Examining the Hash House Harriers

reply to post by Afterthought


As I mentioned in an earlier post, I never went to a hash, but I had a coworker who was really into hashing. He talked about it all the time, so I think I have some idea of what is going on. To me, it sounded like a bunch of frat boys getting drunk and acting silly.

My coworker never mentioned drinking beer out of an unsanitary part of the body, but I guess it is possible that someone could get drunk enough to do something like that at a hashing event. Most of the stuff he mentioned involved raunchy songs, drinking a lot, people having raunchy nick names, some "hooking up," and some hashers exposing their private parts to the group.

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


Thanks for your insight. Sorry for forgetting that you, like myself, have never attended a hash. Both of us are only relying on hearsay. I'm just very curious. Probably more so since I now feel unwelcome. It's caused me to do much more research than I had done initially. It's like someone telling you not to push the red button. Don't get me wrong though. I also got the advice a long time ago to never go into a bar without windows & I never felt the need to ask "Why?" or search around for a bar with no windows to go & hang around in. Thankfully my animal instincts are still in check.

I realize that many people would like to see this thread die, but I wanted to post this article I saw on Drudge today. After reading the article & being aware that hashers often make each other drink beer out of another's shoe, I just have to wonder if this coach wasn't a hasher & thought it was "funny" to pass this type of punishment onto her softball players.

Here is the article:
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) - A California high school girl's softball coach has apologized for requiring eight players who struck out during a recent game to drink soda pop out of a team member's shoe, a school district official said.
The South Tahoe High School varsity players drank the soda at a team slumber party on May 1, hours after a game against Wooster High School of Reno, Nev.
"It was meant as a joke, and obviously it went too far," Lake Tahoe Unified School District superintendent James Tarwater said.
A parent complained about the incident and coach Anneliese Neitling has since apologized, Tarwater said. It was a young coach's mistake and the matter will be addressed during Neitling's postseason evaluation, he said.
"People learn from mistakes," Tarwater said. "She does a good job pulling the team together, morale-wise and support-wise."
Neitling, who just completed her second season in charge of the school's softball program, did not return phone calls for comment.
South Tahoe Athletic Director Don Borges declined to comment on the incident. But he said his coaches are required to attend a preseason orientation meeting in which hazing is addressed.
Hazing is an act that subjects someone to possible physical harm, personal degradation or disgrace in order to be accepted into a group.
South Tahoe High School is located in California, about 6 miles from the state's border with Nevada, and is a member of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.
The school adheres to the Nevada hazing law, which states that hazing is a misdemeanor offense if there isn't substantial bodily harm and a gross misdemeanor if significant bodily harm occurs.

apnews.myway.com...

Please note that the article states that "hazing is an act that subjects someone to .... personal degradation or disgrace in order to be accepted into a group". As I have mentioned numerous times in this thread, the hashers seem to be a group where hazing is acceptable as a means of humiliating those who want to be part of the group.

I feel that there is substantial evidence that this "young coach" is a hasher & is passing on the group's ritual practices to her underage players. This is dispicable. It may be funny to a bunch of adults who are allowing themselves to be humiliated by control freaks, but this "coach" obviously can't determine where the fun begins & ends. Her decision to make her players drink out of a shoe was not professional & in poor taste. I hope she gets reprimanded, but it doesn't sound as though she will be.

Would anybody like to comment about this? Has this coach become desensitized & is now unable to tell the difference between right & wrong, especially when it comes to minors?

Back in the late 80's I was involved in the HHH for about a year and I found that the chapter I was with was mainly full of Air Force personnel and they were very accepting of me and my Civvy friends. Sure we had the sexual innudendo names and banter etc. But everything was orientated to a Family friendly HH, with partners and wifes participating in runs and also having a Warrant officer in the club too. The Sausages and potatoes were fun to eat especially with a half a bottle of chili sauce in it. But that was about as hot as things got.
After a 8 mile run through the forest the best thing you had at the finish was a cold beer. I even got to host a run as it was customary for everyone to take a turn at hosting a run. The main idea of the Hash run was that everyone would finish together. As invariably we would get some newbie who thought he was great until he was the first to hit a false path with a dead end and then have to double back.

reply to post by Epsillion70


Thanks for offering your insight, Epsillion70. It's always interesting to see who decides to comment on this thread.
I'd also like to thank you for verifying my ideas about this being mainly a military fraternity which encourages civilians to participate.
So, I have to ask why you discontinued with the kennel after a year? I'd also like to know if you noticed anything that could be considered hazing, desensitization, or otherwise?

