2006-08-24 12:59:30 · 32 answers · asked by trouthunter 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My point is somepeople feel that you are trying to push your religion on them. I'm not saying I'm one of them, it depends on the context. If I sneeze, thats o.k., but otherwise please refrain.
2006-08-24 13:07:43 · update #1
Oh, sorry, I suppose saying God bless you when you sneeze means I'm trying to impose my belief system on you, huh? Well, guess what? You asking this question is imposing your belief system on me, and I don't like it! From your question I can tell you are not a Christian, and that offends me.
Where will this stuff end? First Christmas is a no-no, it has to be happy holidays. Then you cna't say Merry Christmas. On and on. It's ridiculous. I'm not trying to convert you. I'm not ridiculing you. I'm not castigating you. I'm just saying, "hey, have a merry christmastime. A time for everybody to enjoy and celebrate happiness, and such and such." God bless you is just indicating that I wish you well for whatever ailment is striking you at that moment. Because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean that I think you're a demon and that I want to convert you. Sorry for wishing you well. Next time I see you sneeze I'll say "hey! screw you buddy!" Chill out people!!
(AFTER READING ADD'L DETAILS);
Oh, OK, sorry for the rant. I guess its kind of a shame that I automatically assumed you meant the "post-sneeze" God bless you instead of the "may God have mercy on your soul" God bless you. Says a lot about society.
I actually sorta agree with you. I'm definitely not offended when people say it to me, but I do feel slightly uncomfortable. I consider myself to be a Christian, and by definition am one, but as a Catholic I think the more "hardcore" Christians would say I am not one. I just prefer to not be "showy" about my beliefs. I practice the "golden rule" and keep my spirituality personal. When I get a "God bless you", I feel sorta like they think they're better than me or that I must be a sinner in their eyes. It's completely illogical, but it is weird. I know it's a very nice thing that they are saying to me, but I almost feel like, if I don't give a similar, spiritual response, that I've been judged.
2006-08-24 13:09:26 · answer #1 · answered by Disco Stu 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
why is it offensive?
3 reasons that i can think of...
1, you are Pagan (as am I)
2, You are athiest or agnostic.
3, You are a Satanist.
in any case.
if you are pagan then you should have a higher power that you believe in. what does the name really matter.
I believe in many gods and do not find it offensive when someone says God Bless you,,,this could be any god and is not worth starting an arguement over.
furthermore it is simply a person being polite you should feel good that someone would take the time to ask their god to bless you. even if it is not a god that you believe in.
what can it hurt anyway?
If you are athiest,,,,and i find myself asking this question of athiest's a lot lately.
HOW CAN THE MENTION OF SOMETHING THAT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN OFFEND YOU?????????????
come on here people athiest's claim that they do not believe in any god/higher power. so how can the mention or the image or the symbol of their religion be offensive. it is now just a structure, a poster, a painting, you do not believe in what it stands for so it is just a symbol without meaning. a construct of man that has no revelance to you in any way shape or form.
the only other possibility is that you are a Satanist.
if you follow old satanism (before 1960 and Anton Sandzor LaVay) then It would be seen as a great irony, gods blessings being wasted on the un-godly. wasteing god's time. and there was still a very big "WHO GIVES A F***" what God blesses."
crowd that still had no reason to care. they are outside of the realm of god so why does it matter.
if you follow New or what is reffered to as Traditional Satanism..
the church of Satan and Anton LaVay's writeings. then you do not believe in god or satan you believe in the dark forces of nature and you give to them the name of Satan as a direct blaspheme and attack on the Christian religion. Because Anton believed that christianity was a religion of hypocracy. he molded his church to be the exact opposite.
even here haveing someone say god bless you to a satanist is seen as an embodiment of that reversal.
2006-08-24 13:21:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Saying "God bless you" may have had Pagan roots, but do realize it has become a polite social custom. Nobody I know believes in saying "GBU" because they believe that are literally being afflicted by an evil spirit. Nor does the sneezer take it that way.
Saying "GBU" shows believers and non-believers that you a polite person and therefore is good.
2006-08-24 13:07:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
When I say "Bless you" I am just being nice and acknowledging your sneeze. I usually don't say it to strangers as I don't wish to offend. For most people it's an automatic nicety like please and thank you so do try to not be offended and let the words roll off of you.
2006-08-24 13:11:31 · answer #4 · answered by Susan G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I didn't know that. I have said that phrase to people who sneezed probably a million times and noone has ever taken offense. So, how in God's name am I supposed to know that there are some people who are so sensitive that they would get offended by a three -word sentence?
2006-08-24 13:02:39 · answer #5 · answered by 5375 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I did not.
But whether one believes in God or any particular religion, to be offended when someone says "God bless you", is the height of selfishness.
To take offense at someone saying something which is a form of wishing you well, is ungrateful and just pathetic.
2006-08-24 13:09:30 · answer #6 · answered by Accelleratrix 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I would like to understand a little more about your situation. How does that offend you? I mean it is meant just the way it sounds, God Bless You. There is no hidden meaning in it. It is not meant to 'magically make you believe in God' if you don't. Or are just trying to take away our freedom of speech. That sounds more like it. God Bless You.
2006-08-24 13:07:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I had no idea... why is it offensive? By the way, the orgin of that is a long time ago people used to believe that everytime you sneezed your soul would try to escape, so they would say "god bless you" to ward of any evil trying to possess your body...
2006-08-24 13:04:04 · answer #8 · answered by Lynna J 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Being a Christian is a way of life. It's not something that we only do on Sunday. Praising the Lord and blessing His children are part of our beliefs. We aren't trying to offend anyone - we're just following the teachings of Jesus (to love and accept each other and to worship the Lord in truth and spirit). We can't just shut off our way of life or our beliefs.
2006-08-24 13:04:38 · answer #9 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Some of us find it offensive to be told we can't say that. Hey, if you don't believe in God, what about freedom of speech? What about basic respect for the beliefs of others?
2006-08-24 13:09:21 · answer #10 · answered by mj_indigo 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