<p>thats awesome. welcome exonian we all gonna be school mates next yeaar <em>-</em> hiyaaa xp</p>
<p>I think it should take a while, especially for people like me who have never touched snow in their lives, but one winter and we will be used to it Just warm fuzzy clothes are needed :3 </p>
<p>Excited and nervous we all are, no worries :p</p>
<p>:)) Those of you who have never seen snow crack me up… nothing personal, it’s just where live, we have snow on the ground 6 months of the year (now it’s finally melting). IT’S NOT THAT GREAT </p>
<p>Great article in the Times about religion at Exeter: </p>
<p>At Phillips Exeter, a World of Religious Diversity</p>
<p>For generations, the prep school in northern New England was a hothouse of upper-class Anglo-Saxon Protestant culture, but now it fosters a welter of faiths.</p>
<p>I didn’t see much purpose to this article in NYTimes. Based on the report, the student body is predominantly Christian and Jewish (by the numbers). 10 muslims including probably some Saudi Royals, 3 Hindus and Buddhists makes the title of the article “A world of religious diversity” meaningless. </p>
<p>Really? You don’t think the NYT readership would find it interesting that the chaplain of a famous NE boarding school sees his mission in part as protecting the faiths that students bring with them? Also, I believe you are confusing the number of students the journalist interviewed with the number of students at Exeter with those religious traditions. As a current parent, I guarantee that there are many more Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Also, what difference would it make if some of the Muslims are Saudi royals? I have no inside information as to that, but wouldn’t they still count as Muslim?</p>
<p>I’m sure many savvy NYT readers will see the value of this article for what it is. This is 2014 not 1814, lol. Exeter being a non-denominational school, they don’t need to protect any religion, do they have to? Exeter’s mission is not religious indoctrination, so they have nothing to protect other religions against.</p>
<p>Those are the number of students attending those services on that particular day, NOT the total number on Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists at the school. Exeter is an incredibly diverse place, and the “protection” of faiths extends far beyond the chaplain, to assembly (if you want to get the student body complaining loudly in the Exonian, do something they consider too narrowly Christian during assembly–which is almost never), to classes (my nominally Christian son has taken a class on America’s many religious faith groups; on Buddhism; and on mysticism, also as experienced in different faith traditions) to faculty and students who are very, very respectful of and interested in one another’s religious traditions to the cafeteria and student activities, both mindful of various religious traditions and holidays in their planning. I really do think it’s different from your average secular school in the U.S.</p>
<p>But by protection, the article is pointing out that the Christian pastor of the church is respectful of student’s faiths of origin and encourages them to explore their own faith traditions rather than joining up with his own faith (he’s a dynamic guy, and I can see how some students might be attracted to Christianity because of him. </p>
<p>Protection of faith, not physical protection. So you can choose to keep your faith in the religion you were originally in without being treated harshly by other people. </p>
<p>I think you’re misreading the word “protection” in this context Rosie. You’re right that no one would prevent someone from practicing his or her faith tradition. But it is exceedingly rare for a Christian pastor to encourage someone expressing interest in becoming a Christian to learn more about his or her own faith tradition first. That is protecting a students heritage and upbringing from the influence that a majority Christian community would naturally have at such a formative time in a young adult’s life.</p>
<p>The point of the article is that the school has made it a priority to give students from varying faith traditions safe, welcoming, and appropriate spaces to grow into, worship and practice their faith traditions, all within what was formerly the Christian chapel. I suspect that’s pretty unusual. It’s one thing to say you’re open to something; it’s another thing for a school to invest its resources into that thing. </p>
<p>Diverse faiths are truly celebrated at Exeter. My D’s experience has been that faiths of all sorts are more enthusiastically pursued at Exeter than at her local schools. The religious communities seems to embrace students who are interested in their faith or in learning about other’s beliefs, offering a warm welcome, and in some sense I think trying to create a community for students to feel at home and supported. And “the Rev” is one of the most inspirational religious leaders I have ever met. He can make “For the beauty of Creation” bring tears to the eyes of those in all faiths (or even those without an identified belief). </p>
<p>Also, most of the schools (Exeter included, I assume) will make proper arrangements to get you where you need to go for religious events. For example, you could ask for permission to eat in the dorm if you were fasting. Regular shuttles go to and from houses of worships on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) and probably on holy days. And, we asked about this, I know that some, if it works with your schedule, will even arrange for special circumstances and classes one needs to take (Confirmation in the Christian faith, bar/bat mitzvah in the Jewish faith, etc). </p>
we all gonna be school mates next yeaar <em>-</em> hiyaaa xp</p>
Just warm fuzzy clothes are needed :3 </p>