Alternative calendars and the day of rest

The most popular is roman calendar that is used in most of the countries, but it's also a religious calendar because of biblical seven days.

In my country we have different names for months -> Croatian month names but we still have seven days in the week.

The only place (in western history) where I haven't found seven days of the week was during the French Revolution -> French Republican Calendar where there was ten days during the week and so on. Since I have heard that in school I couldn't get it out of my head as an atheist.

Traditional Chinese Calendar also used ten days, but seven days week was introduced very early in first millenium CE. But they mostly use lunar year in practical sense, also they mark days in the year like the day when bugs awake from their sleep and so on, which is much more useful.

 

We all know that some people believe it is sin to work ether on Sunday or Sabbath which is the only reason for this seven day division.

 

Now what do you think, should there be a new week division that would be neutral to world religions, I know it's not practical just to change it, but still we can talk about it? Because I don't see why I should be ordered to rest every seventh day, why shouldn't I rest when ever I feel like it?

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Permalink Reply by SilverAgatka on March 20, 2011 at 8:29am

I'm perfectly happy with the 7 day division. Besides, days of the week in English have rather pagan names. I'm perfectly happy with this just like I am with that pagan tree in December.

In Poland, where I come from the name for Saturday comes from Sabbath, which is rather annoying but barely anyone knows it anyway...

By the way, I looked at your link about Croatian months. I guess the summer in Poland must be longer than yours ;) Your" Listopad' is October, our is November (exactly he same name and meaning). Our "the month of reaping with a sickle" (sierpień) is August; "month of the Linden Tree" (lipiec) is July; also your April "the month of the grass" is our "month of the flowers" (kwiecień). Funny that.

Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on March 20, 2011 at 1:54pm
Funny shift in months :D
Srpanj (seventh month)-sierpień (eight month) they are probably pronounced the same, and the shift in naming maybe has something to do with climate.
In Croatian the sixth day is also Subota = Sabbath, very irritating.
Permalink Reply by Arcus on March 20, 2011 at 9:48am

I guess the answer is twofold:

1. Yes, it would be a better solution. Counting in tens is much easier because you just change one digit in multiplication and division rather than 12 (which is mathematically superior due to divisibility) or 7 (the highest single digit prime).

2. No, its not sensible to change. Quite often it is better to have a system than the best system. The cost of changing an accepted and widely known system vs what is gained from the better one is not worth it.

Permalink Reply by Dave G on March 20, 2011 at 1:05pm
I suspect that we'll be stuck with the current 7-day weeks at least until (and if) we colonize off-world.
Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on March 20, 2011 at 1:56pm
I agree, but we must have than in mind otherwise will have seven days on Gliese too ;)
Permalink Reply by Darren Cohen on March 20, 2011 at 3:08pm

"Now what do you think, should there be a new week division that would be neutral to world religions, I know it's not practical just to change it, but still we can talk about it?"

 

Heh. That reminds me of Stan, aka 'Loretta' the man who wanted to fight for his right have babies in Monty Python's Life of Brian. 

 

 

[The members of "The People's Front of Judea" are sitting in the amphitheatre. Stan has just announced that he wants to be a woman and wants to be called "Loretta," and is explaining why.]
Stan: I want to have babies.
Reg: You want to have babies?!?!
Stan: It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.
Reg: But ... you can't HAVE babies!
Stan: Don't you oppress me!
Reg: I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb! Where's the fetus gonna gestate? You gonna keep it in a box?
Reg: Ok, let's all agree to fight for Stan's right to have babies, even though he can't have babies. All those in favor say aye!

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Life_of_Brian
Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on March 20, 2011 at 3:32pm

I don't see the connection even dough I love the film.

I just wanted to propose a calendar without weeks, you work as it fits you, because if my computer breaks at 14pm on Saturday I have to wait till Monday to fix it. Completely absurd.

Permalink Reply by Darren Cohen on March 21, 2011 at 12:38pm
Yeah, I guess it was kind of a random thought, sorry. I do see your point though. Sort of like the CE and BCE designations that scholars now use to be 'religion neutral.'
Permalink Reply by Richard Noah on March 21, 2011 at 7:20am
face palm ....
Permalink Reply by Richard Noah on March 21, 2011 at 7:20am

Good ideas one and all.

 

You'd think that the christians would have changed the (english language) names of the days of the week ages ago. Most days are named after pagan gods. Hilarious.

Permalink Reply by Gregor Basić on March 21, 2011 at 8:31am
Even the planets have names of latin gods, it would be fun if they were called: St. Augustus, Tomas Aquinas and so on
Permalink Reply by Arcus on March 21, 2011 at 8:43am

Neil deGrasse Tyson calls it 'naming rights'. The civilization which is first discoveres something tends to claim the name which then survives the civilization itself. Examples:

Arabic: Star names, Al Gebra, Al Ghoritm, Al Ahambra etc

US: America, Americans, Californium, Americum, Berkelium etc

Romans: Planets

It's actually quite interesting to see how well scientific discoveries are attributed to the discoverers, long after both they and their civilizations have disintegrated.

 

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