Christians: Does the term BCE/CE piss you off too?

Question

1961 years ago (or so) time began... well, the Julian Calendar did anyway. They said anything before Christ would be counted up from year zero, and they would end the specific date with "BC", meaning "before Christ."

Recently a movement has taken this beloved recognition of Jesus' life and perverted it with the addition of the letter "E", calling it "BCE" instead. It means "Before Common Era" or "Before Current Era," though the actual date zero remains the same.

It won't be long before our society completely forgets the meaning of the date. Am I the only one who gets pissed off when the National Geographic Channel or History Channel calls a date BCE or uses the designation CE instead of AD?

Oh by the way, for the other Christians suffering from this temporal "abuse." You can tell people that the "C" in both of the phrases means "Christian."

BCE = Before Christian Era
CE = Christian Era

It is in fact true and it reclaims what we lost when BC and AD were taken away.

Whoops, I didn't mean to say "YEAR" zero. I of course know that there was no year zero. I meant to say the "DATE" zero, which is the theoretical instant that Jesus was born.

And yes, I do know that we use the Gregorian Calendar now, but the BC/AD terms were indeed created 1961 years ago with the JULIAN calendar.

I think that one thing that bothers me is that the CE dating method still uses the Christian dates, but calls it something else. Now, had they created a new calendar and set it to something like the beginning of the industrial revolution or some other significant event, I wouldn't have as much of a problem. My problem isn't so much about me not being able to force my religion on the world as it is about telling me that my faith in Christ isn't important. It's actually science forcing IT'S beliefs ON ME! THAT'S why it pisses me off.

Answer 1

Absolutely. First of all, "common era"? Who's "common" are they talking about?
This is the latest example of the POLITICS of science running away from religion. If they can't "prove it" then it must be "mythology" as they seem to be recently fond of pigeonholing it.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a "scientist" (whatever that meant). Science has become so involved in politics (because of the chase of the almighty federal grant dollar, and the desire to shed all religion-based moral restrictions in order to take shortcuts in research), that it now finds itself in opposition to the entire concept of religion and faith as moral guides.

Answer 2

As a minister this does not bother me in the least. Historians use these designations to include non Christians for historical references.
The Chinese are in a different calendar as are the Muslims, and of course the Jews use their own calendar. All of these have to be brought together to make sense for the entire world; so the change in designation was done.

By the way there is no "0" in the Christian calendar. The Christian era began at the end of 1 BC (March 1st then) and started at 1 AD (again the following March 1st.)

The final reality is these years were set wrong by a poorly trained priest over 500 years later. He was off by at least 5 years and possibly as many as 8 years (Christ was not born in 1 AD but rather no later than 5 BC and perhaps as early as 8 BC.) Even today we don't know for certain the year Christ was born (many feel 5 or 6 BC), we do know he was more likely born in July or August than December.

E mail me if you need evidence of this information, I don't have it right at hand only from my Bibical studies time.

Answer 3

I like it. Not because I don't believe in Jesus or God, but because Christian scholars are having an effect on the entire planet.

People say "stick with the original" but which one? The Aztecs had a good calendar. So did the Egyptians, and what about the people who built Stonehenge?

Answer 4

Adding the "E" is being politically correct and I agree with the change.

I don't believe the movement was meant to offend or "pervert." The world just isn't all about Christianity and Christians. There are other religions and people too and it's only right to include everyone, the believers and non alike.

Speaking as a Wiccan, there are more important things in your faith than the reference to time, is there not??

Answer 5

This world isn't run by the one religion, and although the general consensus in the past was to use the chrisitan labels, times have now changed.

If you want to label the years AD then you should feel free, but we live in a big world, and many people in it do int believe in what we believe in. I think everyone should have the right to call the year what they want...

at the end of the day, its just a label... just like Shakespear said: 'A rose by any other name...'

peace

Answer 6

What bothers me is the fact that you get so angry over the fact that you can no longer force your religion into the dating system. Really, I don't think Jesus would care how we named the eras, there are more important things to be worrying about...

Answer 7

Well, it certainly does not please me having been raised AD. On the other hand, it is something like the Samaritan village that refused to receive Jesus. As you express it, James and John got really pissed off and asked if they could play w/ some lightning bolts. Luke 9 has the rest of the story.
After all...it is really about who we are following.

Answer 8

Nah. Not really. I don't get pissed-off very often at stuff I have no control over.

But seriously....I even date my checks "2006 A.D." and when I write letters I always include the Feast Day of the Saint du' jour.

I especially like today's Saint:

"St. Homobonus of Cremona"

Answer 9

It doesn't bother me. I'm actually quite glad to see it that way. Not every person is Christian, and not every person believes that the Julian calendar is based off of Christ's life.

Answer 10

Somewhat, but not really, because what date do they usually use to start CE??? That's right, with Jesus. So, even though it may not sound like it, they're acknowledging He had an impact on this world