Hi, I'm Chainsaw, the "religious adviser" of a popular European hash, and I'd like to know how I can join these Masonic and Illuminati conspiracies - sounds like great new material for our hashing adventures. After a while the same old bawdy songs and rituals need a recharge, otherwise we might loose members to boredom.

Members who leave the hash sometimes want nothing to do with us, rather than the other way around, perhaps because we drink too much or maybe we're just plain weird. I'd like to know how we can upgrade ourselves from "wild, weird, but ultimately boring" into one of these fantastic-sounding conspiracies complete with KGB agents, ancient symbols, and everything else from a Dan Brown book. I must have missed the introduction lessons when I joined - actually, I just showed up.

Mr. (?) Afterthought gives a lot lip service to this conspiracy concept as though it's already in place all over the world, but gives no hints how to acquire it for those of us who are missing out on the extra fun.

Nevertheless, we still have a lot of fun running and drinking and other socializing. If you want to investigate our activities more directly, sign up and attend one of the larger Interhash events, either regional or worldwide, usually lasting a long weekend. With several hundred participants of sample space, surely you can get a good idea of what really happens. It's unlikely you'll be hazed, more likely just ignored, in which case you'll have to keep inventing your own conspiracy theories instead of leaching off of us.

When you register for such an event, you can even put down "Afterthought" as your hash name. It doesn't have to be real or true - our "rule number 1" is "there are no rules" - but do try to think up an amusing story how you got named. If nothing else, tell them Chainsaw named you remotely over the Internet and now you've come to collect your Down-Down. I wish I could be there!

On on...
(or "en en" as they say in France)

reply to post by Chainsaw_Hasher


Thanks for your comments, Chainsaw.
I believe this may be what you're searching for:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Once you understand that Gispert ("Praise be to 'G'!") designed the hash to hide his Hashish ring with his accountant friends, you start to see how/why KGB doesn't mean Keep Getting Boozed as you hashers have been led to believe.

G & Horse were drug dealers & money launderers.
They were Masons, hence the HHH resembles building blocks or bricks.
It was no accident that their creation was registered as a society in 1938. This date is synonymus with the triple helix, or life everlasting.

I believe that Gispert was a Luciferian Freemason who wasn't buried in an unmarked grave. I'm sure he told his cronies what to do with his body upon his death. They had more than enough money. Somebody knows where he is actually buried. Maybe he was cremated.

At some point, Gispert had connections with members of the KGB through his hashish dealings. This is why after WWII, the hash exploded around the world. The KGB has been quoted as admitting to infiltrating certain groups in America specifically in order to degrade the morals of America in 15 to 20 years. Much of it having to do with mind control.

Gispert's hashers were a prime target since they were already way into the club. The fraternity members were quite satisfied with the beer & eating the crappy food that their wealthy founder provided.All they had to do was invite women to join, & things started to get interesting.

You also need to remember that there are smaller groups existing within the larger whole.

Check out the link I provided. I think you'll be quite satisfied with knowing you are surrounded by conspiracy. Also, thanks for the invite, Chainsaw. I must decline though. I have no desire to promote the ideals the hash represents.

I'm happy being a nerd.

Take care & best wishes to you!

Originally posted by Afterthought
I believe that Gispert was a Luciferian Freemason who wasn't buried in an unmarked grave.

Where did you find that Gispert was a Mason? And please educate everyone here as to what a 'Luciferian Freemason' may be.

Well, I looked at that article, and I don't think I'll get much mileage from it. My cronies will come back with easy retorts like "his name begins with G, so he called himself Mr.G". Where's the corruption potential here? Maybe "Ali G." aka Borat aka Brüno is also in cahoots? And where do the G-Force guinea pigs fit in?

