DOES IT MATTER WHAT WE CALL 2010?

“Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” (Galatians 4:10)

Not long ago, I read an article recommending we call this year “Twenty Ten” and not “Two Thousand Ten” or “Two Thousand and Ten”. I’ve done some searching on-line about this matter, and have found some interesting postings and articles about the subject. Yes, please forgive me, but I tend to be attracted to trivia and minutia!

It’s true that in the grand scheme of things when we consider the possibility of Iran making nuclear weapons, or the total collapse of the world economy, or whether or not “global warming” is real or a hoax, then exactly WHAT we are supposed to call this year is relatively minor. An interesting thought, however, is that it what we choose to call this year may reveal some personality traits.

Much smarter people than I who have been contemplating this issue are pretty much in agreement that the whole matter of how to vocalize the years of the Twenty-First Century was messed up years ago by the title of the Film “2001- A Space Odyssey”. HAD the movie been pronounced, “Twenty OH-one, A Space Odyssey” that would have settled it. Had there NEVER been a film entitled, “2001- A Space Odyssey,” it’s likely 99% of English-speaking North Americans would have called that year “Twenty OH-one” and the next year, "Twenty OH-two" and so on. We don't say, "My Great Grandma was born in One Thousand Nine Hundred and nine.” Nor do we say, “I was born in One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty Four”. We say, “Nineteen OH-nine” and “Nineteen Fifty-Four”. It’s true that most wedding invitations always write out the entire year the old fashioned and long way. At every one of our Framingham Community Thanksgiving Services, The Governor’s Proclamation of Thanksgiving Day is read. Back in the the 1900s the date and year for Thanksgiving was ALWAYS written out the long way. But calling the years, “Two Thousand and Two, Two Thousand and Three, and even Two Thousand and Fifty-Four” in everyday usage is breaking the tradition of several hundred years and is an anomaly. That’s why I’m in agreement with those (who are admittedly in the minority at present) who are calling this year “Twenty Ten”.

There’s another aspect to this “year” business that is also important and is seldom discussed. When I was a kid, years were reckoned as “B.C.” or “A.D.” Sometime in the past decade it became common to see the designations “B.C.E.” and “C.E.” replace “B.C.” and “A.D.” In all fairness, Jehovah’s Witnesses and (most) Jewish people have been using “B.C.E.” and “C.E.” for decades and decades but THAT was an anomaly. Traditionally, “B.C.” stands for “Before Christ” and “A.D.” stands for “Anno Domini” (NOT “After Death”!). “Anno Domini” is Latin for, “In the year of our Lord.” The year 1 of our calendar is the year of Jesus’ birth. (Experts say the calendar was actually miscalculated and that the present year REALLY is something like 2016, but I don’t even want to get into that here!) In American legal jargon (such as the publication of The Governor’s Proclamation), the phrase, “In the Year of Our Lord” is always used along with the year, and always in English, rather than Latin. I wonder how long it will be before the A.C.L.U. insists we drop “In the Year of Our Lord” and “Anno Domini”!

Back to what the way you pronounce 2010 may say about your personality: I think those who say, “Two Thousand And Ten” tend to be followers and tend to not want to make waves. I think those who say, “Twenty Ten” tend to be more independent and unconventional and perhaps “into” trivia and minutia, as well.

Now, as far as whether you say “B.C.” and “A.D.” or “B.C.E.” or “C.E.” I think THAT says a lot about how you regard the Person of Jesus Christ!

That’s my two cents on the subject! (or is it my “two pennies” ?! ...)