ACHOO!

In case you didn't know, I'm an atheist.

And, in case you didn't know (for example, if English isn't your primary language, Maris), saying "bless you" is a polite way to respond to a person sneezing. And the common courtesy is to say "thank you" to that person and everyone's happy. Everyone follows this protocol because it's good manners. Except for me. I don't say anything to people when they sneeze and I tend not to respond when they respond to my sneezing. To me, it's archaic and rooted in a tradition going back seemingly for centuries. And, because some people do it frequently every day, it just feels like a pointless gesture.

Today my boss scolded me in front of a co-worker who asked me why I didn't respond to a customer saying "bless you" after I sneezed. (I have told my co-workers that I am atheist and that hadn't been an issue to this point.) She explained to me that someone might take offense to me not responding to their "blessing" and further noted the contradiction that I say "Oh my God," "Jesus" (and even "jeez") or other things like that without a second thought. (Which, after the scolding, I started to.) Because of the potential customer service issue, I inferred that not responding to a customer and having that person complain to my boss or my boss' boss might get me in trouble. It's kind of a difficult position to be in.

It should be noted that there is no clear consensus on the true origins of the phrases "bless you" or "God bless you," but I strongly believe that the person who says it wants their God to help you and protect you. Whether or not that's what they actually mean, that's what it sounds like to me. I consider it almost akin to someone saying they're going to "pray for me," like it's some sort of backhanded compliment and they're doing me a favor when they're actually being an asshole. In a way it's also like telling me to clap enthusiastically for the dying Tinkerbell in order to revive her, since some people believe (my boss included) that sneezing causes the heart to stop for a moment and saying "bless you" is supposed to aid in re-fibrillation somehow.

I'm fully aware that some people who don't believe in any God say "bless you" out of pure courtesy, including Danielle, who thinks I'm being petty by not saying "thank you" to someone blessing me. But I'd rather not show appreciation to people hoping my sneeze doesn't kill me because it's illogical. What else can I do/say?

My other issue is that I'm probably way in the minority on this; as if being an atheist wasn't bad enough, now I'm being made to feel like this is some sort of anti-religious rebellion and I've got hardly any ground to stand on. And that's probably the case? But, like anyone with a strong belief, I hope to be able to stick to my guns on this, because, at the very least, I don't think I can be fired for having a personal belief against something so...well, trivial.

Anyway, what do you do when someone else sneezes? How do you feel when people respond to you sneezing?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Goddamn you're stupid.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

derailin threads like a boss

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

appropriately posting in threads like a boss

See above.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Your cynical logic is causing some serious friction between you and your coworker and boss at your job. You need to fix this or otherwise the workplace will get real uncomfortable for you real quick.

DO NOT DIG INTO THE GROUND Dope. You know what happens do you? You can't climb back out if you dug too deep. There's a difference between standing firm on your two feet from digging your knee socks into the fresh mud. Moderation is the key and to appease the masses (especially retail), the fucking world isn't ready for atheism yet either.

With that said, try to imagine yourself as another minority and how to respond in each scenario. What do you do if a blind sweet blubbering lady thought you were a woman? Do you respond in cynical logic too?

At least we should be grateful that the workplaces as far as I know had banned circulars of religious pamphlets and the like. Ditto for politics. This shit needs to STAY out of the workplaces for a good reason. You DO not want to wear that badge of Atheism to work, do you?

What I'm sure they're pinging you on is the common courtesy. I'm sure you're a stand up dude but I can be nonplussed when you don't respond or even smile or nod if I was a customer. I'm sure this customer mentioned it out of kindness and only wished for the acknowledgment of doing so even if its for free. Nothing's wrong with free courtesy is there? I'd always say thank you to anyone who opens a door for me. I dunno about you, but free courtesy is the least you can do before a lot of things (like don't fucking spread your disease without using your elbow). I'd be disturbed too if I were the coworker too since it only takes a second to respond in kind.

A MERE SECOND.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Or just do this.

When someone sneezes, just say "excuse you". No fuzz, no bullshit, no drama.

FELIPE NO

Or, as an even better idea, quickly don a pope hat and catholic robes. Grab a staff with a cross on it, and then turn on a CD of angelic hymnals while screaming "GOD BLESS YOU" until they leave or shrink to the ground in fear. Backlighting will help.

Because if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well.

Also, the Maris line deserved a prop. So I gave it one.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

You're a fucking psycho and also autistic.