If I follow your implications, the most obvious way we can delve into the ancient traditions is by dealing hashish. But that's lame, as the stuff is getting legalized all over the world ("medical M") and there's little Luciferian aspect anyway as you're talking about a plant not a rant. And to my awareness, drug dealers prefer a low profile; setting up a loud & boisterous running group is poor cover, as we have been noticed by the authorities from the beginning and to this day. Cops are not as dumb as they may look.

Besides, the western world's boozing population is generally much larger than dopers and intoxicated enough - the point being, when an organization claims to drink a lot, and is readily observed doing so, it may be worthwhile to take them at face value. For the record, we mostly drink beer.

In the hash we commonly & amusingly refer to ourselves as various forms of social misfits. But the key point is, we're "self compatible" and "world compatible" misfits and hence the perpetuating nature of our group.

There's another class ("lower class" :-) of social misfits out there which is best described as lacking in such compatibilities, both among themselves and with the rest of the world to various degrees. This category of people is more commonly referred to in derogatory terms like "loners" and "losers" etc. A common characteristic of this group is "projection of insecurities" - in other words, dealing with social rejection by inventing scenarios of doom towards the rejecting group, such as "they're all [snip]holes" or making up conspiracy theories to imply deviousness of the rejectors instead of reflecting inwards on themselves. (Of course, if they could do that, they probably wouldn't be such misfits in the first place.)

One example of this projection is an unwillingness to investigate how likely these conspiracy allegations may be, versus ongoing insistence - insecurity projection - of the original malevolent ideas and then grasping at straws to "prove" one's case with all sorts of hyperbole. Pick a number, any number, or maybe a letter... surely some correlation can be found with something else and something nasty. This is basic arithmetic and the basis of astrology.

This is my assessment of the alleged hash house harriers whatever-conspiracy. I'm guessing this whole thing started when your hasher friend declined further invitations for you to participate, and now here you are.

On on, with all that it entails!

reply to post by Chainsaw_Hasher


Have you ever heard of the term "hidden in plain sight"? I'm sorry that I have a different outlook on how the hash influences certain people to join. Then, once you're in, a person is most likely to submit to peer pressure from a group & do things that make him/her uncomfortable simply for entertainment purposes? No, Gispert used his money & influence to get more money & his connections soon found their way to more dangerous people. The KGB.

Concerning your defensive stance surrounding your beloved beer - I have no problem with beer. Or wine or high-end vodka for that matter. I don't recall focusing on the drinking end of it, but now that you mention it, alcohol does have a way of loosening things up. Lowering a person's moral & ethical values.

I do have a problem with a group who specializes in humiliation & degradation. You may want to start examining mind control & how it's used within a group setting.
I've never been a 'group' person. Especially a group that prides itself on attracting those who have money, but no self respect.

As your kennel's Religious Advisor, what is your purpose/duties?
Why do the hashes idolize a man who made his first 'followers' donate money to drink & eat the crap they served while he made money hand over fist? For a man who was so worthy of being prayed to before each trail, I can't find one damn thing notable about him.
I mean, where does all the money go to in your kennel? Does your kennel pay taxes? How many charity r*ns has your group done this year?

You have to understand that I was once invited to participate in a hash, but declined. Later, as soon as I started wondering why everything revolved around sex & humiliation, I wasn't wanted around anymore.
Maybe I just have too much respect for myself than to go somewhere & hang out with people who just want to feed off of the dark energy that bullying & debauchery entices.

By the way, I see that you're new to this site, so welcome to ATS. You'll see plenty of conspiracy theories on here that many educated people have devoted their time & energy to studying & discovering/uncovering the real agenda behind things.
Just remember to not attack the Op for their opinions of how things actually are in this messed up world we live in. Nobody knows everything, but those who haven't been indoctrinated into thinking/behaving in a certain way are the free thinkers & deserve respect.
You have no right to personally attack me or anyone else who has the cajones to post their research, facts, & ideas on this site. I truly don't care what you think of me or my intentions on researching the obscure history of the Hash House Harriers. It's present members don't seem to have a clue about who Gispert really was & will continue honoring his memory.
If you ask me, you didn't even take the time to read the entire post that I linked you to, or you would've commented upon the evidence I provided & not attacked my character because of my ideas about the club you & your friends choose to participate in.
If the shoe fits, wear it. I don't think I'd find your shoes comfortable for me, or mine on you.

