# Do you get the "have a blessed day" invocation where you live (and are you bothered by it)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667 "2025-12-13T15:48:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/201 "2025-12-15T16:18:38Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > But I can’t say for sure how I’d react, because in the 30+ years I’ve been hearing this phrase, I have never once heard it spoken by a white person or anyone I could associate with a MAGA mentality. I may have to let this conversation go at that. Maybe you should listen to the experiences of the people who _have_ heard white maga men say it to them. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > you’re free to read what I wrote if you wish to understand it. And what you wrote suggests you have no clue where the people who _are_ upset by it are coming from, or what they are experiencing. I’m going to continue to not be upset, because so far, no one has said it to me in a way that’s upsetting. But I’m not going to dismiss people who love on different places and have different experiences. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/202 "2025-12-15T16:30:35Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > people who love on different places On the beach? In an elevator, or even on a plane? (sorry, I couldn’t resist) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/203 "2025-12-15T16:40:16Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > On the beach? [![](https://macashton.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/giphy-1-1.gif) ](https://macashton.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/giphy-1-1.gif) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/204 "2025-12-15T16:49:35Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > No problem. Some folk in this thread apparently believe: > > 1. That are mind-readers who know that it’s not merely an innocent well-wish, it’s a hidden threat to accept Jesus or be packed off to a conversion camp. I considered replying to this, because it’s pretty f\*\*\*ing clear that you are targeting me, specifically, with that comment, which utterly distorts my posts on the subject. But, nope. I’m out. You’ve won an argument on the internet. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/205 "2025-12-15T19:04:24Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > 100% of the last 20 years of DEI training, talk about microagressions, etc., has been about the fact that many people unconsciously engage in “othering” behavior. But would not a DEI approach be to accept everyone’s greetings, even if it were from a Christian, as long as the intent of the greeting was sincere. And the sincereness of the greeting is what matters, not the cultural influence of that greeting. If we do want to have the best DEI greetings, does that not get to intent, not religion, or exclusion? And are you perhaps assuming an intent, in a very un-DEI way, while stating DEI? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/206 "2025-12-15T19:17:13Z")
Perhaps. At the same time your assertion very quickly enters into the same territory as the **[Paradox of tolerance - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance)**. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/207 "2025-12-15T20:27:42Z")
If I got you correct, I think your concern isn’t about individual intent, but about cumulative impact. In a society where Christianity has historically been the default, religious language in public or shared spaces can unintentionally signal who belongs and who does not. From that perspective, challenging such language isn’t intolerance, but an attempt to prevent marginalization before it hardens. If that is correct I understand that logic, and I think that’s a valid concern. As such I suspect this is less about greetings themselves and more about different answers to a deeper question: whether inclusion is best achieved by minimizing dominant culture expressions, or by cultivating enough pluralism that people can encounter difference without it being read as threat. That’s probably where our frameworks diverge. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/208 "2025-12-15T20:40:06Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > - That are mind-readers who know that it’s not merely an innocent well-wish, it’s a hidden threat to accept Jesus or be packed off to a conversion camp. > - That their personal paranoia about trivial religious matters should govern how others express themselves in day-to-day interactions. That first one is a bit much, but the second one seems on point to me. **But again, the wish is not limited to white Maga hat wearing evangelicals. Other Christian groups and even Pagans wish blessings upon people.** > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Does a retail clerk saying, “have a great day” bother you so much that you _need_ to do something? Yeah, I mean, this is the 21st century- if you cant ignore “do you want fries with that”, “Thanks for shopping Kroger!” or “Have a great Day”, maybe you better find that cave. > [@Alessan](#): > > If someone wished me a blessed day, I’d probably say, “Thanks - I could use the bonus to my attack rolls and saving throws!” One D4 is always nice. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > To me somebody saying “blessed day” in 2025 is exactly the same as some white person calling a black man “boy” in 1950. The two are nothing whatsoever alike. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > I struggle to associate this with MAGA because I’ve never heard a white person say “have a blessed day.” Right. The Black Protestant churches are where it originated. From those and a couple of my pagan friends is the only place I have heard it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/209 "2025-12-15T20:41:46Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > As such I suspect this is less about greetings themselves and more about different answers to a deeper question: whether inclusion is best achieved by minimizing dominant culture expressions, or by cultivating enough pluralism that people can encounter difference without it being read as threat. That’s probably where our frameworks diverge. I think that’s a decent summation. But I’d reword a bit of it slightly: > or by cultivating enough pluralism that people can encounter difference without it ~~being read as~~ actually being a threat. The problem in the USA today is that fundamentalist Christianity absolutely is a threat to anyone who’s not one of their chosen flavor. I don’t have any concerns that the e.g. American Episcopals or Jews or Muslims want to run my life and demand my allegiance. I do have that fear about the fundy evangelicals and their con artist leaders. Millions of Americans agree with me that that fear is not crazy talk. It’s well-founded. