2006-10-30 16:44:41 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
because back in the olden days people believed that when u sneeze, ur sneezing out ur soul and by saying bless u, u help the soul return back to the body
just another myth another story another version
2006-10-30 16:46:22 · answer #1 · answered by Moo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason why people say "God bless you" or even shorter, 'bless you' when you sneeze, is because when you sneeze, your heart stops.
Back in the day, there were cases when the sick sneezed, they passed away due to a weak heart and body. So when someone sneezed, they would actually say "God blesses you" because they sneezed, and lived.
2006-10-31 01:05:43 · answer #2 · answered by Chrissy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because sneezing is a sign of bad health, by saying bless you, you are saying may God bless you and make this sneeze be in good health.
2006-10-31 00:47:23 · answer #3 · answered by I carry your heart with me... 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know if this is true or not but here goes.
Back in the day (a long time ago) people would pass out after sneezing I guess from either lack of breath or whatever. Anyway, people would say bless you in case you died
2006-10-31 00:46:28 · answer #4 · answered by JR 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
One explanation is that it literally began as a blessing.
The story goes that in 590 CE, to combat the plague, Pope Gregory ordered prayers for God's blessing.
When someone sneezed (seen as the initial onset of the plague), they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not actually develop the disease.
See link below for other possibilities.
2006-10-31 00:49:03 · answer #5 · answered by Jay 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Goes back to the days of the plague when people thought that saying "bless you" would protect them if someone sneezed on them.
2006-10-31 00:48:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a joke which came about because your heart actually stops for just a second when you sneeze, and blessing people is supposed to be a good way to help people with stopped hearts get into Heaven. :P
2006-10-31 00:48:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is short for God bless you. When you sneeze, you might be sick. So people said God bless you so God would take away their sickness. Later, people took the God out of it like they did for eveything else.
2006-10-31 00:47:57 · answer #8 · answered by ~Amber~ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In olden times it was a common belief that one died and or ones soul left the body during a sneeze.
2006-10-31 00:47:25 · answer #9 · answered by Professor Chitlin 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Way back in Midevial times, people thought your soul left your body when you sneezed.
2006-10-31 00:46:04 · answer #10 · answered by teeney1116 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