If you want to know the truth, I'm sure that you folks do have some fun times, but I don't want to have to attend religiously to be accepted as many of the hashes boast on their attendee lists. I have no desire to get some sexual nickname or go to a party where all the men refer to the women as sluts or bitches. Somewhere along the road, I guess I grew up. I like parties where I won't be forced to drink (do a 'down-down') because I broke some stoopid kennel rule. I'm far from my late teen/young adult years where I got the whole frat party mentality out of my system. I'm quite happy sitting outside alone nursing a beer or sipping a glass of wine.

As for you, do whatever floats your boat.
Promote what you want to promote.

Thanks again for the invite, but I'll stick to hanging out with those who don't feel the need to have a good time at the expense of others.

Take care, best wishes, & remain vigilant!

Edit to add: Let's remember that you specifically posted to this thread that you were looking for a conspiracy regarding the Masons & the KGB. How did you happen to join these two ideas again? Had you heard this from word of mouth?
Regardless, you got what you were searching/hoping to find.
Since you aren't happy with the results now that your request has been granted, maybe you should be careful what you ask for if you aren't going to appreciate the results, or the researcher's hard work.

[edit on 17-6-2010 by Afterthought]

I've always viewed them as harmless, have quite a few friends who are into it. Even took part in an event manned a halfway point and the beer. (rough job) Mostly it's just a bunch of people letting off steam, who generally do have a running addiction but also like to drink beer......given those two parts, it tends to be heavily filled with current and ex members from Military and their famlies. Heck, seen some bring the kids in strollers.......

They just don't seem very scary to me, though the ones who drink a large beer while having heat issues can be pretty scary and much vomiting does ensue.......I always thought they were the one who secretly wanted to be in a college frat, that's about where their at. As for humiliation, yes they have funny nicknames and make fun of each other, but then my circle of friend from my dorm in college did too....not sure that made us a cult or secret society.....just a bunch of guys having fun, and rooting out those who didn't have thick enough skin. It's in good fun. Not a member.....I do not have a running problem......

The meanest thing I have seen is where they put the chalk....some of those runs are deffinately "off road"

Ah, I see progress being made as Mr(?).A lies on the couch of Mr. Doctor Chainsaw and airs his (?) grievances. Your last post has only a small percentage of alleged allegations about the hash past - that Gispert had money and used it to get more, and later on the KGB found out about hashing and did, well, something or other. Most of the chat is instead about disdain for our group and a slanted (but still valid) perspective on what we do. So you get a "brownie point" (opposite of a down-down) for coming forth with honesty.

Now we're getting to the core of my own conspiracy theory, that this HHH examination is mostly an "insecurity projection" based on a slanted perspective and a bit of rejection.

But first, a note about conspiracies per se. I see three categories here:
1. a past circumstance that's been overlooked, forgotten, or just unrealized.
2. a past circumstance that's been deliberately obscured or covered up.
3. a past circumstance that's being portrayed in a negative light.

There's a lot of "point 3" coming up here regarding the hash, and that's OK. Portray as you wish. But you present these Freemason et al connotations as category one - right? - as though no one has figured it out yet. From my readings of your rantings, the category 2 cover up mechanism is that we're all clueless morons who don't realize what Gisbert and company really did, as opposed to someone(s) trying to hide the truth, except perhaps Gispert himself who is long gone. Am I accurate so far? If so, then who do you allege keeps hiding these matters from our innocent eyes?

OK, now it's my turn to answer your questions and bash your ontologies.

"Hidden in plain sight" - yes, an old Edgar Allen Poe story. But there's a frustrating difference between "being unaware" and "failing to adopt your opinion" about something. And I see this frustration being manifested as a conspiracy.

By the way, have you ever played the game Illuminati by Steve Jackson? Try it, you'll like it. (www.sjgames.com...) The games comes with some blank cards too - you can make an HHH entry.

