Atheist dilemma

[JPajamas]

An atheist sneezes, and someone says "bless you". A God-fearing individual would say thank-you, and move along. BUT, as an atheist, what do you say:
"no thanks, I'm good",
"thank-you" and don't bother to explain your lack of beliefs,
or something totally different?

[Subfallen]

Ummm...welcome to the forums?

As to your question, Western society is pretty theocentric, and makes many implicit assumptions of God more obtrusive than "bless you." So I would hardly consider "bless you" the best example to make your point.

But I'm not offended by belief in God, so I would just say thank you.

[chezlaw]

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Ummm...welcome to the forums?

As to your question, Western society is pretty theocentric, and makes many implicit assumptions of God more obtrusive than "bless you." So I would hardly consider "bless you" the best example to make your point.

But I'm not offended by belief in God, so I would just say thank you.

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I don't believe in god but have been known to say bless you when people sneeze. I also shake people hands from time to time.

Its amazing what some people find time to worry about?

chez

[Ben K]

I would say thank-you and move along. Not because I'm god-fearing but because someone has offered me a kindness by wishing me well for my health and I'm grateful for it.

Plus it would ruin any good feeling they have towards me by ignoring them or reacting against expectations and why lower the level of happiness around me?

[txag007]

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Its amazing what some people find time to worry about?

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He's new, bless his heart. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[PairTheBoard]

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An atheist sneezes, and someone says "bless you". A God-fearing individual would say thank-you, and move along. BUT, as an atheist, what do you say:
"no thanks, I'm good",
"thank-you" and don't bother to explain your lack of beliefs,
or something totally different?

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I've always thought that was backwards. It seems to me the guy doing the sneezing should say, "Bless you and I hope you don't catch what I just sneezed at you".

PairTheBoard

[Hopey]

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An atheist sneezes, and someone says "bless you". A God-fearing individual would say thank-you, and move along. BUT, as an atheist, what do you say:
"no thanks, I'm good",
"thank-you" and don't bother to explain your lack of beliefs,
or something totally different?

[/ QUOTE ]

I say "thank-you", because I usually try to not act like a douchebag.

[samsonite2100]

I stop and lengthily explain that I don't believe in God and that he needs to shed his medieval prejudices. However long it takes--usually 2 or 3 hours. Then I head home and take a long hot shower to get the blessiness off me.

[AWoodside]

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An atheist sneezes, and someone says "bless you". A God-fearing individual would say thank-you, and move along. BUT, as an atheist, what do you say:
"no thanks, I'm good",
"thank-you" and don't bother to explain your lack of beliefs,
or something totally different?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always thought that was backwards. It seems to me the guy doing the sneezing should say, "Bless you and I hope you don't catch what I just sneezed at you".

PairTheBoard

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I'm pretty sure the phrase originally developed because at some point people thought sneezing was a way in which you expelled evil spirits from your body, in which case it makes sense. Religious people are pretty silly huh?

[PairTheBoard]

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An atheist sneezes, and someone says "bless you". A God-fearing individual would say thank-you, and move along. BUT, as an atheist, what do you say:
"no thanks, I'm good",
"thank-you" and don't bother to explain your lack of beliefs,
or something totally different?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always thought that was backwards. It seems to me the guy doing the sneezing should say, "Bless you and I hope you don't catch what I just sneezed at you".

PairTheBoard

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I'm pretty sure the phrase originally developed because at some point people thought sneezing was a way in which you expelled evil spirits from your body, in which case it makes sense. Religious people are pretty silly huh?

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That's probably how Linda Blair got possessed in the Exorcist. She got too close to someone sneezing a really bad demon sneeze.

PairTheBoard