Why do people say "bless you"...

[Flax]

...when I sneeze? And they don't say anything when I cough? I know about the history of the term, but helloooo... it's 2009.

I have news for you: saying "bless you" doesn't work.

Ok, I just had to get that out of my chest. I tried sneezing it out but I only got more "bless yous".

 

[vicarinatutugal]

habit

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

nice people* like to say nice things like "bless you" because this lets other nice people know they are nice as well


*=some people only appear to be nice, watch out for them

 

[Kewpie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneeze

 

[Not Right in the Head]

Srsly. Atheists are totally discriminated against when they sneeze.

At least I never hear "have a blessed day!" anymore.

 

[The Cat's Mother]

So far as I know, it dates back to the Black Death. The first indications of the plague were cold-like symptoms (thus the line in the traditional playground song Ring-a-Ring-o-Roses; "A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.") If someone sneezed, you were asking God's blessing upon their souls in case they were going to develop the plague and die.

 

[Flax]

I understand that people are trying to be nice and everything... and I also read about the Black Death. There is also another theory that people used to believe that when you sneeze it's because your body is trying to get rid of a bad spirit.

But I find it curious that people still do that today. And it's even more curious that they are trying to be polite but only towards sneezing? How about coughing and other things?

Are people that robotic? Have a blessed day, everybody

 

[nugz]

I understand that people are trying to be nice and everything... and I also read about the Black Death. There is also another theory that people used to believe that when you sneeze it's because your body is trying to get rid of a bad spirit.

But I find it curious that people still do that today. And it's even more curious that they are trying to be polite but only towards sneezing? How about coughing and other things?

Are people that robotic? Have a blessed day, everybody

yes, what about farting? should we say "bless you" when people fart?

 

[Not Right in the Head]

yes, what about farting? should we say "bless you" when people fart?

Don't we usually have the opposite reaction? "Dammit, would you stop farting?!?"

I was reading a book to my girls the other day where a princess is in love with her tutor. After a few pages, one of them looked confused and said, "Why does she love him if he toots all the time?" I had to explain to her that a tutor is someone who teaches, not someone who toots. Good times, good times.

 

[Flax]

yes, what about farting? should we say "bless you" when people fart?

ahaha my point exactly! We should say "god bless your soul because your body is obviously hopeless"

I sneeze here in the office sometimes... 2 or 3 times... i guess it's something with the vents. Usually happens late afternoon. The 3 people around me say "bless you" every single time.

So it's this awkward situation. I'm sneezing and all these people saying bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you. It clearly doesn't work.

 

[Not Right in the Head]

ahaha my point exactly! We should say "god bless your soul because your body is obviously hopeless"

I sneeze here in the office sometimes... 2 or 3 times... i guess it's something with the vents. Usually happens late afternoon. The 3 people around me say "bless you" every single time.

So it's this awkward situation. I'm sneezing and all these people saying bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you. It clearly doesn't work.

So what would be an acceptable, atheist-friendly thing for them to say? "May this interruption in breathing not cause you to be Darwinned"?

 

[nugz]

I had to explain to her that a tutor is someone who teaches, not someone who toots. Good times, good times.

hahaha, that's cute.

ahaha my point exactly! We should say "god bless your soul because your body is obviously hopeless"

I sneeze here in the office sometimes... 2 or 3 times... i guess it's something with the vents. Usually happens late afternoon. The 3 people around me say "bless you" every single time.

So it's this awkward situation. I'm sneezing and all these people saying bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you, bless you. It clearly doesn't work.

I guess it's silly, but at the same time, its so common, i think I'd feel really rude if someone near me sneezed and I DIDN'T say bless you. ya know? kinda like when I get into work in the morning and you see people, you kinda have to say "good morning" or it you look rude.

 

[Flax]

So what would be an acceptable, atheist-friendly thing for them to say? "May this interruption in breathing not cause you to be Darwinned"?

ahaha I'd rather not hear anything.... but I like your suggestion. However, some people believe that the "bless you" thing comes from when people used to think that your body was possessed by a bad spirit. So in that case, it should be: "May this convulsive expulsion of air from thy lungs successfully discharge any malignant ectoplasm from thy body"

I guess it's silly, but at the same time, its so common, i think I'd feel really rude if someone near me sneezed and I DIDN'T say bless you. ya know? kinda like when I get into work in the morning and you see people, you kinda have to say "good morning" or it you look rude.

Don't sneeze next to me at the Morrissey shows in NYC because I never say anything... When I'm in a good mood and people sneeze, I say "whatev".

Sometimes people say "good morning" and I say "ok".

 

[Not Right in the Head]

Sometimes people say "good morning" and I say "ok".

I say, "Is it?" or "What's so good about it?"

I find that "Gesundheit" is a good, all-purpose, non-religious thing to say after someone sneezes.

Have a blessed day, Flax!

 

[Flax]

I say, "Is it?" or "What's so good about it?"

I find that "Gesundheit" is a good, all-purpose, non-religious thing to say after someone sneezes.

Have a blessed day, Flax!

Ohhh thanks...
I wish you a blessed day as well. And to prove and I mean it, here is a picture of Jesus for you:

 

[nugz]

Don't sneeze next to me at the Morrissey shows in NYC because I never say anything... When I'm in a good mood and people sneeze, I say "whatev".

Sometimes people say "good morning" and I say "ok".

if I see you I'll make sure to say "Hallelujah, its Flax! Thank God I have found you! hope you have a blessed day!!!"

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

I go for the "gesundheit".

especially because bless you sort of comes out like bleshyew and "gesundheit" sounds better.

i am sorry you have a speech impediment?

 

[Corrissey]

Rather than "God bless you", how about "You are soooo good looking"

please tell me someone gets this.

 

[troubleluvsme]

Rather than "God bless you", how about "You are soooo good looking"

please tell me someone gets this.

Oh yeah....you know I got it

 

[Corrissey]

Oh yeah....you know I got it

Oh, bless you!