What is a secular response when someone sneezes?

[Deep N RedLand]

I decided saying "Bless You" was making me sound too hypocritical or might even sound like an invite to a religious discussion if they think you believe in blessing things.

The German "gesundheit", or however it's pronounced, seemed too much like I was trying to be funny, plus I think it might mean the same thing anyway.

Though saying anything seems justifying an outdated superstition, but by saying nothing I don't want to seem rude especially if I'm the only other person around.

[progmom]

1. gesundheit means good health, doesn't it?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. gesundheit

means "good health", so maybe an English equivalent would work-like "hope you feel better soon!"

[Fenris]

3. "You are soooooo good looking."

[ghostsofgiants]

8. Dammit, beat me to it

Classic Seinfeld.

[hyphenate]

4. Eh!

I still use God Bless You sometimes--old habits die hard. However, I do shorten it to "Bless you" most of the time. As the Pagan way is "Blessed Be" then it works in several different ways.

[Deep N RedLand]

12. Gesundheit might work then...

...but it still seems some people might be confused, as witnessed by me not sure of what it meant.

Especially the people I work with, who let's just say, are not the most worldly and fountains of knowledge.

Maybe I could just offer a tissue.

[DistressedAmerican]

5. I Use "Salud", Health in Spanish. Picked It Up Working In Mexico.

Also works as a drinking toast. Very versatile.

[Steel City Slim]

24. I Use Salud Too

I learned it living in Puerto Rico.

[Capn Sunshine]

35. It might interest you to know

that there's MORE to that blessing. If there are more sneezes that is. After "Salud" comes "Amor" and then "dinero".

[Steel City Slim]

37. Health, Love And Money

I did not know that. Thanks for the info.

[AG78]

6. Could go the Seinfeld route

"You're so good looking".

I never say anything, and just leave the silence. I like waiting to see what happens. I like feeling that someone is just waiting for me to say something, but if they look, I just look back. I see nothing rude about it, it's just a sneeze.

[Nicole]

7. get the hell away from me

is what I want to say! I don't want any more germs. :evilgrin:

I usually say Bless you.

[KG]

9. someone sneezing requires a response?

never understood that.

[qnr]

11. Well it used to, when people thought it involved evil spirits leaving or

entering the body, depending upon geographical location.

[liberalitch]

10. The history teacher in me...

who loves the middle ages has to say "God bless you"
Although I am a Zen Buddhist.

[randr]

13. "Bless you my darlin, for you have sneezed"

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. I hate it when people say ANYTHING in response to my sneezes

1. If you don't believe that devils enter your body when you sneeze, what's the point? That's the origin of the custom.

2. I am an allergy sufferer. There are times when I end up sneezing several times in succession. There's always some idiot in the vicinity who feels the need to punctuate each of my sneezes with a loud "Bless you!" or "Gesundheit!" followed by a self-satisfied smile.

[progmom]

15. i am with you, sista

i always sneeze at least 3 times. when someone tries to talk to me while I am sneezing - even if it is to say "bless you" i wanna punch them. i have told all the people sitting near me at work that they should "hold their applause 'til the end" and yet they still insist on doing exactly what you described. :grr:

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. I don't know. For many it's a conditioned response. I was raised in

a family of "God Bless You"-ers, therefore, I'm probably going to say it to you. But I don't mean anything derisive or mean spirited with regards to "faith" by it. :shrug: I just can't help myself.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. I don't object to faith

since I'm a liberal Christian myself.

I just get annoyed at having someone say "bless you" after each of several sneezes.

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. "Good One!!!"

At least that's what MrG says. :hi:

[Rick Myers]

17. Oh, dude, wipe your face!!!

Ack!

[Deep N RedLand]

19. Thanks for the input.

Another question I am curious is how many other people sneeze in response to bright light?

Happens to me every time I initially go outside. Then again working nights, the sun and me are not exactly on familiar terms so it could be just spiting me.

[Steel City Slim]

38. Bright Light Doesn't Always Make Me Sneeze

But if I have one coming on looking at bright light will hurry it up.

[TOhioLiberal]

42. Hmmmm...

...come to think of it, I usually sneeze a couple of times in the morning. Ususally the first time the sun hits my face full-on.

BTW: Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Champ]

20. Reminds me at work (They all say bless you)

I was walking and there are over 120 work stations and I sneezed and heard atleast 6 people yell "Bless you!" I just started laughing.

[rug]

22. Step back.

[ReadTomPaine]

23. Unfortunately, sometimes it's "Cover your mouth, please."

I have been around some amazingly inconsiderate people lately when it comes to this!

RTP

[UrbScotty]

25. Reagan bless you.

After all, isn't Ronald Reagan God?

[Joe Chi Minh]

26. "May every last vestige

of Christianity in you be totally secularised/expunged", I would imagine, would ring the chimes of our militant atheist confreres.

[JVS]

27. Quit fucking sneezing you germ-spreading douchebag!

[RPM]

29. why dont you just break their toys...

seems like your answer to everything :-)

[bigwillq]

28. I don't say anything

I don't feel the need to. Someone sneezed, go get a tissue and get on with your life. There's no need for a response. It's a normal bodily function.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

30. Ditto n/t

[Anarcho-Socialist]

31. "Aarrrgggh, germs!" n/t

[warrior1]

32. Why do we have to say

anything?

I do usually say to my co-workers when they start coughing, "your faking it."

[Baclava]

33. " Ooooooo, clean that shit up"

...that's what I say...

[Burma Jones]

34. I say, "Did you get any on ya?".........n/t

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

36. Nothing - I consider it impolite to draw attention to it

And in the Chinese law office where I work, the same thing holds true (and I'm not Asian). Drawing attention to a bodily function like sneezing is not considered appropriate by the Chinese people I know. I guess if someone farts in public, the same rule of silence is applied.

[Floogeldy]

39. Goddamit, stop spraying your fucking germs around everywhere!

B-)

[solinvictus]

45. You beat me too it!

[Floogeldy]

46. I think maybe JVS beat us both!!

B-)

[nytemare]

40. This thread is hanging around like a virus from one of those sneezes!!

He he.

Gesundheit!

[Bouncy Ball]

41. I wish people would just stop saying anything.

My husband has horrible allergies and when he sneezes, it's loud and several times in a row, ALWAYS.

People say "bless you" then they do it again and again, and usually start laughing and then it's a big production and it quite embarrasses him. He tries to stifle them, to no avail, because he doesn't want the attention it inevitably brings.

I get a big embarrassed, too. I've been known to tell people "just wait till he's finished."

:eyes:

I don't know why they find it so funny, either. We don't. His allergies are miserable.

[IntravenousDemilo]

43. I thought everybody and his dog knew "Gesundheit" n/m

[leftofthedial]

44. Dayum!

Where's my frigging galoshes?

works pretty good sometimes.