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A D B C

`mud

Just old
Premium Member
I was watching the squirrels and the birds scattering around out in the gardens,
and all the orchids swaying in the breeze, and the ferns and all the other plants also.
And there are some beautiful cirrus clouds all over the sky up there, one really big one.
And I suddenly realized that none of those life forms out there, even cared a crap.
What day is it anyway !
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

What do you propose it should be changed to?

Please just speak in your own words and ideas ( don't use Google).

Stardate?

Just having a laugh. I don't think many people have a problem, though BCE and CE are understood and have the same meaning. BCE and CE are becoming used more often, mostly because for over half the world population BC/AD are petty much meaningless.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I don't mind Christian Calendar. More important issue is that Christians get of their high horse "My way is the highway"
If they drop that one, they can have all their Christian festivals. It's not about what you do, but the feeling behind it
And even more the feeling you give to others by your evangelizing and belittling of other religions
 

Spiderman

Veteran Member
Not rare at all. In fact things are pretty much reversed now; in the vast majority of scholarship CE and BCE is used. BC/AD is still common in popular works but I have noticed that changing rapidly too. I think maybe you are just reading older books :)
I haven't read any of that recent stuff that I can recall.:tongueclosed: Most of what I study lately is online or a book that has a Catholic or Shinto author, or some survivor of the gulags or concentration camps, so of course, BC/AD is used.

The history books I used to read at foster homes or my high school books was dated AD/BC.

I don't think there is going to be any reversal of what event we use to date historical events.
 
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

What do you propose it should be changed to?

Please just speak in your own words and ideas ( don't use Google).
For one, it doesn't.
For two, it doesn't matter. Some day has to be "day zero" and it might as well be this ambiguous date.
 
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

What do you propose it should be changed to?

Please just speak in your own words and ideas ( don't use Google).
It should be changed to the "year of the Monkey" for all those evolutionists who worship Apes.
 

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

What do you propose it should be changed to?

Please just speak in your own words and ideas ( don't use Google).
It's generally accepted by historians that "Current Era" (CE) and "Before Current Era" (BCE) are appropriate.
 

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...
For one, it doesn't.
For two, it doesn't matter. Some day has to be "day zero" and it might as well be this ambiguous date.
There have been plenty of other "year zero"s in the past, there are even a couple of different dating methods still in use. Some people just have difficulty conceiving that anyone else might use a system different to what they grew up with.
 

Bob the Unbeliever

Well-Known Member
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

What do you propose it should be changed to?

Please just speak in your own words and ideas ( don't use Google).

Well, it doesn't bother me, because nobody uses those terms any longer.

It's Before Common Era and After Common Era now.

The fact that our present day calendar is loosely based on something that the Catholic Church invented a long time ago?

Also does not bother me in the least-- it will pass one day, perhaps when humans invent Star Travel (if they ever do), they will ... once again... revamp the Calendar.

Meanwhile, it's simply of Historical Significance-- and nothing more.

Moreover? The Chinese have a competing calendar that goes way-way back before any of that Catholic stuff, but since it was Europe who pushed the technology of early Explorers, and not China?

We use a calendar from Europe, and not the Chinese one.
 

Bob the Unbeliever

Well-Known Member
I can only Imagine how different the world would be if Christianity never became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Certainly a lot less dying.

And? Ugly things like the Black Plague likely wouldn't have spread so quickly-- being as how the "standard" of that time was anti-bathing so strong within Xianity in that time and place.

If more people had practiced more bathing, as was the case in Rome, *prior* to Xianity?

The rats and their fleas might not have taken such rapid and deep root among the populous...

But we'd ALSO not have had the many-many wars over which "pope" was the Real Pope™...
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Ive seen CE and BCE,
But it is extremely rare
The question whether there was an historical Jesus at all is still open (despite what Bart Ehrman thinks).

If there was, and if it's a good idea to use the year of his birth for a calendar, then that year has to be deduced from, in particular, the gospels.

The gospels give contradictory clues, not one of which points to 1 AD as the correct date.

This point was lost on >Dionysius Exiguus<, the sixth century monk to whom we owe the BC/AD system.

So 1 AD is a traditional starting point, not an historical one.

