why do people say "bless you" when you sneeze?

I don't say anything..

but there is a feeling of obligation there

 

a long time ago people believed when you sneezed you were expelling
demons from your body hence the bless you

 

I'd' heard it was because sneezing was the first indication you were afflicted with bubonic plague. People said "God bless you" because it pretty much meant you shouldn't start to read any long novels.

 

Anything expelled from your body is the devil...especially poop

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_bless_you

I always ask if they want a tissue....

 

What if your one of them speed readers?

 

This might help

http://www.trivia-library.com/a/origin-of-common-superstitions-sneezing-and-bless-you.htm


Hotwater

 

i get annoyed with people who get angry with those who don't say "bless you."

 

people get mad when someone doesn't say "bless you" after they sneeze...? Wow, earth does take all kinds.. I couldn't imagine getting upset or even noticing if someone didn't say "bless you" or anything when I sneezed...I just try really hard not to blow snot out of my nose cause let me tell you, that's embarrassing...

 

I almost always say it. Eventually I just say shut up already if they keep sneezing.

 

at one of my former workplaces, the sports editor came up with the sneeze game... it was basically seeing who could say bless you the fastest to a person who just sneezed... it didn't count if they didn't say thank you...

weird guy...

you didn't get anything really for being the fastest... just the satisfaction of a job well done.

 

and some say "God bless you" and are athiests..odd

 

I like to use Gesundheit instead... means good health.

 

Or how about.."you are so good looking" like that Seinfeld episode...

 

Yessss!!!!!!

 

haha..that was a good one..sneezing naked is not attractive

 

Hilarious

 

does that mean we are all the devil? I mean, we were kind of expelled from someone's body... technically two someones. So my teacher was right, I'm the freaking devil... I don't think this will go well in confession. lol Fuck yeah! :cheers2:

 

i say "god bless you"

 

Same here. what is with the obligation feeling. I get that too.