Re: A Matter of Time

[Mel Roseman <mel@LAFN.ORG>]

        Perhaps we can de-escalate the level of rhetoric and at the same
time clarify what's being discussed when we use the terms A.D.  and C.E.

        The original posting by Wade Weiler on January 14 merely asked
about what the initials meant in the context of "...information regarding
the Dead Sea Scrolls."

        Several writers have accurately identified the common calendar as
the Gregorian Calendar, associated with Pope Gregory.  The letters A.D.
(Anno Domini) translate to "in the Year of Our Lord."

        Scholars working on the Dead Sea Scrolls represent several
religions, not just one.  Jews do not accept Jesus as "Our Lord," so it's
inappropriate to expect them to say or write A.D.

        Writing among themselves, for themselves, Jews -- and perhaps
others -- substitute C.E. (Common Era) and B.C.E. (before the Common Era)
for A.D. and B.C.  I learned this when I attended religious school in the
late 1930's.

        This has nothing at all to do with political correctness because
we Jews do not expect Christians to adopt the terms B.C.E. and C.E.  We
expect Christians to respect our desire to use terms appropriate to
our beliefs.

                                                - Mel Roseman