Because the AD designation is derived from Latin "Anno Domini" or "Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi" in full, which means "Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ". Apparently some people in the past decided that the year when the Creator of the universe visited mankind by becoming a man should be the central date and the point of reference in all human history. So they devised a calendar based on what they thought was that date.
The based their religion on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Anyone born on 11/11/11 would currently be almost 2000 years old. The significance of their birthdate to them would be that they died nearly 2000 years ago. There cannot be any occult significance to any date AD. AD dates are calculated from the birth of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is not an occult figure. (Pagan religions have different ways of calculating dates, and the real ones don't count to base 10 anyway).
Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to all those who believe in him, so life in the Spirit is the same as life in Jesus Christ, as the apostle said: 21. For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain. (Philippians 1.)
They based it on the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection of Christ. Later, this was also based on the prophecies of the Old Testament, which were fulfilled in Christ. After the eyewitnesses, the rest of us base our faith on their testimony, which is recorded in the New Testament, all of which was written based on eyewitness testimony.
If you want to look at the Church like a pyramid, then Christ Jesus is at the top of the pyramid and we the people of God make up the base.
Christianity is a term used to describe religions that base their teachings on "Christ" These religions then branch out to anywhere between Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, Seven Day Adventists etc etc.....
There is no "rapture" of the church, as this is not in the Bible. The rapture is a man made teaching that is based upon the words "caught up" in the book of Thessalonians. (1 Thess. 4) The belief is that the church will be raptured away to heaven before the second coming of Christ Jesus. The problem is, the verse they base this rapture theory on IS describing the physical second coming of Christ. It is AT the second coming of Christ Jesus that the church is "caught up" to meet Jesus in the air, NOT before.
The Maya did not base their calendar on the birth of Christ. The Maya based their calendar on the phases of the moon and venus and the position of the sun. The year 2012 is simply our equivalent to the same time on the Mayan calendar.
Jesus never started a religion.
jesus is up to bat and john is on second base...
Well I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I can tell you truthfully that yes, we most certainly do believe Jesus Christ to be the redeemer of mankind. We base all our beliefs in the Bible and it says in John 3:16: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life." That 'Son', is God's Son, Jesus. I could go on and on on this subject, but I'm pretty sure I just gave you the answer right there; yes. :-)
Significant places in the life of Jesus in Palestine include Bethlehem (birth), Nazareth (childhood and early life), Capernaum (ministry base), Sea of Galilee (many miracles), Jerusalem (crucifixion and resurrection), and the Jordan River (baptism by John the Baptist). These locations are central to the Gospel narratives of Jesus' life and teachings.