"Bless you"

Gordon

A colleague of mine sneezed and I said 'bless you' to him. He asked me if I believed in god, he's a little religious, and I said no. He told me that I couldn't bless him, only god can. I told him that I was blessing him, not god, but he seemed to take offence to that.

Is it wrong that I bless people when they sneeze, should I be saying gesundheit?

Tim Robbins

Gordon wrote: »

A colleague of mine sneezed and I said 'bless you' to him. He asked me if I believed in god, he's a little religious, and I said no. He told me that I couldn't bless him, only god can. I told him that I was blessing him, not god, but he seemed to take offence to that.

Is it wrong that I bless people when they sneeze, should I be saying gesundheit?

Incredible. Start sneezing and see how he reacts?

Galvasean

Tell him to stop worrying and enjoy his life.

Yavvy

when I talk to clients I think are religious I often say "god bless" at the end of conversation. many elements of religion have become part of mainstream vocab and social language. Just as religion has absorbed many of socity's meems or traditions.

I would just :rolleyes: him and move on

philologos

Very strange. I always thought by saying "Bless you" it was more a wish that you would be blessed. Mind you I rarely take such terms literally. For example most of the time when people say "Jesus Christ" or "Oh my God" as curse words, they generally don't intend it as blasphemy, although it is.

Gordon

Gordon wrote: »

He told me that I couldn't bless him, only god can.

Next time tell him you are god.

The Mad Hatter

I always say 'geseundheit'. I just prefer to wish health on someone who's just sneezed. That said, I often get funny looks for saying it, though...

Dades

Gordon wrote: »

A colleague of mine sneezed and I said 'bless you' to him. He asked me if I believed in god, he's a little religious, and I said no. He told me that I couldn't bless him, only god can.

Isn't "bless you" short for "God bless you"? i.e. It's a little request for (his) God to bless him?

Perhaps you should say "science bless you". It's certainly more likely to get rid of his cold.

staker

that kind of attitude is shameful on his part.
bless you OP.
that's for the next sneeze,and no,I'm not God!:p

kiffer

I know people that take exception to "Good Morning", and come back with things like "Is it?" or "Don't tell me how great it is! I hate mornings".

It's interesting because you are wishing them a good morning more than inquiring as to or stating the nature of that morning.

Same sort of stupidity is going on here.
"Bless you" can either be an actual blessing, or short for "God bless you"...


When someone sneezes I don't say anything, unless they don't cover their face in which case I might make some comment... or if they sneeze repeatedly I might ask if they are ok.

meldrew

Correct me if I'm wrong but is'nt the origin of Bless You from the middle ages when people started sneezing because it was seen as the first sign of the plague? Or is it something to do with if you sneezed the devil could enter your body at that very moment ? Whatever the reason its grounded in superstition and fear so it is definitely a religious tradition that has survived to the present day , like most of the hokum being peddled by the church

Gordon

I think I'll bless him with science next time! He asked me where I will go when I die and I said that it'll be in the earth or cremated, either way I won't exist anymore hence this beautiful life should be relished to the full because of what I believe. He nodded and practically agreed with me. /crucifixmirror *pew*pew

Weidii

Why do you need to be blessed by god for sneezing anyway? Oh hold on, it's probably a sin, innit...

pH

Weidii wrote: »

Why do you need to be blessed by god for sneezing anyway? Oh hold on, it's probably a sin, innit...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_bless_you
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1958/why-do-we-say-god-bless-you-after-a-sneeze

Goduznt Xzst

weird, didn't know there was anyone under the age of ~35 who still did this. My parents say it when someone sneezes and so does the older woman in work from HR. But no one around me in work or my circle of friends would ever stop to say something when someone sneezes, apart from maybe "that's 1/8 of an orgasm, don't ya know". I think its a tradition of the last generation. To me sneezing is like coughing, it doesn't deserve any form of recognition.

Sangre

you think thats odd.

apparently when you sneeze in canada you're supposed to say 'nothing' to them after.

Red Hand

"May your nasal irritation be resolved in a timely and succinct manner and by Dawkin's blessed balls, may it not spread to anyone else".

Selkies

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

"May your nasal irritation be resolved in a timely and succinct manner and by Dawkin's blessed balls, may it not spread to anyone else".

How crude

Dictionary.com wrote:

bless   /blɛs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [bles] Show IPA Pronunciation
–verb (used with object), blessed or blest, bless⋅ing. 1. to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy. 2. to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house. 3. to bestow good of any kind upon: a nation blessed with peace. 4. to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord. 5. to protect or guard from evil (usually used interjectionally): Bless you! Bless your innocent little heart! 6. to condemn or curse: I'll be blessed if I can see your reasoning. Bless me if it isn't my old friend! 7. to make the sign of the cross over or upon: The Pope blessed the multitude.

Its a little hazy as to whether the word could be used to wish someone well in a secular manner.

Gesundheit is commonly used an d less hazy if you find a problem using bless.

