminding people that the blood of Christ still saves mankind from their sins. So any time you have a ritual, any time you go through ceremonies, something or someone is being worshiped. And one of the things that many times the sororities kind of push back on and say, well, that's not really the case. Well, I use the response by saying this. The distance between fraternities and sororities than any many other social groups, for example. Many of us that live in homes, you may be a member of your home association or maybe your block club or the beautification committee in your community.

But there are no rituals attached to it. You do provide a service for your neighborhood and your community. And so once I start really studying and really got information from the fraternities and start looking at what the actual worship of the ritual books really say, it changed the whole conversation, okay? It changed the conversation from being about what I thought to what I said to what now I know based on what you have said in your own book. I'll give you an example just in Chapter 7 of the book that we wrote, I guess, over 37 years ago now. It's called Up Close and Personal, and it talks about Greek letter organizations. And I look at this from one of the fraternities, Alpha Phi Alpha. This is their prayer, the Alpha Mem. And it says, and I quote, an Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity prayer. O Lord, may the true spirit of fraternity rule our hearts, guide our thoughts, control our lives so that we may become a true servant of all. Then it goes on to say, I am an Alpha because our pledge initiated and I've seen the light, my chapter meetings and activities are attended regularly. I will keep my vows. I am loyal. I am Alpha.

So I'm saying to myself, whoa, let's back up. Now, this is not something that people just came up. This is what you say in your ritual book. So who are you exalting if you are a Christian?

Are you exalting Christ or are you exalting Alpha? And the question becomes, what is the true spirit of fraternity? Well, and I find that a lot of people, when they pledge, they don't even know what they said.

They would just so happy to get involved. Then it says, and control our lives, guide our thoughts and rule our hearts. Well, from a Christian perspective, the only thing that should be ruling our hearts, guiding our thoughts and controlling our lives is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the work that he did out on the cross, and then the word of God, not a fraternity or a sorority. And that's just one example.

And all of them have something similar too that causes you to say, whoa, did I really say that? Do we really do that? And the answer is yes, because it's in your ritual book.

So when you talk about ritualistic sayings or ceremonies or initiations, I would dare say people that I've met that have come out of fraternities didn't even know that information was in there. Wow. Wow. And so, you know, this is not again, this is not just an opinion. You're this is coming straight from the horse's mouth. You're citing stuff right from their own documents, their own books.

That's correct. This is and how people say, well, how did you get in the question? You know, it was simply this people that came out of fraternities and sororities denounced it.

And then the letter said, I'm no longer a member of this fraternity or sorority and say, hey, I need you. I'm giving you information, brother James, that will help solidify the message you've been preaching that time only about a couple of years. This is going to give you the if you will, the information that says there's no longer the opinion of some Christians. This is what we said.

This is what we've done. And now we have to take a closer look as Christians. So you're right. It's coming straight from the horse's mouth. Wow.

Wow. And another thing that you mentioned in X, when I thought when I read and I said, well, it's like it's hiding in plain sight. You talk about the fact that within these Greek fraternities and sororities, that they have all these symbols and logos that are from the Greek gods, the Greek idols. That's right.

And do people do Christians really realize that that's what they're doing? I don't think so. I think backing up to what you said, brother Thomas, early, I think a lot of people are so impressionable when they come to school. When I come to school, I was one of them. Like I said, I looked at it. I thought it was just brotherhood.

I thought it was, you know, they were stepping. They had the colors. They were known on campus.

Why wouldn't you want to be a part of something that looks that good from the outside? Not knowing what goes on the inside. But speaking to chapter two, I deal with Greek mythology and religion. And one of the things that I talk about how some of these Greek symbols are you and I just highlight just one for the sake of our conversation. I deal with the Greek goddess, dealing with sigma, gamma, rho. The goddess deals with attached to delta, sigma, theta.

The hybrid of the lion's body is usually with a human head. And that terminology simply means the term is derived from the Greek meaning to bind together. And so a lot of these Greek organizations have these because, you know, one of the things that Greeks historically, they were about wisdom and knowledge.