"Submit to peer pressure, being made uncomfortable for entertainment." - Yes, you're right about that, although uncomfortable is an exaggeration and bullying is definitely not on the agenda. Participation is voluntary and hashers come back because it's fun. No one is forced to attend, and despite your protesting fantasies, no one will ever force you to attend a hash. Though I can think of a few amusements if you do happen to show up where I'm involved. Hint: please wear brand new running shoes.

"Gisbert used his money and connections..." - Wealth is unsubstantiated, certainly you haven't done it, and I suspect that if he has such things plus devious intentions, he would have managed to avoid fighting and dying in the war. Don't you?

"I don't recall focusing on the drinking..." - Yep, you've missed a key point of our group. Hidden in plain sight. :-)

"Mind control..." - We claim immunity by virtue of being only "half minds". In close correlation: "Time is a wonderful thing to waste, when you're wasted all the time."

"As your kennel's Religious Advisor, what are your duties?" - As few as possible. Mostly I'm there emcee the "circle" after a run. This is the ceremonial part where down downs are given for alleged offenses on the run, sometimes mini conspiracies. The concept is humor, amusement, and interest. Often the down downs are preceded by a song, like a smutty ditty or some other tripe. Drinking on the side is encouraged - actually no need, the beer flows of its own accord. I don't know where the term "religious adviser" comes from, perhaps an earlier satire on church people, or maybe you can suggest a more devious origin. (If it's funny, I'll use it in the circle.)

"Where does all the money in your kennel go? Do you pay taxes?" - A small "hash cash" is collected after each run to buy the beer. We make a slight profit to get funding for T-shirts, web sites, and other small expenses. The amounts are rather small; for tax purposes we are considered a non-profit social organization like a softball club or something, so no taxes are due.

"How many charity runs have you done this year?" - Only one, and then we bet money on whether a certain hasher could go without drinking booze for an entire month. He did it (amazing) as a raise-money-for-charity thing and collected more than a thousand bucks for a local children's hospital. But this activity is secondary to our group, mostly we get together to enjoy running and drinking beer. And of course, the bawdy amusements that go along with it.

"Forced to drink because you broke some stoopid kennel rule..." - As I said, rule number one is - there are no rules. You are "forced" to drink if an amusing reason can be given (portrayed) for you to do so, or for some other common purpose. For example, the hares of the day (who set the running trail) traditionally get an honorary down down for doing so. And the RA usually gets a down down for the weather, whatever it may be.

"Have to attend religiously..." - Not at all, come as often or not as you wish. And people do. Of course, if you enjoy hashing, you might want to do it a lot. We have a lot of hash runs - at least once a week - and people who like it tend to show up a lot. Simple, no?

"Why do hashers idolize [Gispert]..." - That's an exaggeration, but he is honored as (one of) the founder(s) of the hash, and respected like any other soldier who dies in battle. There's nothing particularly noble about Gispert, but we do appreciate his efforts even if you don't. Why do YOU idolize George Washington who owned slaves?

"Welcome to ATS. Educated people... discovering / uncovering the real agenda behind things. Researching the hash house harriers..." - Sorry, I'm not impressed with your research. Perhaps if you attended a hash event to actually observe what happens, instead of misinterpreting second-hand sources, you might get more respect. But hey, as I keep saying, I think I've found the "real agenda" behind YOUR modus operandi!

"Refer to women as sluts or bitches..." - We refer to them as "harriettes", although some of our songs are a bit more prickly. Keep in mind - half a mind, anyway - that there's no central structure in the world of hashing, each club (or kennel) is different. While you may have heard of some chapters where this terminology is rife, this is unusual in my experience. And if YOU had any hashing experience at all, you might claim to speak with some authority.

"Frat party mentality..." - Yeah, that's probably a good metaphor, except for the running part. Believe it or not, running is mostly what we do, followed by drinking beer. No conspiracy needed.

