# Why does GB house such a great percentage of atheists/agnostics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 4, 2002, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-gb-house-such-a-great-percentage-of-atheists-agnostics/122318 "2002-08-04T19:23:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-gb-house-such-a-great-percentage-of-atheists-agnostics/122318/61 "2002-08-09T19:09:07Z")
I saw a genuine Salvation Army woman yesterday! And now, on with the debate. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-gb-house-such-a-great-percentage-of-atheists-agnostics/122318/62 "2002-08-13T19:43:11Z")
The younger whippersnappers around here might not be aware of it, but ‘Anno Domini’ was almost universally used until sometime in the 1970’s, when it gradually yielded to “ **C** ommon **E** ra”), to qualify dates after Christ. It was just considered a neutral expression that had little if any religious intent. Similarly, “B.C” (Before Christ) was replaced by “ **B** efore **C** ommon **E** ra”. Neither B.C. nor A.D. had any overtly religious meaning, though I can appreciate that Muslims, Jews, and other non-Christians might have justly felt slighted by the usage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-gb-house-such-a-great-percentage-of-atheists-agnostics/122318.md?page=3)