UTRGV professor bans 'disruptive' act of saying 'God bless you'

[TexasTowelie]

Saying "God bless you," or simply, "Bless you," whenever someone sneezes may be distracting, but it's deeply ingrained in some individuals.

So deeply, in fact, that when a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley professor asked students not to invoke the blessing during classes and exams, it created a buzz online.

The professor, whose identity has not been reported, included the instruction on a class syllabus distributed the first day of class.

According to a statement from the university, the professor sought to identify examples of "potentially disruptive behavior" that could interfere with learning, including the use of cellphones.

Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/education/article/Texas-professor-bans-disruptive-act-of-saying-6503608.php

[TM99]

1. More coddling of the victim generation

through the acceptance of the bogus theory of micro-aggressions.

Talk about the dumbing down of America!

[Javaman]

2. I'm an athiest and I see nothing wrong with it. nt

[TM99]

3. So as an atheist

you feel micro-aggressed if someone says 'bless you' if you sneeze?

[SheilaT]

4. Quite frankly, it depends on just how aggressively a person says it.

I say "gesundheit" myself. Some years back I was in a class, seated next to a woman who was VERY pointed about saying "GOD bless you" when someone sneezed. I ignored it, because I wasn't about to get into a pissing contest with her, but it was very clear (mainly from occasional other comments she made) that she was very specifically invoking the deity.

I get quite annoyed at injunctions from friendly strangers to "Have a blessed day", but I simply smile and thank them. There's no point in returning a well-intended remark with rudeness.

[TM99]

5. Exactly.

It is entirely subjective. There is no objective measure for whether a phrase, a verbal or non-verbal communication, or a off the cuff comment is an example of a micro-aggression or not.

[Javaman]

7. I've had similar experiences.

I was dealing with the old "merry Christmas" non-trovercy a few years ago, and my response has always been "happy holidays". you just couldn't believe just how pissed this woman was with my response and insisted on shouting "merry Christmas" right back. I shrugged and said, "okay, happy holidays". she turned beet red and yelled at me and called me a communist. LOL Then again I live in Texas so I wasn't all that surprised at her display of insanity.

[Javaman]

6. No, but I find it offensive if someone says it to me.

since I don't believe in that stuff.

and I tell them so.

and oddly, the amount of dirty looks I get, when I tell them, "I prefer you not say that to me".

[TM99]

8. Again, it is subjective.

How do we objectively measure offensiveness?

I am by your standards, an atheist. I grew up in the South. One of my graduate degrees is in religious studies from a seminary. I have never taken offense at Merry Christmas, God Bless You, etc.

I definitely do not want a professor or any other authority figure attempting to 'legislate' subjective offensiveness. It will stifle discussion. It will promote censorship. It will encourage division where they may not be some.

[Javaman]

9. True, but that's all I have to go by.

My experiences.

it's not as if I did a study on it.

and all I ask is those who are religious among us respect my wishes as I respect theirs.

I consider myself a 1st Amendment Atheist.

Meaning, I could careless what you worship, pray to or believe in, just don't try to impose your will upon me. And that extends to "god bless you".

[TM99]

10. That is all any of can go on,

but the current debate over micro-aggressions and punishment of them in colleges is pertinent. Especially when our education system continues to trend downward.

[Javaman]

11. frankly, it isn't micromanagement...

it's the height of arrogance to naturally assume that saying "god bless you" to anyone, is acceptable.

I don't know anyone's particular religion until I ask.

And quite frankly, it's not my business to ask.

so unless the religious among us have figured out how to read minds, no one knows for sure, how a person would react.

when in doubt, don't.

And if all else fails and you feel compelled, say, "good health".

because the whole concept of "god bless you" is a completely antiquated belief based on the pre-medieval concept of "losing ones soul" when they sneeze or the more "modern" idea of "ones heart stopping".

It's just dumb.

[TM99]

12. Dumb or not,

some mean it religious. Some simply say it out of cultural upbringing or habit. It is serous micromanagement for professor to be attempting to control such a thing in their class room.

[Javaman]

14. that does not matter to me.

"some mean it religious". I don't even know how to respond to that. Because it makes no sense. But alas...

However, I do find it amazing how religious people are able to turn a thing around as if it's against them, yet think nothing of how it effects other people.

We are just going to talk round and round and not agree. I think we're finished, but if you wish to continue, knock yourself out. I won't respond.

Have a great day!

[TM99]

15. Spellcheck got me.

"Some mean it religiously". Others do not.

Well, if you think I am religious in that sense, you are mistaken.

This is the screwed up devisiveness of this type of micro-aggression pseudo-psychology.

So someone says god bless you after you sneeze. You take offense and want to stop people from doing that. Those who do want to say it take offense because you are trying to control the discourse. Is it any wonder we have devolved into high school aged blue team red team mentalities.

[ashling]

13. Everyone here assumes that

there is something religious behind this.

Is is offensive to atheists, 1st Amendment, etc.

As a college instructor and student, I see it as a class management tool - an attempt to get a handle on distractions during instruction and exams. I have been in classes in the deep south where a sudden raft of "God bless you's" during the middle of a lecture was as or more distracting than - you guessed it - cell phones.