Friday, November 12, 2004
Comments Issue
I'm having trouble actually posting a comment on my own blog. Obviously, I am no expert at this.
So, to respond to two comments, one from Not Kristen and the other from Webhill, I will post this.
Webhill wrote in response to my CE/BCE post:
" Hey Ranee - it's Hillary :)
I just wanted to comment briefly on your remark about using CE/BCE instead of BC/AD. I was taught (a long time ago) that Jews use CE/BCE not because of any problem with measuring time by the existence of Christ, but because Christ is not in fact Our Lord, and it is hypocritical to use phrasing suggesting that he is. Talking about the Common Era instead of the Year of our Lord resolves that issue, is all, at least that's all for me. FWIW."
This is a very valid reason to do this. It makes sense to me. However, it still seems that it is BC and AD, just not Anno Domini, more like Anni Dominum (their Lord). The turning point is still the birth of Christ. In any case, I do remember as recently as 10 years ago CE and BCE being used commonly in my classics courses in college, and I thought it odd then. It seemed to me that there was a desire not to recognize the reason for the numbering of the dates, without actually doing away with them. A superficial naming that really had no purpose but to do away with the sense that our numbering of years actually has a religious basis.
Not Kristen! wrote in response to my Elephant in the Room post:
"Why are Democrats surprised? Well, considering that I have a great deal of trouble FINDING a non-Kerry supporter, it's not that surprising to me that Democrats are surprised.
(This is Kris from alt.newlywed, btw.)"
Maybe you need to move away from a blue city? I've seen a county by county results map which pretty clearly shows that the blue states aren't as blue as they seem, when it comes to the folks outside of the big cities. I also think there is a tendency on the part of conservatives to kind of hedge when discussing politics. Most people aren't as opinionated as I am online. Even I am not as opinionated in day to day conversation as I am online. It is kind of a dirty little secret to support our government (obviously not blindly, they are as full of faults as everyone else) anymore. I've read of people wearing "W" buttons in NYC and having people whisper to them that they agree, but weren't brave enough to wear a button and other such things.
I know it isn't popular to say or think this, but I also think part of it is the media's portrayal of America as mirroring the liberal politics of NYC, LA, et al. I think part of the big surprise among liberals is that most people in America aren't really on the political side of the news anchors and the editors of the NY Times. There is a presentation of liberalism as mainstream or moderate while at the same time portraying conservativism as extreme right-wing ideology. The media/popular culture presents the American public as liberal, AKA mainstream. I'm all for labels in the political realm. I don't mind being called right-wing, as a label of political affiliation, but I think that liberals ought to be labeled as liberals also. It's not Senator Feinstein and conservative Republican Senator Hutchison. It's either Senator and Senator or liberal Democrat Senator and conservative Republican Senator. Let's see some truth in labeling.
I am going to suggest this to you, based on some personal conversations we have had, take a look at some conservative commentary, Touchstone Magazine has some well thought out editorials and commentary. Their blog is also interesting, and they include letters from dissidents who criticize them. There are also some great ones written by people in the public square, who aren't necessarily journalists. Dawn Patrol is one, Cella's Review is another. These are largely from the Christian perspective, but there are many out there, some from Jewish writers, some from atheist writers, that are quite well reasoned. Whether one agrees with them or not is a whole other issue, of course.
Meanwhile I leave this article for other's perusal.
I'll try to end on a light note by highlighting this website. It's kind of a Christian version of the Onion.
So, to respond to two comments, one from Not Kristen and the other from Webhill, I will post this.
Webhill wrote in response to my CE/BCE post:
" Hey Ranee - it's Hillary :)
I just wanted to comment briefly on your remark about using CE/BCE instead of BC/AD. I was taught (a long time ago) that Jews use CE/BCE not because of any problem with measuring time by the existence of Christ, but because Christ is not in fact Our Lord, and it is hypocritical to use phrasing suggesting that he is. Talking about the Common Era instead of the Year of our Lord resolves that issue, is all, at least that's all for me. FWIW."
This is a very valid reason to do this. It makes sense to me. However, it still seems that it is BC and AD, just not Anno Domini, more like Anni Dominum (their Lord). The turning point is still the birth of Christ. In any case, I do remember as recently as 10 years ago CE and BCE being used commonly in my classics courses in college, and I thought it odd then. It seemed to me that there was a desire not to recognize the reason for the numbering of the dates, without actually doing away with them. A superficial naming that really had no purpose but to do away with the sense that our numbering of years actually has a religious basis.
Not Kristen! wrote in response to my Elephant in the Room post:
"Why are Democrats surprised? Well, considering that I have a great deal of trouble FINDING a non-Kerry supporter, it's not that surprising to me that Democrats are surprised.
(This is Kris from alt.newlywed, btw.)"
Maybe you need to move away from a blue city? I've seen a county by county results map which pretty clearly shows that the blue states aren't as blue as they seem, when it comes to the folks outside of the big cities. I also think there is a tendency on the part of conservatives to kind of hedge when discussing politics. Most people aren't as opinionated as I am online. Even I am not as opinionated in day to day conversation as I am online. It is kind of a dirty little secret to support our government (obviously not blindly, they are as full of faults as everyone else) anymore. I've read of people wearing "W" buttons in NYC and having people whisper to them that they agree, but weren't brave enough to wear a button and other such things.
I know it isn't popular to say or think this, but I also think part of it is the media's portrayal of America as mirroring the liberal politics of NYC, LA, et al. I think part of the big surprise among liberals is that most people in America aren't really on the political side of the news anchors and the editors of the NY Times. There is a presentation of liberalism as mainstream or moderate while at the same time portraying conservativism as extreme right-wing ideology. The media/popular culture presents the American public as liberal, AKA mainstream. I'm all for labels in the political realm. I don't mind being called right-wing, as a label of political affiliation, but I think that liberals ought to be labeled as liberals also. It's not Senator Feinstein and conservative Republican Senator Hutchison. It's either Senator and Senator or liberal Democrat Senator and conservative Republican Senator. Let's see some truth in labeling.
I am going to suggest this to you, based on some personal conversations we have had, take a look at some conservative commentary, Touchstone Magazine has some well thought out editorials and commentary. Their blog is also interesting, and they include letters from dissidents who criticize them. There are also some great ones written by people in the public square, who aren't necessarily journalists. Dawn Patrol is one, Cella's Review is another. These are largely from the Christian perspective, but there are many out there, some from Jewish writers, some from atheist writers, that are quite well reasoned. Whether one agrees with them or not is a whole other issue, of course.
Meanwhile I leave this article for other's perusal.
I'll try to end on a light note by highlighting this website. It's kind of a Christian version of the Onion.
