When somebody sneezes, what do you say besides *bless you*
Posted on: July 29, 2012 - 8:44pm
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When somebody sneezes, what do you say besides *bless you*
Hi all. I do apologize I have been absent from this forum for some time now. I am an atheist member. My question is, what are some of the things other atheists say when somebody sneezes? I know this is somewhat of a ridiculous question, but I've always found it irrational when some people get offended if you don't say "bless you" I have to explain why I think it's unnecessary.
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I say gesundheit which is a German word basically wishing good health without any religious connotation. It was quite common in the town I grew up in which had a pretty large population of german descendants, people here in Ohio look at me a little weird sometimes. Besides, it is a fun word to say.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I agree with Beyond here, 'gesundheit' is a good one for that. It is generally understood here in Oklahoma, which definitely has enough religiousness for everyone to be expecting a 'bless you' or equivalent.
I have become an atheist very recently, and I will also need to start using gesundheit, I think. A bit of a habit to break out of, if you were christian, isn't it?
Secularist, Atheist, Skeptic, Freethinker
It sure is a hard habit to break. I grew up Christian too, I've been an atheist for some time now. People who know I'm an atheist understand. Sometimes I'll just say it anyway. The whole reasoning behind "bless you" is just ridiculous. Thought this would be a perfect forum to ask the question.
Btw thank you for the suggestion.
It depends upon whether or not they cover their face when they sneeze that determines my response.
But seriously, I know what you mean. After a lifetime of yelling "goddamnit" when I am irritated or saying " thank god" when something difficult falls into place, I still find myself doing that all of the time.
I don't put much stock in the semantics of it, it's just a habit.
The other day I was having an issue with the bike, when it finally cranked smoothly, I said out loud " It's about time." Which must mean some part of my mentality has changed.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
I may be wrong but I think the bless you is of pagan origin. Ancients thought a piece of the gods came out of you. I am too lazy to look it up.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
http://stooge.hubpages.com/hub/Origin-and-legends-related-to-the-expression-Bless-You-when-someone-sneezes
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
being spanish I say salud, or gesundheit never said bless you or anything religious before.
Thank you for that link, it was pretty interesting. It wouldn't surprise me if it originated as pagan and as usual, the Christians adapted it.
I say nothing, just like when someone farts or belches, though my atheist missus always says bless you, even to the dogs.
I still sometimes say 'god knows' and often say Thursday.
It's not as if you have to say something. I used to live in Japan and I never saw anyone say something to a sneeze there.
There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine
H.P. Lovecraft
Yeah, it's not required by any means, however since I am used to saying something (possibly to reward covered sneezes) I figure I'll switch to gesundheit or maybe, instead, a extremely obscure language's word to sow confusion.
Secularist, Atheist, Skeptic, Freethinker
I agree you don't have to say anything, sometimes I don't. It's just a phrase that is sometimes second nature.
I think in most languages you'd either say "health" or "bless you" so gesundheit seems like a good option because it's common in English. In French speaking countries you can say "à tes souhaits" which is like may your wishes come true.
There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine
H.P. Lovecraft
i still use whatever phrases come to mind, including bless you, god bless you, goddammit, thank god, please god, etc. i had enough of policing my every thought and word as a christian, i'm certainly not going to do it now.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
I usually say something like "Get the fuck away from me you goddam, snot slinging, disease bag !!!"
{ ps, I love your avatar RubyCat }
Finally something to match what we all are thinking.
Religion Kills !!!
Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.
http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/
Hell, yeah !
I say "excuse me" if I sneeze - and what ever I think is most appropriate in the circumstances if someone else sneezes. For example, at work, I often say, gesundheit or bless you, because people expect you to say something like that. At home, I may say, "excuse you!" or "have you taken anything for that?" or "cover your face, for my sake if no one else'! GROSS!!"
My recollection is that gesundheit and bless you mean about the same thing - originating long before germ theory, people had no idea how disease spread or what caused it. And it must have seemed very random - so of course they attributed all sorts of stuff to sneezing and tried all kinds of superstitious behavior. It isn't important enough to me to make a big deal of it.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
Yeah, from the Middle Ages all the way up to even the 19th Century a lot of diseases were attributed to "bad vapors and odors" as the medical profession put them. They had a documentary on the History Channel the other night about two men that devised blueprint methods for getting the sewage away from London and the Thames River because they believed the flies and the actual exposure to such toxins near the city was contributing to the plague. The ruling powers that be almost didn't allow it to happen, too much money and besides : "As long as people kept their homes from having bad odors, no one had anything to worry about."
I can't believe that the History Channel actually put out something worth watching for a change. I used to like that channel, but now 99% of the documentaries are about ancient aliens, Nazis using time travel devices to disappear, and the U.S. government keeping little green men in a fridge.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
Yeah seriously. The History Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet have gone significantly downhill. There used to be a time that when I got information on it I could be comfortable that it was factual. Now it is mostly bullshit and intellectually vacant. Sad. At least National Geographic seems to still produce a few quality documentaries. I don't get cable anymore so I can attest to the stuff they air but I watch them on netflix from time to time and haven't noticed any obvious bullshit at least.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I absolutely agree. I used to watch History and Discovery all the time. Painfully low-quality "documentaries" is all they seem to do now. That, or reality shows.
Science Channels seems decent still, although they have a tendency to have dumbed down material. (Sometimes this is because the thing they are talking about is really complex, but still.)
Secularist, Atheist, Skeptic, Freethinker
LOL - and my friends wonder why I don't bother to pay for cable.
I might look this one up online.
There is a very interesting and well written book on the last cholera outbreak in London. It was while they were putting in the sewers, but hadn't made it to this neighborhood yet. The Ghost Map http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Map-Londons-Terrifying-Epidemic--/dp/1594482691/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343765128&sr=1-2&keywo...
The earliest example (before Typhoid Mary) of epidemiological research.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.