Why the lies?

Question

Why do public schools say that A.D. means "after death"(meaning Christ's death) when A.D. really means "Anno Domine," in the year of our Lord? I don't understand if they are decieved themselves or if they simply want to decieve others.

I was taught that A.D. meant after death. I don't see why people are trying to change what the letters mean because no matter what they do, our whole timeline is divided beccause of Christ.

Answer 1

I don't think there is any ill intent...

I think it's just now that Latin has been consigned to history, and that with the luck of a pure linguistic co-incidence, AD could 'stand for' the easier to remember 'After Death', and the meaning be largely preserved.

To a lot of 5 year olds, the meaning of Anno Domini is lost, while with a minimum of explanation After Death could be remembered and recalled.

Answer 2

I was never taught that A.D. meant "After Death". If that were the case, then this year wouldn't be 2006, it would be around 1973 (difference of approximately 33 years since Christ died near that age). A.D. defines the chronological division between a specific set of centuries and years. A.D. means Anno Domini, or In The Year of Our Lord, and B.C. is Before Christ.

Answer 3

I was taught that it ment "after death" until I entered Catholic School in the 4th grade...and I think another thing to add is that A.D. goes before a year, not after it; i.e. A.D. 2006 (basically to read, in the year of our Lord 2006). I would also assume that many, if asked this question, would say that it means "after death" and they would reference Christ.
And you can blame anti-religion zealots that wish to presume things are more "christian" than they actually are...and yes, the anti-religion group wish to decieve others inorder to decieve themselves even more. It's a sad state of affairs when people can't get past their own issues and ideology...

Answer 4

Most people just don't know. I went to a Christian school and was taught that A.D. meant "after death". It wasn't until I was a junior in high school that I learned about Anno Domine, and that wasn't in school.

Answer 5

How the heck is "after death" more offensive then "in the year of our Lord"? as that is not talking about in the year of our lord Buddha, or Muhammed, or Moses, as all of them have a different calander. It is about Jesus. (Latin, Roman Catholic, do some basic history before you start spouting off)

It is Anno Domine, which started during the first year of Jesus, but hey, After Death works just as well. Where I live right now, it's 5thousand and something instead of 2006.

Answer 6

well I came to know that its Anno Domini in 8 th Grade.Actually, B.C stands for before christ, so people think that it denotes the time period before the birth of Jesus therefore A.D should denote a time period after his death as A.D sounds like a abbreviation of after death.

Answer 7

I don't know for sure, but I think that your teacher made it up instead of looking it up! Either that, or you went to one of those nutty christian schools that has to shovel it into every class, no matter what.

This is the first time I heard of that meaning - it's always been "Anno Domine" as far as I know.

Answer 8

We weren't taught that it meant After Death.

Answer 9

Since God and Christ are so politically incorrect its much more "right" to say after death

Answer 10

I wasn't taught "after death" ... where do you get your information? Pleeeaaase don't say Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, or the 700 Club, cause I will have to smack you.