And the terms Common Era and Before the Common Era make excellent sense to me (except that BC is quicker to write than BCE) , so I've used CE and BCE for many decades without any problems.
 

lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
History is my favorite subject. I just remember almost always seeing AD and BC... But no, it really doesn't matter.

It does seem like a way of glorifying Christ that could potentially offend some people.

Most things can potentially offend some people. That doesn't mean we should be insensitive to others feelings, but at the same time, some people need to get over themselves.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?
Myself, I think we should break history up into multiple eras to reflect the geological/evolutionary/cultural developments to mark time, so that we have, say, the year 500 JP or Jurassic Period, 1277 LNA (Lower Neolithic Age), the year 22 BA (Bronze Age), or 150 CG (Cryogenian). This not only does away with the non-universal idea of splitting on a religious basis, it also does away with lumping everything from the formation of the Earth to the ancient Romans as one time category and everything after the execution of a religious figure as one thing. Really, we should also have a 356 ME (Medieval Era), something for the Renaissance, and perhaps marking the turn of this century as the ITA, or Information Technology Age.
 

Dell

Asteroid insurance?
What's done is done... like the holocaust, slavery and taking land from the native Americans, not much can done to reverse the effects caused by the ideology and governments of the time with out effecting the current system.

Would be strange though to date today as year 3,750,002,018.
 

Samantha Rinne

Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
Isn't the alternative CE and BCE? Or common era and before common era. Honestly even my history nerd friends seem indifferent to the AD BC thing.

They shouldn't be. They don't understand what's really at stake. There are two forces at work in the world today. The Christian New Earth and the Roman Empire. Let's call that, even though it will seriously confuse you.

But you say, I'm an atheist, why do we need this stuff? Because, the words of Christ are for everyone, not Christians. It is the Year of Our Lord, because Christ died for all of us. Hindus, Jews (not sure about the Pharisees who had him strung up, but it seems he wanted them forgiven too for they didn't really understand what they were doing), people in remote parts of Africa, animals, faerie (there some old legend about cross-shaped stones as tears from when faeies cried over his death), whatever. Christians built a religion around Jesus, but he never meant to have a religion in the first place. Early Christian thought, before Paul and Romw got a hold of it, was probably much different. Anyway the theology doesn't actually matter. What matters is this.
Matthew 28:1-15
The story is still told this day. Some things of the Bible have become obsolete, like some valley was cursed, but now it's lush and green. But not this, why? Because, what Christianity is really about would shake this world. People aren't dying like they're supposed to? Let's punish them. What? People are still persisting in this dangerous belief? Let's get a high-ranking Pharisee and an Emperor of Rome to convert. Right... surely they won't have muddled a few key passages. That way future generations will think Christianity is about morality (nope that's Judaism).

Let's talk about Adam and Eve, but we're going to do so as originally intended. Long ago, a man sat alone in the Spirit World, a place where no Good or Evil existed. He was one with God, and yet after making a world for himself to see, and putting himself in it as a human (that's right, humans are the same substance as God, we've just chosen to forget). Like God, he is alone. So he splits himself in half, and wants to be male and female. Which is fine, he's not alone anymore. He/She are told by God not to eat from the tree of Good and Evil, but then told they will live if they do so. When human beings no longer accept that the world they live in has no Good nor Evil, they cease to live in the Spirit World (Eden). Judgement is the root of all suffering.

So now, humans live in a world of Earth, and they no longer understand that they and God are the same, that male and female are the same. They see the hand of God in their everyday life, those that follow God. But many don't, and have been trying to murder each other for years. This continues until a flood basically reboots everything.

Fast-forward some years, we have the Roman Empire. Everyone is citizens of Rome it says, all are equal it says, only it's not true. Rome has widespread slavery, it has taxation, it has opposition hung on crosses and nailed through the feet and hands. It is an instrument of fear and oppression, and it erases actual people from records who don't obey. This is the secular world, what it wants to do when it lobbies to disarm you. People dependent on the state, people living in fear. Pave over the ground so people don't feel the land beneath their feet, pave over the sky with falsehood (the firmament, in Genesis? It's not referring to any simple sky, these are ancient people talking about how the horizon shows us clear proof of our holographic universe, because we can't see more than 11 miles tops because of the horizon but apparently can see stars light years away) using doctored photography.

