Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Perhaps I'm obtuse, but I fail to see, why sneezing/coughing/etc. merits any response whatsoever, from other persons who happen to be nearby. Is it not most polite, to refrain from drawing attention to another person's bodily noises?
It comes from an ancient belief, now forgotten, that when someone sneezed, it was a sign they were possessed of the Devil, or the Devil was nearby. So others would say, "Bless you!", to drive the Evil One away. It's possible this was only a West European thing, absent in Old Russia. I agree with you; a sneeze merits no comment.
About 7 years ago, I became Hyper attuned to this antic in our workplace. It was hilarious. Someone in their little cubby hole would sneeze, and shouted around the office was :Bless you! It was rather comical to listen to at times. I stopped saying it just so I could listen to who all chimed in. They could be in the middle of a phone call...and they would pause to shout out, Bless you! I was often wondering if anyone really meant it or simply became a Manner statement.
The "offended" half need to get over it. It's just an automatic courtesy from well-raised people, nothing more. As Nov3 mentioned, it can also be viewed as amusing in a group setting. Better than spraying the surrounding air with Lysol.
But then again, I'm just an old guy who was raised to be polite - as in opening doors for females (of any age), taking my hat off in an elevator/restaurant/home/office/school, walking on the curb side with my wife, Yes Sir, no Sir, yes Ma'am, no Ma'am......etc.
I had an algebra teacher that would say, "You're not the pope to be blessing people after they sneeze!" Many times people were sent to the office in her class for that. Once she sneezed in class. The whole class said "bless you!!" At the same time. And loud. She gave us extra assignments for that. I refused to do them.
Your algebra teacher sounds like she was an insecure a-hole.
My wife (a devout Roman Catholic) added that it isn't religious unless the phrase "God bless you" is used. Just plain "Bless you" could mean her own salutation, Mother Nature's, or Madilyn Murray-O'Hair's.
I used to say, "Bless you" but now I say, "Sneezings Greetings" in order to be more politically correct. Just kidding about the PC... but I do say, "Sneezings Greetings."
I like it when people say, "bless you" to me after I sneeze just in case any evil beings try sneaking into my nostril when it's unguarded. I appreciate the effort, although it's probably too late in my case.
I used to say, "Bless you" but now I say, "Sneezings Greetings" in order to be more politically correct. Just kidding about the PC... but I do say, "Sneezings Greetings."
I like it when people say, "bless you" to me after I sneeze just in case any evil beings try sneaking into my nostril when it's unguarded. I appreciate the effort, although it's probably too late in my case.
That's a good one! I'll have to test it out on the wife..... after she's fixed dinner.
That's a good one! I'll have to test it out on the wife..... after she's fixed dinner.
I'm sure she'll be thrilled. Does she use a lot of black pepper while preparing dinner? I hope so! That way you can say it multiple times and be as obnoxious as I am.
The "offended" half need to get over it. It's just an automatic courtesy from well-raised people, nothing more. As Nov3 mentioned, it can also be viewed as amusing in a group setting. ...
The point is that the very fact that an utterance is made, is itself discourteous. The words themselves don't matter - whether they are "Blessed be, in the name of Allah and his Holy Prophet, Peace be upon Him", or "Gesundheit", or "Hey man, hold a tissue over your mouth, would you".
To reiterate, the very fact that one is noticed, can itself be offensive and discourteous, because it inconveniences the person being noticed. It makes it incumbent upon that person to acknowledge the greeting. By my reckoning, the most courteous place is a crowded subway car, where despite jostling and heaving of standing-passengers as the subway-car accelerates or decelerates, nobody exchanges a word, or even a glance. People are literally pressed together, buttocks to abdomens, but the implicit convention is to pretend that one is completely alone.
I think it is ridiculous and absurd to recognize anyone's sneeze. Ignore it! It's none of your business. To put a focus on someone sneezing is asinine.
And making a sneezing person the focus of attention by exclaiming 'bless you' in a group or at work is highly poor judgment.
It is not a courtesy and it is not indicative of being 'well-raised' to say 'bless you'. It is actually indicative of being poorly 'raised'.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. To which mom replied, "You're apparently not Catholic, are you?" 
