is it hypocritical for an atheist to say "bless you", being as it's just short for "god bless you".
this point can be used for almost every other phrase with the word "god" in it.
2006-07-02 13:51:12 · 7 answers · asked by Spliffwizard 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I don't think so. It's just a folklore-based cultural response. It was once thought that when a person sneezed, their soul could escape them and by saying, "God bless you," this would be prevented. These days, even the most hardcore Christians know that your soul will not escape from a sneeze.
I prefer saying "Salud' or 'Gesundheit' to a sneezer, wishing them good health. But it is only because I think it's nicer... it has nothing to do with my being a "non-Christian".
2006-07-02 14:16:36 · answer #1 · answered by Zombie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not hypocritical, when the black plague infested England, sneezing was one of the first signs. People said God bless you at that point, kind of like 'I hope you don't die now.' If you are not comfortable saying this, think up some really cool phrase to coin instead! Ex. Live Long and Prosper...... Means the same thing.
2006-07-16 12:48:17 · answer #2 · answered by yraelynaffit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Zombie deserves the points, I'm just adding on a note. Most Christians today continue to say God Bless You, because in modern times a sneeze is seen as a possible sign of ill health or allergic reaction. It's as if to say 'God Bless You and keep you in good health'. German Gesundheit means literally 'Good Health'. It is a polite social response to someone who sneezes, though often lacking in sincerity, it at least lets the person know that they are alive.
2006-07-12 23:54:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. I am Christian and I respect others' beliefs, I might not agree with or follow them but I respect your choice. Yeah, 'bless you' does infer 'God' bless you but who or what that sneezer considers 'God' is up to the sneezer himself, whether that be God, Christ, Buddha, Allah, Brama, the Mother Goddess, our own volition, or the mighty dollar(lol)
It seems that 'Bless you' has evolved into one of our politically correct versions of showing our concern without implying anything that might be offensive....Heaven forbid,..uh-oh....
2006-07-16 02:47:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many years ago, sneezing was interpreted as close to dying. This is why people reacted by saying God, bless you....don't die.
2006-07-15 21:29:54 · answer #5 · answered by wunderkind 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2006-07-16 02:35:43 · answer #6 · answered by CRT 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2006-07-15 16:18:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