San Diego State Plans To Start First Buddhist Fraternity And Sorority, White People With Dreads Rejoice

Dan Regester10 years ago

San Diego State University is in the process of chartering two of the first Greek lettered Buddhist organizations in the country. The Delta Beta Theta sorority and Delta Beta Tau fraternity will gauge interest around campus this semester and gather up founders to catapult the two groups forward.

From The Daily Aztec:

Jeff Zlotnik, co-founder of the Dharma Bum Buddhist Temple in San Diego, and Abby Cervantes, a student of the temple, are establishing the new organizations on campus. This semester they plan to begin meeting weekly to meditate and discuss Buddhism. Soon, they will formally request to join the Greek community.

As a former social fraternity member at the University of Arizona, Zlotnik said he understands college kids have a different lifestyle than monks, and he does not want to lecture them. But he said teaching new members compassion and kindness can change both their lives and the lives of others. He hopes to enrich their college experience. “It’s not just about those four years, you’re impacting their entire life and their future,” he said. “That’s something you have to take seriously,” he said.

Zlotnik plans for the organizations to be social and enlightening. While preserving cultural traditions, the organizations will host intramural sports, philanthropic outings and events with other organizations on campus. “Instead of a keg, we’ll have a meditation room,” he said.

Is there any question that these two will be top tier powerhouses within the next year or so? Now, I’m sure there are going to be legitimate Buddhists, but my money is on this fraternity and sorority being chock-full of Trustafarians. If there’s one thing California schools aren’t short on, it’s well-to-do white kids from the Valley that hop on any trendy lifestyle to come across as a deeper, more intellectual and unique individual. They suddenly have a complete “spiritual awakening” after reading one pamphlet handed to them on the way to class, and a few days later, they’re dreading their hair, adopting an all wheatgrass diet, and going above and beyond to be general weirdos. These people are not real Buddhists. They give real Buddhists a bad name. Yet, these hippies are the ones that will be rocking the letters of the first Buddhist Greek lettered organization.

With that said, I’m 100 percent trying to get in with Delta Beta Theta sorority if I’m a guy at San Diego State. A bunch of yogi contortionist babes? Yeah, sign me up..

[via The Daily Aztec]