The whole thing was about knowledge and wisdom and being philosophical, but also really highlighting the God that they served or the God that they highlighted. So, brother Thomas, many of our Christians that are still involved in many cases in the sororities and fraternities don't even know the Greek mythology or the religion of Greek mythology that causes these fraternities and sororities for many of them to highlight what they really believe. And the thing is, folks, so I listen to the audience, you know, is really what you're doing is you're making allegiance and you're opening yourself up to things in the spiritual realm, demonically speaking.

And you don't even realize that's what you're doing. And we know the Bible says who can serve two masters. You're either going to serve God, the true God of the Bible, or you're going to serve the kingdom of darkness. So that is something that really people, you need to stop and think about what you're doing. And the question that I have, Pastor Tharenton, is why do you think people choose to pledge?

Why is it such a popular thing? Because as I think about it, I was a Christian when I went into college. I got saved when I was eight years old. And for me, I just always looked at it as I'm a Christian. My identity in Christ is enough.

I don't need anything more than that. Why do you think there are so many people, though, that feel this urge or desire to pledge a fraternity or sorority? What I found when I started talking, addressing this brother Thomas.

From 1984 up until now, really 1985. I've broken it down to four reasons, probably more but four main reasons why I found out why Christians and non-Christians pledge. Number one, they pledge because they think and they do, sororities and fraternities do a lot of good work in the community. So they want to be a part of a community service organization. That's why some pledge. Other people pledge, number two, because notable people and famous people have pledged. And that comment, if so-and-so pledge, then it must be OK. Then the third reason why I think a lot of people in my group at the time, they found out that being a member of a fraternity or sorority was a great network for personal or professional games.

You go through an airport, you go anywhere, and you may not be a member of the same fraternity, but if they think that you're just Greek, that's an open door. And then the fourth reason, a lot of people pledge because family members have pledged. It's a family thing.

You keep it kind of going in the family. Everybody goes to A&T. Everybody goes to Howard.

Everybody goes to, you know, if you're a female, you go to Bennett, Shaw, you know, St. All's. And so those are the main reasons that I've seen over the years. And then the bottom line reason for some people, save us, say, I just want to pledge.

Regardless of what's got to go through, regardless of what's going on, I love those colors so much. I want some people branded on me so bad, I'm going to pledge regardless of the consequences. Yeah, it's something that we folks, we really want you to stop and think about what it is that you're doing, why you are doing it.

And again, what is your allegiance to Jesus Christ for those of you who proclaim to be Christians? And you speak, Pastor Theron Ting, about the things that go on. Everybody hears about the hazing that takes place. There's the spirit of secrecy that's also there.

Can you speak to those things for a moment? Yes, hazing, and I highlight, and I'm glad you brought that up, because I wanted to talk about that. I highlight an incident that happened when I was on ANT's campus, and it's highlighted in the book about hazing.

I tell Christians, I ask Christians, you know, why would you want to be humble? Why would you want to submit yourself to anything that would be degrading? Let's say you're a Christian, and let's say you know nothing about a paternal sorority, you just see it and they just won you over, and I want to be a part of this paternal sorority. Then you get in, and then you start realizing everything that they're doing is to crush your spirit so you'll be willing to submit to anything they say or do. And one of the things that we are highlighting in the next book, and I'll talk about that at the end, is that hazing is still going on.

Any form of intimidation, hazing, or demeaning behavior is hazing. Now why would you as a Christian want to submit yourself to somebody, let's say Brother Thomas, you were trying to join Seth Pritchard, I was your big brother, and you love the colors. And I said, Brother Thomas, I want you to go pick up my laundry from the cleaners. Then you go, and I didn't tell you I had ten pieces there, so you only picked up one piece. And I make you go back nine different times to pick up ten pieces of my laundry because I'm trying to crush your spirit. Oh, Brother Thomas, I text you or call you or you align it, 12 o'clock every night I want you to bring me a whopper and some fries, and you pay for it, I'll figure out how to pay for it. Why would any Christian, and I'm being light, this is light stuff concern, or what I know that happens to some people, why would you want to submit yourself to that or to another person on that level?

