When someone sneezes
2007-12-14 06:25:34 · 37 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
that wouldn't offend atheist and people of different religons
2007-12-14 06:26:09 · update #1
Saying nothing. You can't please everyone. Plus that fact that we ackkowledge the behavior is based on the spiritual connotations around sneezing. Best to just pretend that they yawned.
2007-12-14 06:27:22 · answer #1 · answered by C W 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Guzentite? I cannot spell it. We say blessings to you...but we get looks for it. Gracious ! is another good one , or do you need a tissue? Just because you say Bless you, it should not be offending..it is simply a blessing, could be from God, Ala, the Freezbie god, who knows...You don't say God bless you, you could be a real upstart and say..I bless you...or DIBS because the old rule was, when you sneeze your soul leaves your body and saying bless you puts it back.
2007-12-14 06:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by Robin B 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would consider the non religious, "To your good health!" or simply "Good health!"
This seems consistent with the original intent of the comment "god bless you" which started during the time of the black plague when people believed evil spirits had infected the sick... so one someone sneezed, a possible sign of sickness, you would "Bless" the evil out of them.
2007-12-14 06:31:38 · answer #3 · answered by Sissy Bee 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I just say bless you. I don't really care if it offends people. I mean if an atheist is going to get offended because someone says bless you, then they seriously need to get a life. You didn't try to baptize them or even preach at them. You could say gesundheit, but I think that is German for bless you.
2007-12-14 06:30:34 · answer #4 · answered by kat 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
"shut up". my husbands says that to me all the time when i sneeze. or "quit it". ok seriously though. i don't really know. i guess the german "geusundeit" would work. (and i butchered the spelling, sorry) i'm not offended by "bless you" in any way, and i don't believe in a god. it's become more of a polite thing than anything else.
2007-12-14 06:29:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Gesundheit. It's a wishing of good health that's more appropriate for a sneeze anyway.
2007-12-14 06:28:31 · answer #6 · answered by aventurine 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Guzuntike
2007-12-14 06:30:27 · answer #7 · answered by Cupid 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've never heard of anyone being offended, but I think it's nice you don't want to offend.
How about "gesundheit"?
2007-12-14 06:27:57 · answer #8 · answered by drshorty 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Who cares. If you believe in saying Bless you then that's what you say. If you offend someone that's their problem not yours.
2007-12-14 06:28:50 · answer #9 · answered by drdennie2 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
My great aunt used to say "scat". I guess sneezing sounded like a cat hissing, so she would say scat.
2007-12-14 06:28:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