2006-01-24

The world's calendars

Returning to the topic of calendars, I was searching around
looking for the world's oldest calendar. The calendar that we
all know and use everyday, and computers have accepted
widely is based on the Christian calendar – or the calendar
of business and commerce. Of course, over 70% of the world
does not identify with this Christian only thinking – including
myself. In
China, the next year January 29, 2006 will be
January 1, 4703
. In Jewish places the year will be 5765 or
5766 (I am not sure of how exactly this is to be
calculated – please correct me). In Islam the year is 1426, and
in
India 1927 for the Sakra Era. However, the Belizean Maya
have the year from the old calendar at 9999! While calculating
from this the new Mayan calendar year would be about 4999.

So what is the oldest calendar in the world? I guess between
the Chinese, the Jews and the Mayans you can take your pick
and use what you wish. The Christian calendar is probably
the youngest and the most non-sense calendar in existence.
How can we be 2006 years after the birth of Christ? How can
they have just skipped an entire lifetime, leaving all the peasants
who were born at about the same time as Christ was to be
completely forgotten about? Among all the religions of the world
the Christian is got to be the craziest one. I came across an
article in the BBC’s news files about the oldest know lunar
calendar dating back 15,000 years. What could be the oldest
lunar calendar may have been discovered on the walls of the
famous
Lascaux caves in France. Whatever your preference
in calendar maybe don’t forget the other 10 to 20 other or more
calendars in existence that are still used for religious
ceremonies and special events.

Happy New Year to all, what ever your calendar maybe, and
let’s not use dates too much, it may well be the reason for
so many Jihad wars.