On Sun, 3 Nov 2002 14:24:28 Bill Potts wrote: >Marcus: > >I would suggest that one fundamentalist belief (among many) is hardly a >basis for a day-of-the-week numbering convention. > ? This is actually not a matter of talking about a 'fundamentalist belief', Bill. What's being debated here, I assume, is what reliable historical references can one resort to to substantiate a position on the *correct* order of the days of the week from a *historical perspective*.
History, if I'm not mistaken, is a *scientific* field of study (provided, of course, that one can rely on the accuracy of sources). Now, I hope you'll agree with me that there are *very few* sources one can find that could shed some light on this particular subject (which day of the week comes first). The Bible, fortunately, or unfortunately, is one such reliable *historical* source, no doubt about it, whether one *believes* in it or not! Evidently, the calendar situation can be *used* in a completely subjective way. In other words, whether or not one wants to count them starting with Sunday, or Monday, or Saturday, whatever, can be quite subjective. But, please notice I'm NOT discussing that aspect of it! >The overwhelming biblical evidence to which you refer is, to most of the >world's population, simply evidence of the beliefs of those who wrote the >various books of the Torah/Old Testament. It is not evidence of actual >occurrences. > First of all, one must look at this literature from a **historical point-of-view**. From that perspective there IS overwhelming evidence that yes, this Book, CAN be trusted *in that regard*! Therefore, one CAN *scientifically* argue the validity of what it says when it comes to the *history* of what day of the week came *first* (or last!...). Evidently, from an *absolute perspective* NOONE can prove EITHER WAY, why? Simply because noone LIVED LONG ENOUGH to be a *living testimony* of such events. In other words, there can be NO "standard" scientific *experiment* that can be conducted to prove in any conclusive fashion what day of the week came first. Our ONLY recourse to settle this is **history**! >Someone pointed out that the question of which day starts the week is purely >a cultural one and varies widely throughout the world. Similarly, how any >religious denomination numbers the days is purely an internal matter and of >no real import in setting standards. > Again, please be careful that we're talking about two completely separate issues here, Bill. One dealing with the subjective *USE* of an arbitrary calendar order, and the other of which one of them *historically* came first! I have absolutely no qualms with the former, but indeed do with the latter! I hope the above will help clarify my position better, Bill. >Thus, I recommend that we leave religion out of this, in favor of scientific >pragmatism. >... I don't take any issue with anyone who would show their "preference" for starting the week on Sunday, or Monday, or any other day. That is entirely his prerrogative. However, on the issue of WHICH one WAS the first one, *then* one can certainly go about defending a specific order. Marcus ____________________________________________________________ Get 25MB of email storage with Lycos Mail Plus! Sign up today -- http://www.mail.lycos.com/brandPage.shtml?pageId=plus
