It's natural to say "God bless you"....
2007-09-01 06:23:33 · 34 answers · asked by dahrma 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I say "salud" which means health-as in good health to you. I find bless you to be hypocritical for me. I don't mind if other people use it though, that would be silly.
2007-09-01 06:33:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It depends on who sneezed really. If its a friend or family member, I might say something like "Gee, thanks for all of the extra germs". (Especially if they didn't cover their mouth).
I've always thought that if you can get blessed just for sneezing, then barfing should be considered a sacrament. Heck, the measles should get you a sainthood.
Some of the theories regarding the origins of that "natural" response are kind of interesting:
-One traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (AD 540-604) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the bubonic plague in AD 590 (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague, Gregory ordered litanies, processions, and unceasing prayer 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.
- The belief that the heart stops when you sneeze, and the phrase "bless you" is meant to ensure the return of life or to encourage your heart to continue beating. (Of course, the heart beats because of electrical pulses that are not affected by normal functions like sneezing.)
- Your soul can be thrown from your body when you sneeze, and saying "bless you" prevents your soul from being stolen by Satan or some evil spirit. Thus, "bless you" or "God bless you" is used as a sort of shield against evil.
Just thought I would share.
2007-09-01 06:35:46 · answer #2 · answered by Azure Z 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends.
Sometimes I say "salute" (to your health).
Sometimes I say, "would you like a tissue?" or "did you know sneezing into your sleeve is one of ways to avoid spreading germs?"
If I am not feeling clever, the reflexive "bless you" often pops out.
When I am at Renaissance Fair and pretending to be an anachronism I might say "God bless you" or "may the lord bless you."
When I was a teen and being silly I would point at someones chest and say "I command you to start".
2007-09-01 06:43:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gesundheit, which means health.
Many Christians, of course, say "bless you".But the word bless originates in the pagan tradition of sprinkling sacrifices with blood and derives from the Old English bletsian. So thats a bit sick really.
2007-09-01 06:38:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The custom arises from a mistaken idea that a person may stop breathing after a sneeze and die of asphyxiation.
In India it is usual to say,'Deerggayush, or Satayush', the former meaning Long live and the latter Live to be hundred.
The deity is left alone.
2007-09-01 07:05:28 · answer #5 · answered by A.V.R. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dunno!
but years ago people used to think that sneezing was evil trying to get out of your body, that why people say "bless you"
(has nothing to do with your question but i dont like leaving short answers!)
2007-09-01 06:28:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only reason to say God Bless you is if you are suffering from the Black Death as your not I don't need to say it.
2007-09-01 06:27:55 · answer #7 · answered by The Return Of Sexy Thor 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't usually say anything but if I do I say "bless you" which is much more common than "God bless you".
2007-09-01 06:28:20 · answer #8 · answered by tomleah_06 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
'Salud'
It means 'health' in Spanish, and is the customary response for a sneeze there. At least, that's what we learned in my Spanish 3 class. Hopefully my teacher was correct, or I'll be feeling pretty dumb :)
2007-09-01 07:47:06 · answer #9 · answered by Kristin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I say that I say "God bless you", am I somehow no longer an atheist?
I also say "Gesundheit" even though I'm not German.
2007-09-01 06:40:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