What if I or the other person was atheist or agnostic?
What's the point of saying it?
2006-07-12 01:37:09 · 20 answers · asked by iamlaura2006 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't say it simply because the custom came around out of superstition and I want nothing to do with superstition. And yes, a lot of people think it's rude. I am not in the mind to care much what other people think of me though lol.
2006-07-12 02:14:32 · answer #1 · answered by ~Donna~ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not rude not to say it. It is an English term not used in other languages. I think we are expected to say something if someone else sneezes - can't just ignore it. I think this came from the days of the Black plague in England when sneezing was a symptom. SO if you sneezed you might need God's blessing to survive. Germans say gesundheit when you sneeze which means good health. Just in case that sneeze was a symptom of some fatal condition.
2006-07-12 08:42:37 · answer #2 · answered by Gone fishin' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because back in the day, it was believed that to sneeze meant that a demon was trying to get into your body, (or out of your body.) And so now, it is almost an empty figure of speech, I mean, sneezes kinda hurt, don't they? The point of saying it is almost like, "bless his heart.." people say these things out of habit. If you or the other was atheist, or agnostic, get into the habit of asking, "feel better now that you've spread your germs!?" Of course, you should say this as lovingly sarcastic as you can:)
2006-07-12 08:44:12 · answer #3 · answered by Lauralanthalasa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I find it rude when people do say that to me, assuming I want them to tell God to bless me. Which God are they referring to? And what if I am Buddhist?
Most sneezes are just the nose clearing itself of an irritant, so why does God even have to enter the picture? I get people saying that bless you phrase all the time when I sneeze, and I just say thank you. But I do not ever say it myself.
Gesundheit (ge zunt hite) is the German expression, and it means "to your health", which to me, is more appropriate.
It does not make you rude to say nothing when someone sneezes. It's tradition to say it amongst Christians for some reason. And if someone tells you you are being rude, tell them they are being ruder for assuming you want to say a religious blessing that is not part of your faith.
Too many people, in my opinion, parrot things but do not believe what they say. If you don't believe it, don't say it.
2006-07-12 08:45:29 · answer #4 · answered by mw 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is rude beacuse not everyone believes in a god. The point of saying it is a long time ago people used to believe when a person sneezed they were expelling deamons or bad spirits out of their body and being blessed by god the spirits would not re enter the body.
Funny what people believe.
2006-07-12 08:41:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason people say God Bless You is because it was believed at one time that when you sneezed your heart stopped. People said it as a way of saying God Blessed you that your heart began beating again. I guess people see it as rude regardless of religion because it's almost like not askings someone that just fell on their face if they are okay.
That's my theory on it
2006-07-12 08:40:45 · answer #6 · answered by preciseonegirl28 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not rude if you don't say "Bless You"... I don't know who told you that.
It's just an old habit left over from the time when it was believed that everytimne you sneezed, you were vulnerable to evil spirits. Hence, saying Bless You kept the evil spirits from entering your soul. So it was just a protection gesture.
But in all honesty, it's only rude if the person who sneezes does not say "Excuse Me".
2006-07-12 08:41:24 · answer #7 · answered by The Lizard Queen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is an old tradition. It comes out of the middle ages where people thought that sneezing meant that you were expelling a demon. People would bless you so that the demon would not reenter.
It's a tradition these days, and not a religious reality (for anyone that I know of). Perhaps you could say the german equivilant for "bless you" :gesundheit.
2006-07-12 08:57:12 · answer #8 · answered by mesatratah 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dunno why it is rude. My husband has bad allergies in the summer and if I don't say God bless you for every sneeze he gets offended and acts like I just killed somebody. Irritating! So I usually say God bless your next 100 sneezes and that covers me for a while.
2006-07-12 08:41:41 · answer #9 · answered by bluskygreengrass 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
then don't sneeze if you don't want to be blessed why do people hate because they do. God is love would you say there is no such thing as love or hate and your feelings don't mater so people shouldn't care about you.
2006-07-12 08:49:09 · answer #10 · answered by jamnjims 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