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There is the classic German "gesundheit" which should be appropriate to your profession, as it means "health".

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Philia

At least we should be grateful that the workplaces as far as I know had banned circulars of religious pamphlets and the like.

Customers leave that stuff laying around at my store all the time, and it's fantastic. Few things provide more amusement to us than 10 page photocopied manifestos about some guy's church revivals that he holds in his backyard.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Yeah like dull said, "gesundheit" really is the middle ground in all this cuz it means "health". Plus it's fun to say.

And if someone says "bless you" or "god bless you" just say "thanks" or "thank you". Shit is just a common curtsey / mannerly custom that you just do.

No need to get uppity or get other people uppity whether god is involved in this sneezing shenanigans or not.

How ya doing, buddy?

I doubt that most people even put that much thought into the context of the phrase, it's just a polite gesture. Even if someone genuinely believes they have to say it to chase the devil out of you (or whatever), who cares? In this instance it's a harmless aspect of their belief and it's still said with good intentions. I always say "gesundheit" because it's an awesome word.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I don't know what you'll do when your soul actually does escape through your nose and you're left behind the counter with none of the good that god willed into your body.

alternatively: ASSEMBLE THE INTERNET ATHEISTS

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

oh nom, I thought I undderstand English in this forum but now after read the post in the first post I`am not to sure about this.... help !

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I may have brought this up once or twice before, but I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness until I left the crazy behind as a teenager. Funny enough, they act in almost the same way you do at the custom. They don't like the superstition behind it, I guess because there is no bible verse that tells you about evil spirits flying up your nose when you sneeze (although they believe every instance of demonic possession in the bible). They equate it to occult believe, like you're a practicing wiccan or something if you were to tell somebody "god bless you," and even variations like gesendheit are frowned upon.

They're definately overreacting. You are too for different reasons. It's nothing to put up a fight over. Still, I'm sympathetic; I just about never tell people god bless. I mean, if it's some stranger on a bus, I do my best to ignore it. If it's someone I know and we're having a conversation or they are sitting on my face or something and they sneeze, it's just weird a little to not respond at all. You can say gesundheit, I sometimes ask "You ok?" Sometimes I just say gross and then ask them if they need a tissue.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

There's being an atheist, then there's being an ass.

My roommate does the same thing. He's very anti anything religious being thrown his way, even if its a common cultural thing thats just adapted into our society. Hell, he gets all bent out of shape when an employee of a store says Merry Christmas to him. I'm agnostic, tend to not like organized religion (or religion as a whole), but I'll still give courtesy of saying 'thanks' when someone says 'bless you'. This isn't acknowledging their religion, but showing gratitude that they're thinking of your well being regardless of how its expressed.

On top of that, this is in relation to a customer. Anytime you're handling customer service, you should not be ignoring a customer over something as petty as 'bless you'. If they started preaching, you can excuse yourself with a "I'm sorry, I don't feel comfortable discussing this" or whatever. But a simple 'bless you' from a customer shouldn't be ignored. Customer service is key, especially right now.

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Sup Dope, gimme some of that stuff you're smokin.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

You know, I kind of go both ways about it.

At work, my manager sneezed, and I said bless you, and he didn't respond. I thought that was rude, and he might as well have acknowledged that I'm not just oblivious to his health, and am paying some concern to him, and that that should count for at least a hat tip.

But I thought about it some more, and I was like, well, it kinda wastes everyone's time to say bless you. I'll say it, you'll respond, and you might sneeze again, so what did that achieve? It's like Dopefish says, we have science today, and sneezing just a seasonal thing for most of us, so we don't need to jinx ourselves with that little ceremony of saying "Bless you!" whenever someone's sneezing in the vicinity. Or at least, if you don't want to, you shouldn't feel like you should. As for responding though, still think he was kinda rude.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by AnnieMoose

Yeah like dull said, "gesundheit" really is the middle ground in all this cuz it means "health". Plus it's fun to say.

And if someone says "bless you" or "god bless you" just say "thanks" or "thank you". Shit is just a common curtsey / mannerly custom that you just do.

No need to get uppity or get other people uppity whether god is involved in this sneezing shenanigans or not.

I am abolutely with anniemoose

as already said germans say "Gesundheit" if someone's sneezing - so they don't have spiritual or beliving problems...
but your logic is flawed... i think this has nothing to do with spirituality or belivings... just say thanks...
the person who says "bless you" just wants the best for you... I do also say bless you - and I'm not a "member" of any religion or spiritual group...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?