# My Annual Mon-Sun Calender Rant **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 13, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410 "2009-11-13T04:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/41 "2009-11-14T03:42:52Z")
I’m with you on the metric system, but you’ll pry the Sun-Sat calendar from my cold, dead hands… ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/42 "2009-11-14T03:43:48Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > I’m with you on the metric system, but you’ll pry the Sun-Sat calendar from my cold, dead hands.. THAT’S my girl! ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/43 "2009-11-14T03:44:17Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > I thought that Sun-Sat calendars were purely a US thing, and every modern country uses Mon-Sun. What other countries habitually produce Sun-Sat calendars? They need to get with the program and join the 21st (heck, the 20th) century. > And don’t even get me started on the US refusing to use the metric system! (hyperventilating) > > [ISO 8601 is an international standard covering the exchange of date and time-related data.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601#Week_dates) Canada uses Sunday to Saturday as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/44 "2009-11-14T03:55:02Z")
[So does New Zealand](http://203.86.194.7/Images/craigPotton/Weather2010Back.jpg), as I said. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/45 "2009-11-14T16:09:52Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Do they have calendars with week numbers on them or something? We do, yes 🆒. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/46 "2009-11-14T16:19:46Z")
Damn editing limit. Grumble. Wikipedia has an article on [ISO week date](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_week_date). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/47 "2009-11-14T18:26:47Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m constantly amazed by how people try and argue that Monday isn’t the start of the week, in all honesty. Yeah, those dumb Gospel-writers! Where did they get off, thinking that Sunday was the first day of the week! > [@](#): > > [Matthew 28](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:1&version=KJV) > > 1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. > [@](#): > > [Mark 16](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2016:1-2&version=KJV) > > 1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. > > 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. > [@](#): > > [Luke 24](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024:1&version=KJV) > > 1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. > [@](#): > > [John 20](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020:1&version=KJV) > > 1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/48 "2009-11-14T19:26:13Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > The seventh day of rest from Genesis is the Sabbath, which is Saturday (nightfall Friday to nightfall Saturday for Jewish observances), (Most) Christians have changed to [Sunday](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath#Christian_tradition) for the major religious day of the week as this was the day of the resurrection. Why calendars continue to use the older Sabbath as the end of the week I don’t know. > > I prefer Monday to Sunday. This matches both the most common religious week as well as the standard secular week for my part of the world. What “most common religious week” are you referring to? Sunday is the beginning of the week in the Christian calendar. It’s the celebration of the new beginning, marked by Jesus’ resurrection. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/49 "2009-11-15T06:30:46Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > No, no, no. Weeks are like pieces of string- they have two ends. That’s right, they do. Monday is one end and Sunday is the other. I’m not sure what the point you’re trying to make is, because so far all you seem to be doing is agreeing with most of my points but insisting that you aren’t. 😕 > [@eleanorigby](#): > > Monday is the start of the WORK week, not the week. They’re one and the same. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Yeah, those dumb Gospel-writers! Where did they get off, thinking that Sunday was the first day of the week! I’m not a theologian but my understanding is that Sunday is the Sabbath, which means all those Bible passages appear to be referring to _Monday_, not Sunday. Look, as far as I’m concerned, Monday is the start of the week and _nothing_ anyone can say will convince me otherwise. That’s all there is to it. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/50 "2009-11-15T15:30:13Z")
For what it’s worth, Sam, today I was at a bookstore, picked up a random calendar with traditional Thai images in it and it had the weeks arranged from Sunday to Saturday. This was in the Esplanade B2S bookstore, I suppose all the other B2S stores should have the same and similar calendars. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/51 "2009-11-15T16:53:36Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > **Nava** - What’s up with cauliflower? > > StG Half the planet loves it, the other half can’t even be in the same room as it. The last time my mother made the mistake of cooking that thing in my house I opened every single window and kept it open until the smell had dissipated according to my nose (according to hers, it had dissipated a lot earlier). It was April in a place where it snows as late as June. