# Am I rude for never saying "bless you" in response to people sneezing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047 "2009-07-23T22:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/1 "2009-07-23T22:35:38Z")
Surely I’m not alone. I’ve never done it, nor do I intend do, especially when you consider the silly history of it all. But there are times when someone sneezes and an awkward silence follows, as if the person is expecting people to say it. What say you then? Do you say it, and do you consider it rude for those not to say it? Personally I’ve seen it go the other way, for example, a person sneezing in class and others interrupting the lecture to verbally say “bless you,” as if it’s some urgent task that must be done at the expense of talking over the professor. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/2 "2009-07-23T22:37:59Z")
No, but be prepared for some balding short overweight guy to steal your best gal away from you at some point. I don’t think it’s rude not to. It just feels odd not to because so many people do say “Bless you.” ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/3 "2009-07-23T22:52:18Z")
Ok, I got a few issues with this because on the one hand, I believe that if something is a social norm, and it botherin’ me none, I might as well participate. On the other hand, I really do feel like I should take a tiny ‘stand’ against supersticion (thanks to Dawkins for raising my awareness on that) What I do is say something like, “Oh My!” or “Poor thing!” some nonsense like that seems to work fine as social grease. When I sneeze and they say ‘bless you’ I feel like saying thank you is fine, but I still get an itty bitty nagging feeling that I am participating in supersticious bs. So I have started just saying ‘excuse me!’ in an apologetic tone. Again, works fine as social grease. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/4 "2009-07-23T22:54:35Z")
Or you could say, “You’re soooooooo good looking.” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/5 "2009-07-23T23:19:39Z")
I got a weird reason for not saying it too. The whole religion thing is part of it. And I’ll admit it’s stupid on my part. What I sometimes say is ‘Zingooooo’! :shrug: eta… Perhaps we should say ‘Marinara’ or ‘Alfredo’ in reference to the Flying Spaghetti Monster. That I like. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/6 "2009-07-23T23:23:09Z")
I just go for the “gesundheit.” Nothing wrong with wishing a person good health. And just do it once, please. If a person is sneezing repeatedly because of allergies, there is no need for making a big fuss. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/7 "2009-07-23T23:30:07Z")
No it’s not rude to keep silent and many people will be offended at being blessed or God blessed. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/8 "2009-07-23T23:39:09Z")
If you express verbal outrage at someone blessing you, then you’re an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/9 "2009-07-23T23:46:18Z")
I’m very certain that most of us who say bless you to someone who sneezes mean nothing religious by it, and the vast majority of people who hear it don’t think there’s anything religious about it either. It’s just something most people say to acknowledge that the other person sneezed. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/10 "2009-07-23T23:46:33Z")
Don’t say anything. I have allergies and I sneeze a lot and I don’t like when people call attention to it. Just ignore it. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/11 "2009-07-23T23:49:24Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Don’t say anything. I have allergies and I sneeze a lot and I don’t like when people call attention to it. Just ignore it. I do ignore it if someone is repeatedly sneezing, but the first time they do it, I feel odd about ignoring it because I know that social norms usually call for a response. I know it is silly though. I don’t _want_ to say anything at all. I’m going to stop saying anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/12 "2009-07-23T23:51:52Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > No it’s not rude to keep silent and many people will be offended at being blessed or God blessed. Well, I usually leave off the god, but seriously? Being offended by the words “bless you” even if no religious intent is meant? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/13 "2009-07-24T00:00:16Z")
I ignore it until the third sneeze, at which point I call the offender an attention whore. What? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/14 "2009-07-24T00:12:26Z")
😃 See, I say bless you up until the third sneeze. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/15 "2009-07-24T00:47:29Z")
If I know a person I’ll usually say (obviously in jest, but sternly) “stop dying!” Or something similar. If I don’t know someone I’ll usually keep to myself, I don’t think there’s much rude about it. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/16 "2009-07-24T01:01:23Z")
There’s a guy in my office who has to say “Bless you” for every single sneeze anywhere in the office. Every. single. friggin’. time. Sneeze 5 times in a row? He’ll bless you after each bloody one. That’s _really_ annoying. > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Well, I usually leave off the god, but seriously? Being offended by the words “bless you” even if no religious intent is meant? How can “bless you” not have a religious intent? The sentiment is inherently religious. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/17 "2009-07-24T01:12:24Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > How can “bless you” not have a religious intent? The sentiment is inherently religious. Well, yeah, but I don’t think it necessarily means anything. It’s just something people say without thinking about what it means. I don’t believe in god and I just say it to be polite. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/18 "2009-07-24T01:32:42Z")
No you’re not rude. I wish more people felt the way you do, then they would quit calling attention to it when I sneeze. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/19 "2009-07-24T01:46:50Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > And just do it once, please. If a person is sneezing repeatedly because of allergies, there is no need for making a big fuss. After the second sneeze, it’s fun to holler “Three for a nickel!” Well, it was fun when my 5th grade teacher did it. And yes, she would indeed give you a nickel. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047/20 "2009-07-24T01:59:43Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I got a weird reason for not saying it too. The whole religion thing is part of it. I assume you never say “goodbye” either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-rude-for-never-saying-bless-you-in-response-to-people-sneezing/504047.md?page=2)