"Looking for a conspiracy regarding Masons, Muons, and the KGB..." - Correction, I'm looking for ways to re-immerse ourselves in these long lost histories. But you didn't give me any tips, most likely because these aren't true in the first place and hence ould have to be synthesized. Crackpot theories are a dime a dozen, but actionable activities are solid gold. Imagine the fun we could have if there really was a KGB connection, we'd petition Putin to send us cute agents to seduce us like a James Bond movie. Don't you think we're entitled to some kickback? I once met a Russian guy in a New Delhi (India) hash who worked for the embassy and was allegedly a spy. But spies are people too, and he seemed to have as much fun as the rest of us. No need to spy on us, we flash.

"Had you heard word of mouth?" - Yes, word goes around that some nutter is writing about the hash. So now you get a'nutter point of view too!

"Hash House Harriers: It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

reply to post by Chainsaw_Hasher


Hi, Chainsaw. Sorry that it's taken me soo long to respond. I haven't been logging in as much lately.
I see that you're absolutely indoctrinated as a hasher. You can't even consider an alternative reason why the hash became stronger after WWII. You continue to psycho analyze me as you defend the "sheeple" activities the hash instills in its participants & I find that to be entertaining.

I would encourage you to research Monarch Programming.
Edited to add:
Here's a page I think you'll find interesting:
vigilantcitizen.com...
Be sure to read the entire thing & watch the video to gain the full perspective.

Your obvious "us against them" mentality that the hash encourages is expressed in your larger than life ego. How can you even call yourself a Religious Advisor? You belong to a group where control freaks call themselves Illuminated Grand Masters who get their kicks by making up more rules for people who claim they are sick of following the rules of their "stressful" jobs. Who the hells life isn't stressful?
Hypocrisy at its best - Going to a weekly "event" to follow even more rules that you have to worry about breaking, or else some control freak (boss)can tell you when to drink, not to mention HOW to drink it?
According to the Hash Dictionary I linked in the original thread, one of the rules is 'No Sex on the Trail' (just one example of Monarch Programming), which means no technology on the trail. So, if I'm caught on the trail talking on the phone, I have to get punished at the end of the trail? Yeah, sounds fun.
I also find from your "rantings" that you haven't even considered the occult symbolism I used as evidence to back my stance that Gispert's creation is a cult. I guess you didn't read that far. To sum it up, Hash activities fit the bill for people who like to be in a position of control over others. It was no mistake that the hash was ordained as a society in 1938. But, you have every right to toss that out the window since it doesn't fit into your indoctrinated belief system that has been ingrained into your subconscious. If you had taken the time to watch the videos I linked, you would've seen that ON is the city of ...... oh, wait. What do you care where the term on-on originated from? Gispert knew. If you're really curious, research the word 'Helio', or learn something about Heliopolis. You might even see a connection with the BP Oil Spill, but that might require using your full mind, or you can go have another beer & fulfill your fool mind.
I'm disappointed that a religious advisor wouldn't comment on my dissection of the HHH/888/1938 synchronicities. In my opinion, let me state that again, .... In my opinion, I find these letters & numbers significant of the fact that Gispert obviously considered himself to be illuminated in the occult sciences. Believe whatever you wish.
Gispert understood how to utilize ancient symbology to communicate to the people who could help him with an agenda.
I'm going to stop here. If you can't even wrap your half-mind around an alternative history that challenges your current views, anything I can say at this point will fall on deaf ears. Besides, I don't have to defend my research & views regarding Gispert, the hash, or mind control/group think/mass indoctrination.
Just talk to any Lady GaGa fan, you may start to see an agenda materializing & that agenda has everything to do with sex, control, bondage, S&M, & how sexy it is to be a mindless puppet. Hmm, half-minds. Anything sounding familiar? You may want to visit this site:
vigilantcitizen.com... (Don't worry, oh great Religious Advisor, it's not a religious website.)
Or, don't bother.
Maybe hashers are most comfortable being asleep.
How scary is THAT? An entire world-wide subculture bragging about having half a mind.
I guess it's time I stopped trying to get people to wake up to what's actually going on around them. Too many people satisfied with taking the Blue Pill. Maybe since the Red Pill is a little harder to choke down?