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/52 "2009-11-15T18:38:20Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > [QUOTE=Northern Piper] > > Yeah, those dumb Gospel-writers! Where did they get off, thinking that Sunday was the first day of the week! I’m not a theologian but my understanding is that Sunday is the Sabbath, which means all those Bible passages appear to be referring to _Monday_, not Sunday. [/QUOTE] Nope. The Gospels all agree that the crucifixion and death occurred on a Friday. Some of Jesus’ followers then went to Pontius Pilate and asked for permission to take his body down off the cross before the start of the Sabbath at evening. Since this was before Christianity was up and running, the only interpretation of that is that they were referring to the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday. So they hurriedly placed the body in the tomb, but because the Sabbath starts at evening, they weren’t able to prepare the body properly for burial. As soon as the Sabbath was over, on Sunday, the first day of the week, Mary and the others came to prepare the body and found the empty tomb. See: > [@](#): > > [Matthew 27:57-60](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027:57-60&version=KJV) > > 57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: > > 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. > > 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, > > 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. > [@](#): > > [Mark 15:42-46](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015:42-46&version=KJV) > > 42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, > > 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. > > 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. > > 45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. > > 46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. > [@](#): > > [Luke 23:50-56](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2023:50-56&version=KJV) > > 50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: > > 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. > > 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. > > 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. > > 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. > > 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. > > 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. > [@](#): > > [John 19:30-31, 38-42](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2019:30-42&version=KJV) > > 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. > > 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. > > … > > 38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. > > 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. > > 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. > > 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. > > 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. [QUOTE=Martini Enfield] Look, as far as I’m concerned, Monday is the start of the week and _nothing_ anyone can say will convince me otherwise. That’s all there is to it. [/QUOTE] Glad you’ve got that “fighting ignorance” thing down pat. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/53 "2009-11-15T21:06:44Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > That’s right, they do. Monday is one end and Sunday is the other. I’m not sure what the point you’re trying to make is, because so far all you seem to be doing is agreeing with most of my points but insisting that you aren’t. 😕 The point being that Monday is not a part of the weekend, even though you consider it one of the ends of the week. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/54 "2009-11-15T21:12:30Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > My SO is Jewish and we send the kids to Temple for Wednesday Hebrew School and Sunday school. The Temple sends out this horrible schedule that not only lists the Hebrew months instead of the “standard” ones, but then moves Sunday to the end of the week. If they switched to [metric time](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_time), I wouldn’t be surprised. That seems really weird, as the Sabbath is on Saturday. And it is defined Biblically as the seventh day. If they’re going to use the Biblical months, why not the Biblical week? (and if you are wondering why the Sabbath starts Friday night, it’s because, in Genesis, night came before day. So all days start at sunset.) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/55 "2009-11-16T03:29:46Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > For what it’s worth, Sam, today I was at a bookstore, picked up a random calendar with traditional Thai images in it and it had the weeks arranged from Sunday to Saturday. This was in the Esplanade B2S bookstore, I suppose all the other B2S stores should have the same and similar calendars. :eek: _Groan_ Thanks, but we’ve already mailed the other calendars. And there’s a B2S close to where we live too, in Central Rama III. I guess we’ll be checking there next year! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/56 "2009-11-17T02:34:55Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > That’s right, they do. Monday is one end and Sunday is the other. But Monday isn’t the weekend. Saturday and Sunday are. > [@](#): > > I’m not a theologian but my understanding is that Sunday is the Sabbath, which means all those Bible passages appear to be referring to _Monday_, not Sunday. Not according to us Jews. We came up with the whole concept of the Sabbath, and we say the Sabbath is Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/57 "2009-11-17T02:40:25Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > [So does New Zealand](http://203.86.194.7/Images/craigPotton/Weather2010Back.jpg), as I said. Not all of [them](http://www.giftboxes.co.nz/images/calendar-december-08.jpg)! In fact not many. I have a NZ Gardener calendar hanging by my desk that starts the week on Monday, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/58 "2009-11-18T10:09:52Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > But Monday isn’t the weekend. Saturday and Sunday are. That’s what I’ve been saying. 😕 Both days combine to form a weekend. They’re not “bookends” to the week, they’re two days _at the end of the week_. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/59 "2009-11-18T10:22:39Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > What other countries habitually produce Sun-Sat calendars? They need to get with the program and join the 21st (heck, the 20th) century. Israel. Of course, since our work-week is Sunday through Thursday, I will leave it as a debate for the readers whether this supports the Sun-Sat or the Mon-Sun layout for the rest of the world… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410/60 "2009-11-23T03:12:10Z")
Well, I think the “Thai-themed” calendar below is Sun-Sat, but I doubt my elderly aunts would appreciate it. My uncle might! 😃 Slightly Not Safe for Work, so I’ll unparse the link: [www.afterdarkasia.com/calendar2009.html](http://www.afterdarkasia.com/calendar2009.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-annual-mon-sun-calender-rant/517410.md?page=2)