Either way OP, that person seems rather fussy.

Splendour

Alany wrote: »

when I talk to clients I think are religious I often say "god bless" at the end of conversation. many elements of religion have become part of mainstream vocab and social language. Just as religion has absorbed many of socity's meems or traditions.

I would just :rolleyes: him and move on

In sales by any chance Alany? Honing in on the clients persona. Have been there myself, though not very Christian of me... :rolleyes:

Splendour

meldrew wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but is'nt the origin of Bless You from the middle ages when people started sneezing because it was seen as the first sign of the plague? Or is it something to do with if you sneezed the devil could enter your body at that very moment ? Whatever the reason its grounded in superstition and fear so it is definitely a religious tradition that has survived to the present day , like most of the hokum being peddled by the church

You are right meldrew. It was indeed a blessing on people who sneezed to hopefully prevent them from getting the plague. Thank God we, in the western world at least, don't have to worry about illnesses such at that.

Yavvy

Splendour wrote: »

In sales by any chance Alany? Honing in on the clients persona. Have been there myself, though not very Christian of me... :rolleyes:

I am in sales, I see nothing wrong with mimicking a clients "type" of personality or whatever. In fact I think I do it with everyone work related or not. You know, if someone tends to be relaxed or speak slow I tend to do the same. It’s about making a connection and helping them feel comfortable talking to you.

Same thing for religion, while I think believing in a magical sky god is absurd I know religious people think not believing is just as absurd. Religion is unimportant to me so I have no issues using it to create something real, like a genuine connection. Having said that I would never lie or misrepresent myself by claiming to be a good Christian or anything.. If asked I would tell them I was not religious.

its like when I speak to people from Northern Ireland, I find myself using the word Aye instead of yes.

Splendour

Alany wrote: »

I am in sales, I see nothing wrong with mimicking a clients "type" of personality or whatever. In fact I think I do it with everyone work related or not. You know, if someone tends to be relaxed or speak slow I tend to do the same. It’s about making a connection and helping them feel comfortable talking to you.

Same thing for religion, while I think believing in a magical sky god is absurd I know religious people think not believing is just as absurd. Religion is unimportant to me so I have no issues using it to create something real, like a genuine connection. Having said that I would never lie or misrepresent myself by claiming to be a good Christian or anything.. If asked I would tell them I was not religious.

its like when I speak to people from Northern Ireland, I find myself using the word Aye instead of yes.

I said that tongue in cheek. I see absolutely nothing wrong with reflecting anothers personality, in fact I think most of us do it alot more than we realise. As Paul says 'Be all things to all men' albeit he meant it in the context of spreading the gospel...

Yavvy

yeah sorry.. I know you were not trying to get at me or anything. My post did seem a little defensive. I just think its an interesting wider subject and people (who know im non religions) have raised an eyebrow at me in the past when they here me use saying like "god bless" or "for the love of God"

brianthebard

Dades wrote: »

Isn't "bless you" short for "God bless you"? i.e. It's a little request for (his) God to bless him?

Perhaps you should say "science bless you". It's certainly more likely to get rid of his cold.

Science has a cure for the common cold now?

KTRIC

Slightly related, when you give someone a fright etc and they say "Jesus". I just say "I prefer Alan to be honest, but whatever works for you" . Or alternatively when they say "Oh my god", walk away mumbling (make sure they can here you) saying "not yet , not yet ...."

The Mad Hatter

Splendour wrote: »

As Paul says 'Be all things to all men' albeit he meant it in the context of spreading the gospel...

Funny, Kurt Cobain said the same thing in referring to the vagueness of the lyrics in Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Goduznt Xzst

Alany wrote: »

I am in sales, I see nothing wrong with mimicking a clients "type" of personality or whatever.

reminds me of when Will Farrells brother in Step Brothers was trying to sell the house to some African Americans...

Derek: You can have some dope parties on this lawn.
Second Homebuyer Husband: You don't have to talk like that. You can just say it's nice.
Derek: Nah, that's how I talk. Look at this door, it's fresh.

Yavvy

lol .. I hope im not that obvious.

that post was dope, bro.

Dave!

What a silly goose... I recommend you ignore that chap from now on.

Splendour

Alany wrote: »

yeah sorry.. I know you were not trying to get at me or anything. My post did seem a little defensive. I just think its an interesting wider subject and people (who know im non religions) have raised an eyebrow at me in the past when they here me use saying like "god bless" or "for the love of God"

Hey Alany, no need to apologise- I've got bigger fish to fry!
I've plenty of folk around (also non religious) who also use terms like you've just described and I never raise an eyebrow at what they say.
The way I see it is, if you don't speak the language, then how can you know exactly what it is you're saying.

Apart from the fact that I sometimes forget myself and fall into the secular use of such expletives myself

Splendour

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Funny, Kurt Cobain said the same thing in referring to the vagueness of the lyrics in Smells Like Teen Spirit.

'Hello, hello, hello, how low?'

Brilliant song, but yes, sad also...