By the way, some hashers might be interested in sending their kids to Britney Spears' Summerstars camp, or if you have the extra funds, enroll them in the Summer Stars program that the Rothschilds are creating.
Feel free to visit my research on this subject matter. www.abovetopsecret.com...
You'll see that I hate all forms of mind control/indoctrination, not just the kind that's exhibited within the ranks controlled by Gispert & the KGB.

Well, Chainsaw, have fun chasing those hares.
How's it go again?
"Heliopolis!"
Oops, I mean - On-on!

Remember, if you're on a trail & happen across a rabbit hole - (In the immortal words of Monty Python & the Holy Grail: "Run away!"
Oops, I mean, "R*n away!"
I think it's a bit deeper than you care to imagine.

Take care.

Edit to add: By the way, my childhood was generally pretty good & I don't feel a need to relive it. It's in my adulthood where I find how cruel, careless, & calculated people actually are. I'd also like you to know that if hashers consider themselves to be misfits, you've been debating with one of the world's original misfits by birth rite. Imagine, a true honest to goodness outcast of society who wouldn't even join your so-called "society" that doesn't have to pay taxes just like other cults otherwise known as "churches".
That's all I have to say about that.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by Afterthought]

[edit on 23-6-2010 by Afterthought]

Well, before this thread completely winds down I'd like to throw my 2 cents in. First I'll back up a bit and say that I ran across this forum because I was searching for any discussions on the web comparing hashing to a church service. Im reletively new to hashing, but have been around enough now to say that it very much reminds me of church. Hashing is for me, what church is for many people. Both gather for a common cause or belief, both enjoy the fellowship of the other members, both meet once or twice a week and sing songs, both have a group leader that leads in the songs and activities & at the end of both's gatherings, a song is sang to wrap up that days session or meeting.

To answer the one question that has yet to be satisfied, YES, some kennels engage in risque stuff. Brief nudity sometimes, heavy drinking on occassions and yes, everything you mentioned has somewhere occured in a hash somewhere. But as always, these tend to be the exceptions and the rule. In the defense of the hash, the one activity Ive seen reiterrated several times is just not true. The hash does not get "smashed" or "drunk out of their gourd". For the most part it is a social drinking club. At the hash I attend, our down-downs consist of little 6 oz dixie cups filled half way. So in any given down down session, I might consume 3-12 oz of beer, along with perhaps the can in my hand.
Some kennels actually just bare the name and actually concentrate on the running aspect. Dont quote me, but I believe one of the kennels in NYC are very adiment runners with the drinking aspect being a very small part of their activities.
The reason I began attending hash events is simple. 5 years ago I moved from the downtown metro area, where I had a very eclectic social life, to a very rural small twon with zero social life. I leave for work at 7:30 and usually return the same time that night. I have very little time during the work week for a social life. We, as humans, thrive on social interactions or companionship to fulfill our emotional needs. I like the outdoors and have thought of joining hiking clubs, or nature groups, but it just didnt appeal to me. Something, for me, was missing. I could go to bars or dance clubs, but thats something I did 20 years ago, and once again not appealing. I love a good cold beer or two. Then along comes a group of people that embody all that Ive strived for, socially speaking. I now have a group of people that share the same love of the outdoors, acting goofy to relive any stress accrued during the work week, and they like to drink beer when they do it. Childish? Adolescent? Yeh, it is. I'll be the first to admit it. Is it a fraternity for grown-ups? Yep, its that as well.But here's the difference maker, the hash satisfies my thirst for social interaction witha people. It actually challenges me socialy. Admittingly, being a single guy at my age has weakened my social skills. Being around the hashers, I do have to maintain a certain degree of... uh..maturity I guess you could call it.
I think the hash means something different to each individual. Some do it simply because they have nothing better to do, others do it to escape emotional pain, while others may do it just because its there.
The irony of hashing is apoint you made, "Hashers seem to be intelligent people for the most part". That is odd, a group that runs around drinking beer in the woods and city is largely comprised of lawyers,engineers,doctors and higher ranked military officals. My suggestion to you is to look up your local kennel and simply go for a run with them. You'll probably end up drinking 2-4 beers, running 5 miles and having a few laughs.