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/210 "2025-12-15T20:46:41Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Right. The Black Protestant churches are where it originated. From those and a couple of my pagan friends is the only place I have heard it. I second this. 100% of the time, when I hear “have a blessed day”, it’s from a fellow African-American. And I hear it often. It has absolutely no negative MAGA/Fundy connotations for me (and others in this thread). It is definitely a YMMMV term. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/211 "2025-12-15T20:55:18Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > YMMMV Did you mean YMMV? ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/212 "2025-12-15T21:04:29Z")
I did. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/213 "2025-12-15T21:18:37Z")
Thank you for your post. I totally agree. I am more apt to accept it from a person of color as a true and kind salutation. I don’t think it should be allowed in any place of business. Any owner, manager should impress on his employees not to use religious based words with customers. Ever. It’s too charged. You need to practice your religion on your own time. (I’m speaking of clerks and cashiers, not boxed in office/manufacturing employees) ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/214 "2025-12-15T21:26:17Z")
When i do hear it it, it’s more often than not in a place of business, (store, restaurant), or public place (random conversation). It has no more religious connotation than someone saying that so-and-so is blessed with good looks, attentive parents, or a high-paying job. It definitely has roots in the Black Church, but these days the person saying it as likely to not actually be religious than are. It’s basically the equivalent to wishing someone good tidings or luck. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/215 "2025-12-15T21:29:54Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I considered replying to this, because it’s pretty f\*\*\*ing clear that you are targeting me, specifically, with that comment, which utterly distorts my posts on the subject. But, nope. I’m out. You’ve won an argument on the internet. Enjoy. If I’ve offended you, I apologize for that. A number of people in this thread have (are) suggesting that they know this is usually intended in a proselytizing manner. I don’t believe that’s knowable, and I believe people are starkly overestimating their ability to know the thoughts of someone they see as a hostile other. So I wasn’t referring to you individually. There’s no non-offensive way to suggest people are seeing things in a distorted manner, and I’m not changing my mind that this is how I see the situation. But I haven’t meant to attack or degrade anyone, and if so I’m sorry for that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/216 "2025-12-15T21:44:47Z")
You know, i just got a nice Hanukkah card from a religious (Christian) friend. It’s blue and gold, says “happy festival of lights” and has Hanukkiahs and dreidels on it. When secular people use religious language, it may just be their idiom. When religious people use religious language, they know what they are saying, and what it means. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/217 "2025-12-15T23:31:12Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > I second this. 100% of the time, when I hear “have a blessed day”, it’s from a fellow African-American. And I hear it often. It has absolutely no negative MAGA/Fundy connotations for me (and others in this thread). It is definitely a YMMMV term. I’ll just point out that Oregon is an historically hostile state to Blacks, to its everlasting shame. Idaho, the influence of which is strong in Oregon especially in the east and rural areas of the west as I’ve previously pointed out, is even worse. I’ve met very few Blacks here. It is white, white, white, except perhaps a bit better in the more populated urban areas like Portland. The people who are saying this where I live are white and overtly evangelical Christian (prominently worn crucifix, e.g.). @susan’s experience here: > [@susan](#): > > Her face screwed up in distaste and she replied. “That’s a _Jewish_ thing!” So her statement was generic and not to be reacted to as if it has a religious valence, but mine was different? Surprises me not at all. I have lived in the Bay Area where @Roderick_Femm lives. I don’t think I would ever encounter pointed meaning with the phrase there. It’s different here. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > When secular people use religious language, it may just be their idiom. When religious people use religious language, they know what they are saying, and what it means. You have made many excellent observations in this thread. This is one of the best ones. Thank you for understanding and explaining so well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/218 "2025-12-16T00:38:09Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > It has no more religious connotation than someone saying that so-and-so is blessed with good looks, attentive parents, or a high-paying job. It definitely has roots in the Black Church, but these days the person saying it as likely to not actually be religious than are. It’s basically the equivalent to wishing someone good tidings or luck. Good points ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/219 "2025-12-16T00:51:26Z")
Utter nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667/220 "2025-12-16T01:06:45Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > It has no more religious connotation than someone saying that so-and-so is blessed with good looks, attentive parents, or a high-paying job. Blessed by? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-the-have-a-blessed-day-invocation-where-you-live-and-are-you-bothered-by-it/1025667.md?page=12)