2007-05-13 14:58:30 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
You know, I just don't know. From "Ask Yahoo" I got this:
The origin of the "bless you" tradition is not entirely clear. The urban legend experts at Snopes.com list an impressive number of possibilities. One involves the (hopefully) mistaken belief that a human's soul might escape through a sneeze. Saying "God bless you" wards off Satan while the soul is temporarily vulnerable.
Another story veers toward the medical. Once upon an unenlightened time, people believed that the heart stopped during a sneeze. A hearty "God bless you" set the ol' ticker back in motion. Keep in mind these were the days before defibrillators and HMOs.
Interesting, but the most popular theory comes from the Middle Ages. During the bubonic plague, a sneeze was believed to be a sign of impending death. "God bless you" was "a way of commending his soul to the care of God." The phrase may have also come in handy to protect oneself if someone nearby sneezed.
Today, "bless you" is more a sign of good manners than a shield against death.
2007-05-13 15:02:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
A number of "explanations" exist for this custom, nothing points to any one of them being its origin.
Common among these explanations are:
* At one time people believed a man's soul could be inadvertently thrust from his body by an explosive sneeze, thus "Bless you!" was a protective oath uttered to safeguard the temporarily expelled and vulnerable soul from being snatched up by Satan (who was always lurking nearby). The purpose of the oath was to cast a temporary shield over the flung-out soul which would protect it just long enough to regain the protection of the corporeal body.
* Conversely, the sneeze itself was the expulsion of a demon or evil spirit which had taken up residence in a person. Therefore, although the "Bless you!" was again a protective charm meant to protect the sneezer from evil, in this version it was meant to ward off the re-entry of an evil spirit which a tormented soul had just rid itself of.
* The heart was believed to momentarily stop during a sneeze (it doesn't), thus the "Bless you!" was uttered either as a supplication for life to return or as a congratulation upon its successful restart.
* Others claim an association of the practice with particular dire diseases (most often the bubonic plague, or "Black Death," as it is sometimes known). They say an infected person's sneeze was sure sign he'd soon be pushing up daisies, thus the "Bless you!" was intended as a benediction to the nearly-departed, a way of commending his soul to the care of God now that he was beyond the help of anything in the mortal world.
* Yet other folks echo the theme of other superstitions about sneezes, that these expulsions are either in themselves lucky or foretell good fortune coming the sneezer's way. For them, the "Bless you!" is a recognition of incoming good luck, possibly even an attempt on the blesser's part to attract a bit of it to himself.
* Finally, some see the sneeze as a blessing bestowed by the sneezer upon the sneezed-upon. Answering a sneeze with "Bless you!" is seen as nothing more remarkable than replying "Good morning!" to the person who had just greeted you with the same phrase.
2007-05-13 22:03:14 · answer #2 · answered by lizzyloo 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A hard sneeze can momentarily stop the heart. This was discovered before there was a Christianity or a Christian God by Greek physicians. Various statements have been attached to sneezes ever since.
2007-05-13 22:06:39 · answer #3 · answered by Terry 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People used to believe sneezing was the closest a person could come to dying, there's no controling it, not completely anyway.
2007-05-13 22:03:55 · answer #4 · answered by rebekkah hot as the sun 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because some believe that when you sneeze you are releasing evil spirits, so that why you say "God bless you"!
2007-05-13 22:02:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
they used to believe that you lost a part of your spirit when you sneezed, so they blessed you so you could get it back.
2007-05-13 22:02:17 · answer #6 · answered by mocelled2002 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
people in olden times, thought that you sneezed out good spirits, blessing you keeps the bad spirits from jumping in.
2007-05-13 22:01:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't know about anyone else. But my mother said it was the proper thing to do. And my priest says one can never be blessed enough.
God Bless you. :)
2007-05-13 22:05:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard once that your heart stops beating while you sneeze.
2007-05-13 22:02:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because You Stop Breathing
=]
2007-05-13 22:08:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