And the question is, is because you want it that bad. And so that spirit of secrecy gets in because you don't want anyone to know that you, one, went through all of that, and number two, you submitted yourself to it. Now, if the Bible is what I call the open book, and it is, but your ritual book is a book that's only for that fraternal sorority. Well, which book is higher if you're a Christian?

It should be the Bible. And if I can open the Bible and not be ashamed of what God says from his Word, but my question is to you, if you're my brother or sister in Christ, what are you hiding in your ritual book that you don't want me to see? But then which relationship then becomes higher, your relationship to your fraternity and sorority, or your relationship to me if I'm your brother in Christ, which one is higher in your land?

And for the most part, they won't say it, many Christians won't, but the bottom line is the fraternity or the sorority is higher. And I think that secrecy is the key word. What are you hiding that you don't want the world to know? Wow. Yeah, that should really, I mean, that just tells it all right there.

That really does. And as you said, I've heard of some stories of some things that go on with hazing, and for Christian programming, we just can't share. I can't share because it's just too much. But yeah, why is there this spirit of secrecy? And I know some who still are in those organizations, but they say if they had to do it over again, they would not do it because there are some things they're not willing to speak on, but they were just that humiliated with what they went through. But to your point, the Bible is open for everyone. What is it that you're trying to hide? And for those who might be in your spirit, you're in denial, maybe saying, well, no, I'm not elevating my Greek organization above the Bible.

Well, stop a minute and ask yourself the question. And I notice something that I've witnessed from some people that they will post more on social media about their fraternity and sorority than they do about Jesus Christ. Matter of fact, when it comes to Christ is little to nothing there, but you always see things about the sorority and fraternity. But yet they say they are Christian.

So so so why is it flipped if you haven't elevated? So, yeah, that's something that people really need to chew on. The title of the book, once again, is should Christians pledge fraternities and sororities? Well, we have to press the pause button for this week as we are out of time, but we are not done. We're going to dive even deeper next week as Pastor Tharenton will be back to share what the deltas pray at their funerals concerning the afterlife. So, folks, we know that we are ruffling some feathers with this topic, but we want to challenge you that if you want your walk with Christ to be right when it comes to this topic, we encourage you to heed the words that Pastor Tharenton is saying, because God has placed this on his heart a number of years ago.

And there are many people who are heeding to the words and they have renounced their allegiance to these sororities and fraternities. And so we encourage you out there listening. If you are in that position, we encourage you to do the same.

It's not always easy swimming against the tide and going against what's popular, but you will be better forward in the long run. And that is why I praise God for our guest who has followed the urging of the Holy Spirit to speak out on this very, very critical topic. Pastor Tharenton, it has been such a blessing to have you on. How can the audience get a copy of this book?

Yes, sir. Thank you, brother Tommy. The way you can get a copy of the book, the book is $15 for a book and $3 for shipping and handling. Please write to, and I'll say it twice, just put Successful Life Church or Successful Life Code, C-O-G-I-C, post office box 1481, Attention Book Division, High Point NC, and you zip it 27261. The address again is Successful Life Church.

We'll keep it simple. Post office box 1481, that's 1481, Attention Book Division, High Point NC, 27261. And when you send your letter, you can send in a check or money order is preferable, but checks are fine. Take it out to Successful Life Church, put in your memo, just put the book and just put S-C-P-F-E-S. It's your Christian's pledge and the number of books that you want. So once again, Pastor Tharenton, so great to have you on. Thank you so much. And may God continue to order your steps and to strengthen you as you continue with this message. And I praise God for what he has placed on your heart in sharing this message to the people.

We look forward to having you back next week to conclude our discussion on should Christians pledge fraternities and sororities. Amen. But thank you again, brother Thomas. And to God be the glory.

Thank you again, sir. Amen. Amen.

All right. And to our audience, please come back and join us again next week as we continue to encourage you to discern the times by viewing life through the lens of the Bible. Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Bless God's great nation of Israel. And to the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Amen. Thank you for tuning in to Discerning the Times. Please come back and join us next week as we continue to encourage you to view current events through the lens of the Bible. Until next time, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Bless God's great nation of Israel and seek first the kingdom of God.