Re: Religious Discrimination :-) (was Loyalty cards again)

In article <5l84t31aeeh4614tkpl4aosma1f6jbejis@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Tim Merrigan  <tppm@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>On Wed, 5 Mar 2008 21:36:24 +0000 (UTC), goldfarb@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>(David Goldfarb) wrote:
>
>>(And the Orthodox Easter comes a week later.)
>
>I have never understood this.  Do they use a different algorithm to
>determine Easter?  I think it should be the same as Western Easter.
>It's not like the fixed holidays which are on a different calendar.

No, there's a different explanation for that, not (very)
religious in nature.

Stage 1:  Everybody is using the Julian calendar, which features
(among other things) a leap year every four years.

Stage 2:  Over several centuries, the Julian calendar date drifts
further away from reality: the year is slightly too long.

Stage 3:  In the 16th century Pope Gregory XIII authorizes the
Gregorian calendar, which eliminates the leap day on years
divisible by 100 unless they are also divisible by 400.  The
calendar drops ten days and is now much more accurate with
respect to real time.

Stage 4:  Catholic countries adopt the Gregorian calendar, but
Protestant countries indignantly refuse.

Stage 5:  The years roll on and finally the Protestant countries
concede that maybe they'd better adopt the Gregorian calendar
after all, even if it was named after a Pope, and do so.  An
adjustment of eleven days is now required.  (This happened in the
eighteenth century, during George Wa****ngton's lifetime.  He
adjusted his birthday accordingly.)

Stage 6:  The Eastern Orthodox countries, however -- Russia, e.g.
-- continue using the Julian calendar because *they* aren't going
to adopt something issued by a Catholic Pope.

Stage 7:  The Russian Revolution happens in the early 20th
century, and the Soviet Union adopts the Gregorian calendar, Pope
or no Pope.  But the Orthodox Church, mostly underground, goes on
using the Julian calendar.

Stage 8:  The Soviet Union collapses and the Orthodox Church
comes out of hiding, but it's *still* using the Julian calendar
-- there's now a thirteen-day gap.  Their algorithm for the date
of Easter may also be slightly different; I don't know.

Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djheydt@[EMAIL PROTECTED]