I don't subscribe to any religion really, and don't really care, but I'm just curious why so many have accepted that "2006" is supposedly 2,006 years since the birth of Jesus Christ.
Why is this accepted so widely, even from non-Christians?
2006-07-04 16:25:28 · 7 answers · asked by CJP 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
That's one of the most thought provoking questions I've seen in ages.
Makes one wonder why Atheists let this on go by without making a court case via the ACLU.
Now I'm starting to wonder how the Ceasar's dated things.
This, if anything, is probably a true division line between what is called the "Western" world and what is called the "Eastern" world, as the Jews call this a year something in excess of 5700, based upon their release as slaves from Egypt (something that science has yet to document archaeologically).
The Eastern world is heavily dominiated by the Lunar calendar, while the West uses the Solar caladendar.
The Eastern world has movable feasts (Ramadan, Passover, etc.) because of the Lunar calendar, while the West clings mostly to siderial events.
Now that you mention it I wonder what the Newspapers in China, India, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syrai, Egypt, Pakistan and other largely "Eastern" or "Old World" based countries show as a date for today or tomorrow on their covers and if, indeed, it is 2006 why they have adopted this, considering the Christians only number about 1/6th the world in population and at best 1/4th the world in territorial square miles.
Of course when should we document the start of time? With the first second of the big bang? Do we use Carl Sagan's calendar, in which case we are in the first month of the first year? Do we used the oldest carbon dating of a fossile? If the Darwinists are right are we 10 million years old? 100 million years old?
It's a very intriguing question, why the, basically, technological world accepts this as the year 2006 and a large portion of the entire world matter-of-factly goes along with it!
Is this something that Jews, Arabs, Islamics, Christians, Buddists, Hindus, Atheists, Agnostics all accept blindly? If so, why can't they accept some other "commonalities"?
2006-07-04 16:56:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is just a date. It is widely used, so it is used. You have to base the date on something. Christmas is actually based on a Pagan tradition. Historically, the Roman empire conducted the census in the early fall, so the birth of Christ could not possibly be December 25. It is just celebrated on that day and it is accepted. No big deal.
2006-07-04 23:30:58 · answer #2 · answered by wizard8100@sbcglobal.net 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whether you are Christian or not, the years following the birth of Jesus was a turning point as Christianity changed the world through ways such as world globalization (via trade, expansion, and missionary work to "spread God's word").
2006-07-04 23:33:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, its used by everyone so its ingrained in the system. Our days and months are named after Roman pagan religion. That time was a turning point in history, since the Roman Empire was at its peak.
I just usually use 'CE' and 'BCE' instead of 'AD' and 'BC.'
2006-07-04 23:40:18 · answer #4 · answered by Spartacus007 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's as good of a choice as any.
2006-07-04 23:29:24 · answer #5 · answered by fcas80 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a better idea? If it's not broke don't fix it.
2006-07-04 23:32:25 · answer #6 · answered by dudezoid 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a convenient convention that harms nobody.
2006-07-04 23:28:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