Initiation rites are formalized, ceremonial rites of passage as an individual moves from stage to stage within a social career or formally acquires such status. A rite of passage is a ritual that marks a change in a persons social or sexual status. ... A career is a course of successive situations that make up some activity. ...

The term often relates to the transition from childhood to adulthood, and may involve secret or private procedures and/or painful and difficult trials before the initiate can become a "real" or "accepted" man or woman who the community is bonded to; and who is bonded to the community. A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... See Adult. ... A community is a set of people (or agents in a more abstract sense) with some shared element — in particular a group of people who live in the same area is a community. ...

Examples include:

• Hunter-gatherer societies have a reputation for dramatic pre-requisites before an initiate can become a full adult, marriageable member of society.

• In Christianity, baptism is an initiation rite. Some Christian churches offer a traditional sacrament of confirmation as an initiation rite recognizing full membership in itself and a re-capping of infant baptism; others are more strict.

• In Judaism, a Bar Mitzvah or a Bat Mitzvah ceremony performs a similar religious coming-of-age function.

• Many school systems feature a graduation ceremony as an initiation rite marking the end of a stage of learning.

• Secret societies often require their candidates for membership to undergo such rites.

In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ... Coming from the Latin, initiation implies a beginning. ... A society is a group of human beings distinguishable from other groups by mutual interests, characteristic relationships, shared institutions and a common culture. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates divine grace. ... Roman Catholic views In the Roman Catholic church confirmation is one of the seven sacraments. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... For a discussion of Jews as an ethnicity or ethnic group see the article on Jew. ... When a Jewish child reaches the age of maturity (12 years and one day for girls, 13 years and one day for boys) that child becomes responsible for him/herself under Jewish law. ... When a Jewish child reaches the age of maturity (12 years and one day for girls, 13 years and one day for boys) that child becomes responsible for him/herself under Jewish law. ... A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a certain occasion. ... Academic procession during the University of Canterbury graduation ceremony. ... A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. ...

Patents for initiation devices

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued patents for devices to be used in initiation rites, including: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides patent and trademark protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and corporate and product identification. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a government to a person for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of an invention. ...

• No. 654,611 Initiating Device (issued in 1900)
• No. 920,837 Combined Lifting and Spanking Machine (issued in 1909)
• No. 953,411 Trick Weight-Lifting Machine (issued in 1910)
• No. 6,293,874 User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks (issued in 2001)

1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Initiating Device (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=654611.WKU.&OS=PN/654611&RS=PN/654611)
• Combined Lifting and Spanking Machine (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=920837.WKU.&OS=PN/920837&RS=PN/920837)
• User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,293,874.WKU.&OS=PN/6,293,874&RS=PN/6,293,874)