Do Jehovah Witnesses say "BLESS YOU"?

Question

I say it automatically when someone sneezes but I noticed a JW coworker never responds when I say it to her and she never says "bless you". Is this against the JW religion? If so, are they offended by it?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses actually *DO* say "bless you" when it is appropriate and when they are personally moved to do so.

However, Jehovah's Witnesses do *NOT* endulge in superstitious practices based on pagan beliefs. The practice of uttering "bless you" when someone sneezes developed from the false religious belief that some "spirit" escaped the body during the sneeze. Clearly such a pagan custom is incompatible with true Christianity.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20020801/
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm

Answer 2

Saying "Bless you" when someone sneezes is a superstitious thing based upon the belief that one's "soul" leaves the body temporarily when they sneeze, or something like that.

We are not superstitious, so we do not say that.

I personally am not offended when someone says it to me; I am aware that others have different beliefs and customs than do I.

Thank you for asking, though.

ADDED: Note this quote:

IT HAPPENS everywhere—at work, at school, on public transportation, and on the street. You sneeze, and people you’ve never met, mere passersby, say: “God bless you” or simply “Bless you.” There are similar expressions in many languages. In German the response is “Gesundheit.” Arabs say “Yarhamak Allah,” and some South Pacific Polynesians say “Tihei mauri ora.”

Believing that it is simply common courtesy rooted in social etiquette, you may have given little thought to why people say this. Yet, the expression is rooted in superstition. Moira Smith, librarian at the Folklore Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A., says of the expression: “It comes from the idea that you are sneezing out your soul.” To say “God bless” is, in effect, asking God to restore it.

Of course, most people would probably agree that to believe that the soul escapes your body during a sneeze is irrational. Not surprisingly, therefore, Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines superstition as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.”

Answer 3

i love it even as those who've no idea answer questions. Jesus replaced right into a witness for Jehovah and Jehovah's Witnesses evaluate themselves Christians, yet extra heavily shaped after the first century Christians formerly all the Apostles died. in the starting up, witnesses were said as Bible scholars and some said them as Russellites. Witnesses followed the call Jehovah's Witnesses contained in the 1931. Russell initially did not favor them named except to easily be said as Bible scholars. yet they did ultimately undertake the call utilizing scriptures like Isaih 40 3:12 ""you're my Witnesses" says the Lord" once you have ever taken the time to hearken to a JW or flow to a gathering, Jesus is a first concentration. God appointed Jesus to really sit down in His stead ("position" for you youthful ones). Jesus purely favor replaced into to do his Father's will which he done so completely that he informed his followers at 1Peter 2:3, "He that hath considered me hath considered the daddy". There are different scriptures that let us know that noone can see God and stay, so Jesus replaced into telling them that his movements, personality, beliefs, etc mirror those of Jehovah. in view that Jesus gave his existence to purchase decrease back what Adam lost, he grew to grow to be "Savior" to many. That replaced into God's will. What about the saying of God's call. some Witnesses call God by Yahweh and there are different ideal translations. If i'm said as Jose fairly of Joseph by my mexican friends, i do not disown them. If Jehovah isn't the right translation, i'm confident even as the time comes the God of love will let us know fairly than ruin us. do not a number of y'all experience stupid now.

Answer 4

Yes it is against the beliefs . They believe that that phrase was created because people believed that when someone sneezes there soul has left their body and they are blessing them or their soul .

Answer 5

One of my favorites Scriptures is found in Numbers.

6:24 “May Jehovah bless you and keep you.

25 May Jehovah make his face shine toward you, and may he favor you.

26 May Jehovah lift up his face toward you and assign peace to you.”’

As to saying bless you after sneezing, I don't.

As to being offended, I am only offended if the person saying it continues to do it because they know I don't agree with them.

Answer 6

I agree with abdijah. there is no reason to say it. many people that are not Jehovah Witnesses don't say it either

Answer 7

Good questions. I am waiting on the answers.

Answer 8

It is indeed against their religion... and it's just plain rude.