2006-09-05 14:15:32 · 10 answers · asked by pup 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Origin. Ancient man believed that his breath was also his soul or "essence of life." When God made man, he "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." A rapid departure of that breath--a sneeze--is the same as expelling life from one's body. Also, it leaves a vacuum in the head which evil spirits can enter. Roman citizens feared sneezing when a plague hit their city during the reign of Pope Gregory the Great. Since they regarded the sneeze as a sure sign of approaching sickness, Pope Gregory in situated the use of the phrase "God bless you" to shield sneezers from any ill effects
2006-09-05 14:20:06 · answer #1 · answered by beepbeepbaby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People say "God Bless You" when a person sneezes because it was once believed that when you sneezed and your heart brieftly stopped, that evil or the "devil" was able to enter your body at that exact moment.
2006-09-05 22:17:01 · answer #2 · answered by ann m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a superstition that when you sneeze the devil can enter your soul. so thats why people soy God Bless You.
2006-09-05 21:27:32 · answer #3 · answered by wahoo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Becuase there is this old myth that say When you sneeze ur soul is trying to excape.....and now everyone got used to say that, so now we all say "God Bless You" when some one sneezes! =D
2006-09-05 21:19:17 · answer #4 · answered by Li 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reported that your heart misses a beat from a sneeze.
2006-09-05 21:18:28 · answer #5 · answered by The Global Community 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its an old superstition that the devil can enter your soul when you sneeze, by blessing you it blocks his entrance
2006-09-05 21:18:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
because when you sneeze that's your soul trying to escape from your nose saying god bless you crams it back in.
"how can anyone with glasses so thick be so stupid?"
consider yourself a simpsons fanatic if you know this reference
2006-09-05 21:22:05 · answer #7 · answered by evilmonkeyboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are many reasons for this. Try this website. It's accurate and offers explanations for all the reasons.
http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/blessyou.asp
2006-09-05 21:20:23 · answer #8 · answered by Sabina 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's like saying excuse me in a nice way
2006-09-05 21:47:39 · answer #9 · answered by Amanda 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Slang form of "gundblausewe", which is latin for "You should wipe your nose".
2006-09-05 21:24:15 · answer #10 · answered by walter k 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