Topic: Confused about the Russian Orthodox Church's Calendar...
NDP Newbie
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5089
posted 07 May 2004 03:14 AM
So let me get this argument straight:
The Russian Orthodox Church believes that God wants us to use Julian calendar, which is scientifically inaccurate and invented by a Roman Pagan, rather than the Gregorian calendar, which is scidentifically accurate and invented by a Christian?
Am I the only one to find this insanely illogical?
From: Cornwall, ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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DrConway
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 490
posted 07 May 2004 03:39 AM
Not at all.
Even the Gregorian calendar has its own defects, and it turns out that due to not accounting for the Earth's rotational period slowing over the centuries, we have to unofficially add "leap seconds" to the times that the atomic clocks keep, from which all other clocks are generally set.
It is thought that the continued addition of leap seconds could cause problems if a computer whose programs require precise timekeeping does a clock synchronization during the leap second adjustment and the one-second discrepancy screws up something important - obviously the more leap seconds that need to get added the more likely this may occur.
However for practical everyday purposes the addition of leap seconds is only a benefit to proper timekeeping.
From: You shall not side with the great against the powerless. | Registered: May 2001
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NDP Newbie
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5089
posted 07 May 2004 04:22 AM
Yep. I've heard of that.
Perhaps if the slow down rate of the Earth's rotation (Revolution? The Earth rotates on its own axis and revolves around the sun.) can be measured on the basis of some mathematical model we can calibrate our calendar slightly to account for it.
From: Cornwall, ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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Gir Draxon
leftist-rightie and rightist-leftie
Babbler # 3804
posted 07 May 2004 05:46 AM
quote:Originally posted by NDP Newbie: Yep. I've heard of that.
Perhaps if the slow down rate of the Earth's rotation (Revolution? The Earth rotates on its own axis and revolves around the sun.) can be measured on the basis of some mathematical model we can calibrate our calendar slightly to account for it.
Didn't the Pope once arbitarily change the date to "make up for missed leap years"? We could do that every few centuries to account for missed leap seconds (although today we would have to have a lot more than just the Pope on board)
From: Arkham Asylum | Registered: Feb 2003
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NDP Newbie
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5089
posted 07 May 2004 03:20 PM
quote:Originally posted by Gir Draxon:
Didn't the Pope once arbitarily change the date to "make up for missed leap years"? We could do that every few centuries to account for missed leap seconds (although today we would have to have a lot more than just the Pope on board)
Likely as part of the transition between the Julian and the Gregorian calendar. I believe the biggest change was that in years ending in 00, a leap year would only occur if the year were a multiple of 400.
From: Cornwall, ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560
posted 07 May 2004 06:54 PM
Moving this to the "ideas, etc." forum.
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001
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Agent 204
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4668
posted 07 May 2004 07:03 PM
The UK adopted the Gregorian calendar a couple of centuries after most of Europe. Apparently old British insect books referred to the Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne) as the "April Fritillary", but the name became obsolete with the change.
When the calendar did change there were riots with mobs of people shouting "Give us back our eleven days!"
From: home of the Guess Who | Registered: Nov 2003
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Cougyr
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3336
posted 07 May 2004 07:09 PM
Funny that the last four months translate as seven, eight, nine and ten.
From: over the mountain | Registered: Nov 2002
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'lance
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1064
posted 07 May 2004 07:10 PM
quote:When the calendar did change there were riots with mobs of people shouting "Give us back our eleven days!"
I Read Somewhere(tm) that there was some rationality behind this chant.
Landlords typically charged rent on a quarterly basis -- and, of course, almost everyone else was a renter. That particular quarter was 11 days shorter, but landlords didn't prorate that quarter's rent accordingly. So tenants were within their rights to be angry.
From: that enchanted place on the top of the Forest | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 07 May 2004 03:14 AM
