What do you say when someone sneezes? And why?

Question

I am offended by "god bless you." Some people say gesundheit. I find that ok. But why say anything? Everyone sneezes.

Answer 1

i say "Will you please cover your mouth when you do that. Man what's wrong with you, were you raised by baboons?"

Answer 2

I say gesundheit.  

You say it out of tradition.  It used to be to protect you from evil spirits invading your body.  Now, it's a cultural obligation and basically considered rude if you don't.  

Answer 3

I usually say "Bless You" and they usually say "Thank You",  and yes everyone sneezes as long as they cover their mouth when they do sneeze

Answer 4

its the right thing to do

Answer 5

It's proper to say "Bless you"it's simply good manners and a polite thing to do.

Answer 6

I was raised in a home where God was not talked about ... so we all said gesundheit too :)

I think it's just considered good manners.  I mean, why do we put our napkins in our laps instead of tucking it into our shirt?  I think having it in your shirt would make more sense.  But it's just good manners not to.

I don't understand why you would be offended.  No matter what my beliefs I was always happy when others wished me well, whether they included God's name in those wishes or not.

Answer 7

why would you be offended???  that seems pretty petty to me... I always say thank you when people say things to me after I sneeze.. (usually I hear bless you)

Answer 8

why would you be offended? theyre being nice. although i dont normally hear people say the God in front of it.. normally just bless you.

ive never heard of the gesundhit thing.. sounds weird to me.

i normally dont say anything.. maybe id ask if they needed a tissue.  

Answer 9

I take it your an Athiest or agnostic...but if you do believe in science ...know that the heart stops when we sneeze...so that religious people like me ask for or thank God (SWT) for starting the heart again.

believe it or not....i have been corrected before by an atheist who got bugged by this same thing. he simply said..'thank the universe"..and went on his way...lol...

Answer 10

I say bless you. I don't put 'God' in front of it because I'm not Catholic.

Answer 11

Bless you. I say that because it's good manners, also because I have been conditioned to do it, so if someone sneezes and I don't say anything for whatever reason, I am not having a good day very likely. Hope that answers your question.

Answer 12

well when a person sneezes, his/her heart stops beating for that fraction of a second. thats why we say "God Bless You".

we, muslims, apart form saying "God Bless you"  to the one who sneezes, also say "thanks to the God" when we ourselves sneeze.

well i don't think its something to be taken as an offence. the other peron saying it is wishing for you God's blessings. i m not sure if they mean what they say or just say it out of habit but you should take it positively.

Answer 13

i was told when you sneeze your heart stops a sec or so..so  you say god bless you..its true..

Answer 14

Please refer to the SNOPES link for complete information... but let's put the record straight ... the heart does NOT stop when you sneeze.  Also, some of the EARLIEST references to "blessing" people when they sneeze date back to 150 AD... that's pretty darned far back!!!

As for being offended, if someone wished you to receive $1 million, would you be offended?  Then why, if someone wishes any sorts of "blessings" on you, would you be OFFENDED???  Hang it up, m'dear.  No one is trying to convert you or anything.

Why must be try to dismantle simple, common courtesies?  What HARM do they cause?  Is there too MUCH courtesy in the world that we must get RID of one of them?

Have a polite day.

  

Answer 15

dont touch the food untill you wash those hands.

Answer 16

This person is reacting to a superstition and trying to save you from some danger.  Just ignore what they say and let the person feel comfortable.  They are not intending to insult you.

Gesundheit is the wish for you to have good health.

This behavior (the blessing) is so embedded into our culture that it will be hard to eradicate it.

Answer 17

"Salud" pronounced Sah-lood. It's spanish for health. All my Spanish teachers say it.

Answer 18

I say "bless you" because that's what I've heard all of my life.

Gesundheit is good, it's German for "good health".

I really don't think it should matter what we say, though. It's just a few words...