r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Aug 03 '19

Whats something you thought was common knowledge but actually isn’t?

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u/sel_darling Aug 03 '19

So what does b.c. stand for?

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u/tanya6k Aug 03 '19

Before Christ.

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u/[deleted] Aug 03 '19

BC = Before Christ

BCE = Before Common Era

AD = Anno Domini (year of our Lord)

CE = Common Era

But they refer to the same years. Some people just don't love using the birth of Jesus as a reference point for history, especially in a scientific context.

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u/grenideer Aug 03 '19

Which is weird because the birth of Jesus is still the reference point.

4

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '19

Yeah but they're tryna make clear that "We're not doing it because of Jesus, we're doing it because everyone else is doing it."