why do athiests use the christian year meaning a.d. or b.c? If they dont believe in Christ?
375055
There are no such thing as a true athiest. Think about it. If an 'athiest' has something wrong they always say 'oh god' or something similar. They may say they are athiest but there not.
600305
1100 CE is the same as 1100 AD.  CE mean "common era".  AD means Anno Domini, or "In the Year of Our Lord."  Most textbooks have changed from AD to CE to not offend non-Christians, which is what I consider a pretty silly change.  I'm Christian, but I couldn't care less if we're using Gregorian, Jewish, or ancient Mayan calendars, as long as they stop CHANGING them around once we finally learn it!!!!\nAnd that's my little rant for today....
682036
See what ignorance religion inspires!  Maybe intelligent design will be taught in school that day.  The days of the calendar are meaningless.  6000 years ago, the Egyptians used a 360 day calendar.  The Romans used a calender with months having 29 or 31 days because they were superstitious!!! LOL  Cesar came along and changed the calendar again.  (Julian Calendar).  Then in the 1500's they realized that Cesar screwed up the year so much that it needed fixing.  So now we use the Gregorian calendar.  Either way, you can't equate 6/6/06 to any historical occurrence of equal opposite happening to Jesus's birth.  the fact that we celebrate 12/25/xx is ludicrous.  Plus, there is no calendar year zero.  It jumps from 1 BC to 1 AD.
776091
atheist means that you don't believe in G-d. thats all.
28903
The Catholic church and the Roman Empire were involved in making BC and AD notations valid. BC usually means 'before Christ ' and AD comes from the Latin 'Anno Domini' which means "in the year of the Lord"
464785
America was founded on Christian beliefs. Are you suggesting that they close for a whole week? We are also a country of majority rule, and since the country is mainly Christian, majority rules. (Note, I am a non religous person)
1075879
Agnostic believes that there is not enough evidence to either  support or deny the existence of a diety. An athiest means that they do not believe in the diety of the community God.  This typically refers to the JCIG (Judaic Christian Islamic God) or any diety in general.
835192
anno domini. it means "in the year of our Lord." and is used for the years AFTER Jesus Christ died.
19103
I am an Atheist and have no problem at all with "Merry Christmas" or "Christmas Tree" or anything simular.  If a store wants to display signs that say Merry Christmas than I think thats great.  If they want to have Happy Holidays instead, I see no problem with that either.\n\nFor me, December 25th is Christmas Day.  Its not Holiday Day or Solstice Day... its Christmas Day.  \nOf course the word Christmas may have more meaning to some people than to others.  I dont celebrate the birth of Christ and most Theists dont either.  Maybe one day we will have an ATHEIST DAY and damn to hell if I would let some Jesus Freak make me change it!
335118
Yes, there was a year 1 AD, though at the time they did not call it that.  Around the 6th century, it was decided by the Church that dates should start from what they estimated to be the birth of Christ-but of course that was around 500 years after the fact, so in the year 1 AD (500 years before) they didn't have any idea that someday that year would be considered 1 AD.  That is far from the start of time, though, since it was only 2006 years ago.  Regardless of whether you believe in God and creation, or in the big bang, both believe there was a point at which time started.  For the big bang, its estimated anywhere from 14 billion years (classic view) or 20+ billion years (newer hypothesis based upon the inflation model). For conservative Christians, the date is something like 6000 years, and for other religions it is different as well.
10646
ano domini.... not to sure of the the spelling, sounds like  an-yo do-min-eye..  means year of our lord.   pretty sure anyway!.....its not "after death"  he lived 33 years, how does that fit into the timeline?!
450301
bbb2165,\n\nI have been secretly amused by this for a long time. I think I've only discussed it with my kids, but it's true. Even atheists use God's name or say "Jesus Christ" when they get angry or sometimes during sex.\n\nWhen they are rational, they will say there is no god or that god is represented in some other form, but when they aren't thinking and something just comes out of their mouth, they prove that they know there is a God and that they know His name.\n\nIt's kid of funny, but there is truth to it also. Thanks for the question. It is always refreshing to me to experience a Christian with a brain and a sense of humor.\n\nGod bless.
635961
The fact that the date of Jesus’ birth is not mentioned in the Scriptures, although they are explicit about the date of his death, should be a warning to Christians. It is not that this date was not known to Bible writers. Instead, it is as if it were deliberately ignored, almost as if it were purposely hidden. \nNothing in the Sacred Scriptures—not even one word—indicates that we should celebrate Christ’s birthday. Indeed, had it been intended that we do so, the Divine Record would at least have given the date. Nor is the lack of that date an oversight. These Bible writers had the holy spirit that Christ had promised, and that spirit reminded them of all the necessary things. \nJesus had told them: “But the helper, the holy spirit which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you.”—John 14:26.\n\nExactly to the contrary of this day that owes so much to paganism is the one celebration that Christians are told to keep. That celebration is not of Jesus’ birth, but of his death. The date is precise—the date of the Passover, Nisan 14 according to the Jewish calendar. It comes, not in the winter, but in the springtime. \nRegarding this new celebration that Jesus instituted, he said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) That statement was never made about Jesus’ birth. The commemoration of his death, in the springtime, is the only ceremony the Bible commands Christians to keep.\n\nAuguste Hollard truthfully says in Les Origines des Fêtes Chrétiennes: “The first Christians did not even have the idea of celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Jesus: the anniversary of his death interested them much more, as well as that of his resurrection, that is to say of his victory over death.”
170923
I heard non-christians use the phrase,The Christ within;our higher selves,higher conciousness,anointed.A man can be a christ.Some people think that Jesus'name was Jesus Christ,but it was Jesus the Christ.\n\nThere are so many churches because people segregate themselves according to their beliefs.People interpret the bible differently and some follow scriptures that ohers don't. For example,Johovah's witness' don't believe in celebrating holidays.It said somewhere in the bible it was prohibited.Also,there are just alot of ministers who desired to preach and started their own church.People who enjoy their message,join their church.
792043
Once again Christians display a woeful ignorance of the history of their own faith.\n\n"X" has been an acceptable and legitimate abbreviation for "Christ" for as long as Christianity has existed.  It is the Greek symbol for the first letter of Christ's name.  Yes SOME people use it as a sign of disrespect, but most use it as short hand, and there is nothing insulting, disrepectful, or impious about doing so.\n\nAs far as G-d, there are those who believe it is sacriligeous to write God's name, and that is their solution.\n\nIt's not too "hard" to write God or Christ, but it is some people's CHOICE to, and they are entitled to that choice without being constantly criticized and slandered by people too ignorant to understand why.
432976
You are right. Inspite of the proofs--order in the universe, design in every living or non living things--some people choose not to believe. I really don't understand why. But I can only guess. Here are probable reasons:\n\n1. They were brainwashed into believing that big-bang theory. Just like putting metals into one big drum blowing them up with dynamite and presto you have a functioning car.\n\n2. These people just don't want to be governed by rules that don't fit their life styles.\n\n3. They just want to be different than the rest.\n\n   The Bible however gives us a perspective of their state of mind. "They say they are wise, but they are fools... Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds..." (Romans 1:22,28, Today's English Version )
879982
Ok, learn this: people are stupid. For some reason they choose to believe certain idiocracy (good lord, I can't spell >_<) as opposed to others. Trust me, this question isn't going to make chirstians "question their faith" (although most are in desperate need to) even though it is logical, but then again, since when have religons used logic?