Do Atheists Believe in AD and BC???

Question

Just really curious.

sorry if I used terms you didn't feel were 'appropriate'. Damn, it's a yes or no question.

Answer 1

As a calendar convention, yes.

Although it is becoming more and more common to use CE and BCE (Current Era and Before Current Era).

Answer 2

AD and BC was created many centurys after the supposed time of Christ along with the Gregorian calender. It is one of those superstitious things that has been forced upon us to the point of no turning back (imagine an atheist's check book with the approximately 4.5 billion year date) The accuracy is very improbable as well. It is kind of funny though if you think about it...The date system we go by is based on a mythological figure that may have never existed. Pontius Pilate kept records of his executions and Jesus was not on them? Jesus is not credited for having writing any books of the Bible and all accounts of him historically come decades after his death and not even any of his disiples wrote anything about him that is recorded. So why do we put so much faith into him? It was forced upon us along with the Gregorian calender to enable the governments to control the people...Imagine having 3 different saturdays and trying to say taxes are due on the second saturday of each month ;o}

Answer 3

Oh, atheists believe in AD and BC.

Boy do they ever. They also believe that AD wasn't "calculated" until 525 by Dionysius Exiguus who used math, numerology, history and Bible interpretation to say that Jesus was born 5 and a quarter centuries ago.

Which means nobody ever said "I was born on May 2nd, 310 AD."

Than it was readjusted by the Gregorian Calendar.

They also recognize that there are many other calendars (Mayan, Buddhist, Imperial Chinese, Hebrew) that keep time just as accurately and that the widespread acceptance to the AD/BC system is just a result of Europe's aggressive trade and colonization during the 16th century.

If China beat us to the New World and gained the global trade advantage in the 16th century you might be writing 4704 or "ding-hai" (Year of the pig, fist occurrence in cycle) on your checks.

Answer 4

I am an atheist and I think the change from AD/BC to BCE/CE was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. It ranks right up there with taking "god" out of the pledge of allegiance, Wal-mart no longer saying "merry Christmas" (or even x-mas...), and taking the commandments down from in front of the courthouse. Regardless of whether one believes in religion or not, if all it takes is a couple of harmless letters to get your panties in bunch, then maybe one needs a class on not getting their feelings hurt.
To answer your question, I don't BELIEVE in ad/bc, but I don't see any plausible reason why it was changed other than to appease the few atheists (or non-"god" religions) who probably did care.

Answer 5

I think they believe in AD and BC because the entire world dates calendars on that basis. Of course, if atheists are 'other world' people then that is a totally different story. Regardless of whether or not you believe in Christ or not, you have to run in the same time as the rest of the world.

Answer 6

I usually use the terms CE and BCE, which stand for Common Era (which is the same as AD) and BCE which means Before Common Era. I do not have a problem, though, with AD and BC. I see it as no different than using the name January for the first month of the year, which is named after the Roman god Janus.

Answer 7

BCE and CE is actual. i'm an atheist yet i'm happy to slot in with others and use the meant date of JCs start as a reference element in historic previous, merely as I settle for that the 0 degree meridian is going via London, even even with the shown fact that Britannia would not rule the waves, and that i force on the left right here in NZ, yet while i circulate to the States I force on the incorrect facet of the line merely like they do, and that i take advantage of the term gala day even even with the shown fact that we do not have festive public hangings any further in this usa.

Answer 8

If you're asking if we also refer to the years in terms of Jesus' life the answer is yes. I also refer to Thursday, but I have no belief in Thor.

Plus it's just easier than say the year 14, 567, 342, 556.

Answer 9

i believe the PC (politically correct) terms are CE (common era), BCE (before the CE) and BE.

most people that i am in contact with do not get animated about this issue. that being said, religious fundamentalists may be very concerned about your terminology. if you wish to avoid this in a conversation, ask them what term(s) they are happy with. if this is an issue for you because of something that you are writing, pick your style.

Answer 10

For me, all time is divided into BSW (before Star Wars( and ASW (after Star Wars), this was only a period of time between 1976 and 1997. We now live in AST (after second trilogy) because movies and culture will never be the same after that.

Answer 11

Well we have to, because the religious set this standard years before Christians knew there were even atheists. We can't just change the time scale now, it would confuse too many people. Plus who says that Jesus was fake? I think he lived, but he didn't die for our sins, and he didn't go to heaven (or hell).