> “I think it’s entirely appropriate for you to use AD - but I think it’s unreasonable to try to ***compel others*** to do so.”
Excuse me? “Compel others”? No one is compelling anyone in archaeology or any science where a system of calendar is necessary.
The usage of BCE/CE in place of BC/AD for the Christian calendar is a deceitful encroachment of altered basis planned in a revisionist attack.
It is the same behavior that brings down crosses, moves extracurricular bible study groups out of public schools even though Islamic studies are permitted, brings lame complaints about using “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance or icons of the Ten Commandments in Congress or prohibits Christian speech in public places, all because a few are somehow offended.
Nothing bars others from using any number of different calendars. There is no excuse and no explanation for BCE/CE other than a blackout of Christian tradition. BC/AD are a part of history; BCE/CE are not.
Today the Jewish calendar is year 5775; use that or be polite and gracious by writing 5775 (2014) or use the Chinese year or any of the following calendars:
Akan,
Ancient Macedon,
Ancient Mexican ,
Armenian,
Assyrian,
Astronomical,
Attic,
Aztec,
Babylonian,
Bahá’í,
Bengali,
Berber,
Buddhist,
Bulgar,
Byzantine,
Chinese,
Coligny,
Coptic,
Discordian,
Egyptian,
Enoch,
Ethiopian,
Fiscal,
Florentine,
French Republic,
Germanic,
Gregorian,
Hebrew,
Hellenic,
Hindu,
Ibibio,
Igbo,
Indian,
Iranian,
Irish,
Islamic,
ISO,
Jain,
Jalali,
Japanese,
Javanese,
Juche,
Julian,
Kurdish,
Lithuanian,
Malayalam,
Maya,
Mesoamerican,
Minguo,
Nanakshahi,
Nepal,
Nepali,
Obsolete,
Old Icelandic,
Pentecontad,
Positivist,
Rapa Nui,
Revised,
Roman,
Romanian,
Rumi,
Runic,
Runic,
Soviet,
Swedish,
Tamil,
Thai,
Thai,
Tibetan,
Xhosa,
Yoruba,
Zoroastrian,
or propose an entirely new calendar systems.
So you think you have to be Christian to use the Gregorian calendar? I'm pretty sure the corporate world can't wait to have to convert their calendars every time they hire, fire, do business, etc. with Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Bahaii, Muslims, etc. Using common calendar is simply common sense for reasons that have nothing to do with religion - so it's silly to tell Buddhists they should use "AD" when they don't mean it.
I’ll also point out that the Gregorian calendar you seem to consider a holy relic is actually a pagan calendar with only a veneer of Christianity - it’s a reform of the Julian calendar which was commissioned by Julius Caesar and based on earlier Roman calendars. January is named after the Roman God Janus, February is named after a pagan purification rite, April is named after the Etruscan God Apru, etc. Early Christians understood the value of having a common solar calendar without presumably feeling a need to endorse its pagan origins.
I thought the Mayan one had come to an end...
It’s a fascinating subject.
Sometimes nations “compel” their people to use a common language (or two), or a measurement system (e.g. metric). In the technical community the reason is to create a “national standard” to reduce confusion, streamline communication and speed innovation.
However, sometimes a standard is imposed to encourage/force a culture (Sharia Law).
Calendars fall in between because they are often based on historical cultural events or beliefs.
This example of reshaping the language (renaming BC/AD) is something else. It is a blatant manipulation of the language in an attempt to reshape the culture. Progressives have a long history of doing this:
“Internal Revenue” (revenue? really? it’s stealing)
“Diversity” (how to define? no one has ever proved it’s a good thing)
“Global Warming -> Climate Change” (watch them get away with this)
“Social Justice” (?? what is this? sure sounds good)
“Gun Control” (sounds good. it’s rather important just WHO is doing the controlling)
“Ethnic Cleansing” (an oldie that backfired and was redefined as bad. Isn’t “cleansing” a beautiful way to say “extermination?”)
and so on...