I couldn’t agree more. I find it moderately offensive when someone says, “Bless you,” when I sneeze. First, because of the religious implications, second, because they certainly haven’t thought before speaking, and third, because it’s never crossed their minds that I COULD be offended by unthinking, religious invocations.
It doesn’t offend me when other people say it. It’s true that they aren’t thinking—it’s just a social pleasantry, people don’t often think about those! -- but it’s meant in a nice way. Also, perhaps this is a cultural difference (I’m in the relatively irreligious UK), but I think most people who say it here don’t mean it as a religious invocation in the slightest. I just don’t particularly like expressing that connotation myself.
I usually say “Gesundheit”, partly because I feel slightly uncomfortable with the connotations of “bless you”.
I couldn’t agree more. I find it moderately offensive when someone says, “Bless you,” when I sneeze. First, because of the religious implications, second, because they certainly haven’t thought before speaking, and third, because it’s never crossed their minds that I COULD be offended by unthinking, religious invocations.
It doesn’t offend me when other people say it. It’s true that they aren’t thinking—it’s just a social pleasantry, people don’t often think about those! -- but it’s meant in a nice way. Also, perhaps this is a cultural difference (I’m in the relatively irreligious UK), but I think most people who say it here don’t mean it as a religious invocation in the slightest. I just don’t particularly like expressing that connotation myself.