But there's another world out there. The world Christ showed us. It begins with families having time to spend with their kids. It begins with a nation being the first to do away with slavery. It begins with understanding that yes, even if you're personally an atheist, this is the Year of our Lord, and you have the right to be such and not crucified by the state authorities for not worshiping the state religion. Thanks be to God.
 

Spiderman

Veteran Member
They shouldn't be. They don't understand what's really at stake. There are two forces at work in the world today. The Christian New Earth and the Roman Empire. Let's call that, even though it will seriously confuse you.

But you say, I'm an atheist, why do we need this stuff? Because, the words of Christ are for everyone, not Christians. It is the Year of Our Lord, because Christ died for all of us. Hindus, Jews (not sure about the Pharisees who had him strung up, but it seems he wanted them forgiven too for they didn't really understand what they were doing), people in remote parts of Africa, animals, faerie (there some old legend about cross-shaped stones as tears from when faeies cried over his death), whatever. Christians built a religion around Jesus, but he never meant to have a religion in the first place. Early Christian thought, before Paul and Romw got a hold of it, was probably much different. Anyway the theology doesn't actually matter. What matters is this.
Matthew 28:1-15
The story is still told this day. Some things of the Bible have become obsolete, like some valley was cursed, but now it's lush and green. But not this, why? Because, what Christianity is really about would shake this world. People aren't dying like they're supposed to? Let's punish them. What? People are still persisting in this dangerous belief? Let's get a high-ranking Pharisee and an Emperor of Rome to convert. Right... surely they won't have muddled a few key passages. That way future generations will think Christianity is about morality (nope that's Judaism).

Let's talk about Adam and Eve, but we're going to do so as originally intended. Long ago, a man sat alone in the Spirit World, a place where no Good or Evil existed. He was one with God, and yet after making a world for himself to see, and putting himself in it as a human (that's right, humans are the same substance as God, we've just chosen to forget). Like God, he is alone. So he splits himself in half, and wants to be male and female. Which is fine, he's not alone anymore. He/She are told by God not to eat from the tree of Good and Evil, but then told they will live if they do so. When human beings no longer accept that the world they live in has no Good nor Evil, they cease to live in the Spirit World (Eden). Judgement is the root of all suffering.

So now, humans live in a world of Earth, and they no longer understand that they and God are the same, that male and female are the same. They see the hand of God in their everyday life, those that follow God. But many don't, and have been trying to murder each other for years. This continues until a flood basically reboots everything.

Fast-forward some years, we have the Roman Empire. Everyone is citizens of Rome it says, all are equal it says, only it's not true. Rome has widespread slavery, it has taxation, it has opposition hung on crosses and nailed through the feet and hands. It is an instrument of fear and oppression, and it erases actual people from records who don't obey. This is the secular world, what it wants to do when it lobbies to disarm you. People dependent on the state, people living in fear. Pave over the ground so people don't feel the land beneath their feet, pave over the sky with falsehood (the firmament, in Genesis? It's not referring to any simple sky, these are ancient people talking about how the horizon shows us clear proof of our holographic universe, because we can't see more than 11 miles tops because of the horizon but apparently can see stars light years away) using doctored photography.

But there's another world out there. The world Christ showed us. It begins with families having time to spend with their kids. It begins with a nation being the first to do away with slavery. It begins with understanding that yes, even if you're personally an atheist, this is the Year of our Lord, and you have the right to be such and not crucified by the state authorities for not worshiping the state religion. Thanks be to God.
can you explain to me a little more about how the Roman Empire is a strong force in our world?

I feel the same way, but I can't put my finger on it.
 

GoodbyeDave

Well-Known Member
I've just checked the latest academic book I've bought (for £91, which still rankles!) and sure enough it uses BCE and CE. Personally, I never do as (1) it's poinless political correctness and (2) it's still using the same dating!

In fact, we don't know exactly when Jesus was born. The dating we use was calculated in the late Roman Empire, but the Ethiopians made their own calculation: it's still 2011 for them.

In prehistory, we use BP — Before Present, the present being AD 1950.1.1 — so perhaps we could say this was 68 AP.

Perhaps I should follow Eratosthenes and use Olympiad 699:2, but no-one would know what I was talking about.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
They shouldn't be. They don't understand what's really at stake. There are two forces at work in the world today. The Christian New Earth and the Roman Empire. Let's call that, even though it will seriously confuse you.

