Again that is pure politics, and I am not aware of any United States state that has a law saying they must use CE... and such a law would be incrediably stupid because there is no need for a government document to say AD... or CE...

If I am reading a document regarding land borders in Chicago dated 1993... I am pretty sure AD will be what I assume.

The greatest thing about this, is all the arguments for the CE stuff is: It is impoilte to non-christans who use the Gregorian calender.

Gregorian Calendar is named after Pope Gregory... It is a Christian version of a Roman Calendar... so if we want to be politically correct, we need a whole new calendar.

US Federal Documents all use AD. Some certificates even say "In the two thousand second year of Our Lord."

Apparently... you don't.

Who cares? We were taught CE here, I couldn't care less about the difference. CE is a lot nicer for secular scholarly work, so I'm fine with it.

Why go out of your way to force your own ideological debates on us though? I know what both BCE and BC stand for, I'm sure most of us do. This thread has -nothing- to do with whether we use either, just like it has nothing to do with how I pronounce tomato.

I'm not sure but I think everything from 8th grade down its been BC and AD but now, in AP World History its BCE and CE. I think that BCE and CE fit more than BC and AD.

You DO pronounce right don't you?

I was -Never- taught AD or BC in school.

But then I didn't go to public school.

If you prefer, I can change my statement to say the Kingdom of Israel and Judah from the 1st year of King Saul till the 42nd year of Herod.

Or I can use the later dating and say from 2789 till 3831.

Whatever floats your boats.

As a group, historians don't, I as a person do argue it. The BCE and CE is just one of many things that people are doing that is causing things like the Muesum of Tolerance to become necessary.

As it was put by my advisor when I asked him about CE or AD from my honors thesis paper, "Why we need to change from AD to CE is beyond me, why complicate history for years to come to please a small minority of people who seek to find offense in anything, even in the measurement of time."

Now this may just be an American thing, or even just a California thing, but this CE and BCE debate has become less about a 'polite' way to measure time, and more of a way to remove all identity from western culture. There is not much less, and we keep throwing bits and peices of it out because it might offend.

I know many find my beliefs and views offensive, but the very fact that they are offended by my beliefs only encourages me, because I do not believe in racism, I do not believe that woman are less then men, I am a Christian, but I do not seek to convert others, that is their own choice, and I will only guide them if they come to me, I will not tell them they are wrong.

Sadly, the same respect is not given to me, and so I fight for my beliefs, and if one group wants to make the battle a petty thing about CE or BCE, or about if one of the most evil men of my generation should or should not be killed, then so be it. I draw lines and hold them.

hmm, interesting.

Normally I'd be on the same side as you on this issue, however I was taught from a very early age about the evils of BC and AD

I wasn't saying anything about taking bc and ad from you, I was just saying I had never heard of them or seen then until I happened to hear them in a conversation, and hit google out of curiosity...

love,mimi

BC and AD are not evil, most people do not even know what AD stands for. And they are good measures. With the way we set up time with two halves, we need a 'landmark' to start time.

Couple hundred years ago, Europe decided the birth of Christ would be that landmark. It could've easily have been the year Ceaser took Rome, or the year X pope was born. It makes a good dividing point.

Other, non-christian, socieities later picked up this calendar system, mainly becqause Europe was the location of all world powers at the time. But, there is no real argument here, just a little point making and soapboxing.

I don't know what "most people" know, but I know that in 2nd grade, I was told what AD and BC were, and was told to never say it again because "my lord and saviour" existed long before 2006 years ago.

Is the problem with CE and BCE that people don't want to lose the system they already have? There doesn't seem to be any problem with it.

If it isn't broken, why change it?

Nothing wrong with AD and BC, why change it?

Because there is something wrong with it.

Nothing wrong with it, and I could care less, but someone like me who hated saying the pledge of allegience when I was younger or being told constantly I should celebrate Christmas, I can understand how people wouldn't like it. Consideration never hurt anyone, except the inconsiderate. It's been in use for less than a thousand years(?), and assuming if we have many thousands more to come on this planet, changing it now wouldn't kill anyone.

What was this topic about again?

That it doesn't fit your particular arbitrary worldview?

We should just all switch to the Discordian calendar. At least that one starts on a really arbitrary date, allowing people of all denominations (Including Discordians, which wouldn't want their calendar to be mainstream) to be equally offended.

Huh? What does it have to do with worldview?

Its not me, its not my people, its a lie comming out of my mouth.

Nothing wrong with it, but the whole world doesn't revolve around Christ. Just most of it. Days and months (norse, greek origin?), we don't really hold those deities in glory and claim everything is centered around them. Well, most people don't I think.

Daganev what are you talking about

Do you know what Christ means?

From dictionary.com:



Something I'm missing? :S