BC/AD vs BCE/CE

[bartlett <bartlett -at- VOICENET -dot- COM>]

Connor wrote:

>  You may be aware that some publications use the designations B.C.E.
>  (Before Common Era) and C.E. (Common Era) instead of B.C. (Before
>  Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini) to refer to dates on the ancient
>  calendar.......Any thoughts on this subject?

My company has no policy on this topic (mainly, I suppose, because it's
never come up), but my preference is for BCE/CE.  Although it is
unfamiliar to many Americans, it avoids offending the billions for whom
Jesus of Nazareth is not "Our Lord," and I, at least, don't find its use
cumbersome.  With more frequent use, it will *become* familiar.

By the way, the use of CE/BCE is not a recent development in the
political correctness wars.  I first ran across the terms as a teenager,
lo these many years ago, when I read James Michener's _The Source_, which
was written in the mid-60's.  I've been careful about using it ever since.

Only my opinion, of course.

Tracey Bartlett
bartlett -at- voicenet -dot- com
"Due to recent cutbacks, the light
at the end of the tunnel has been
turned off."

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