But you say, I'm an atheist, why do we need this stuff? Because, the words of Christ are for everyone, not Christians. It is the Year of Our Lord, because Christ died for all of us. Hindus, Jews (not sure about the Pharisees who had him strung up, but it seems he wanted them forgiven too for they didn't really understand what they were doing), people in remote parts of Africa, animals, faerie (there some old legend about cross-shaped stones as tears from when faeies cried over his death), whatever. Christians built a religion around Jesus, but he never meant to have a religion in the first place. Early Christian thought, before Paul and Romw got a hold of it, was probably much different. Anyway the theology doesn't actually matter. What matters is this.
Matthew 28:1-15
The story is still told this day. Some things of the Bible have become obsolete, like some valley was cursed, but now it's lush and green. But not this, why? Because, what Christianity is really about would shake this world. People aren't dying like they're supposed to? Let's punish them. What? People are still persisting in this dangerous belief? Let's get a high-ranking Pharisee and an Emperor of Rome to convert. Right... surely they won't have muddled a few key passages. That way future generations will think Christianity is about morality (nope that's Judaism).

Let's talk about Adam and Eve, but we're going to do so as originally intended. Long ago, a man sat alone in the Spirit World, a place where no Good or Evil existed. He was one with God, and yet after making a world for himself to see, and putting himself in it as a human (that's right, humans are the same substance as God, we've just chosen to forget). Like God, he is alone. So he splits himself in half, and wants to be male and female. Which is fine, he's not alone anymore. He/She are told by God not to eat from the tree of Good and Evil, but then told they will live if they do so. When human beings no longer accept that the world they live in has no Good nor Evil, they cease to live in the Spirit World (Eden). Judgement is the root of all suffering.

So now, humans live in a world of Earth, and they no longer understand that they and God are the same, that male and female are the same. They see the hand of God in their everyday life, those that follow God. But many don't, and have been trying to murder each other for years. This continues until a flood basically reboots everything.

Fast-forward some years, we have the Roman Empire. Everyone is citizens of Rome it says, all are equal it says, only it's not true. Rome has widespread slavery, it has taxation, it has opposition hung on crosses and nailed through the feet and hands. It is an instrument of fear and oppression, and it erases actual people from records who don't obey. This is the secular world, what it wants to do when it lobbies to disarm you. People dependent on the state, people living in fear. Pave over the ground so people don't feel the land beneath their feet, pave over the sky with falsehood (the firmament, in Genesis? It's not referring to any simple sky, these are ancient people talking about how the horizon shows us clear proof of our holographic universe, because we can't see more than 11 miles tops because of the horizon but apparently can see stars light years away) using doctored photography.

But there's another world out there. The world Christ showed us. It begins with families having time to spend with their kids. It begins with a nation being the first to do away with slavery. It begins with understanding that yes, even if you're personally an atheist, this is the Year of our Lord, and you have the right to be such and not crucified by the state authorities for not worshiping the state religion. Thanks be to God.
Considering It's always the Christians trying to take everything away from me, freedom included, I'll stick to secular institutions thank you very much.

Incidentally I am currently reading a non fiction history book called the Darkening Age, the Chrstian destruction of the Classical age. Add in the Bonfire of vanities and it seems to paint an awful picture of Christians, not secularists, as enemies of freedom. Burning and destroying priceless works of art throughout the AD years (heh) either out of fear or just stupidity. Of course not every Christian is like that.
But you'll forgive me an eye roll when Christianity wants to claim it promotes true freedom and decries others for not doing so. You know what they say about throwing stones in glass houses?

BCE is becoming more common than BC. The world will not end and I remain apathetic to the debate overall. I doubt even Jesus cares that much. If he does, he's perfectly free to say so. I'll wait.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
BC Stang 4 B4 Christus

AD stang 4 anno domini, which means “in the year of our Lord".

So, if you are a non-Christian, how do you feel about all of history dating around Jesus Christ?

I'm pretty apathetic about it.

Do you think how we date stuff around Christ should be changed?

Not at all. I really don't even care if someone feels the need to speak an invocation at a sporting event. It makes some people happy and really has minimal impact on my life.
 
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