# Well wishes for atheists! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897 "2005-07-10T22:58:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/21 "2005-07-11T09:19:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > For God’s sake. Oh God, Not even _God_… God knows. What in God’s Name? Jesus Christ! > > All linkstones of English conversation. All inappropriate for Atheists. Hell, I use all of these. All of them have lost their religious significance (as have other words as noted earlier, to which I’ll add _holiday_.) What I do avoid is the specific uses as demonstrated in the OP, where there’s a clear invocation of God for a specific circumstance. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/22 "2005-07-11T09:45:53Z")
Once Peggy Bundy said to Marci: > [@](#): > > We here you scream “Oh God, Oh God, Oh God” in the middle of the night, but you never go to church. I always liked Peg. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/23 "2005-07-11T11:13:57Z")
There’s one that is equally often triggered on impulse (if not _more_ often) and that is “Thank God” Such as “Thank God he’s too dumb to realize” It’s wildly inappropriate for an Atheist to say (as it is not only implying responsibility for, but _giving thanks_ to a deity for a property of something!) I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. I must use ‘It’s a good job’ insted. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/24 "2005-07-11T11:16:17Z")
Thank Og for cut-n-pasting a spelling mistake 56 times! ---
**Author:** ![Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fromage\_A\_Trois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fromage_A_Trois)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/25 "2005-07-11T12:57:22Z")
I’ve always liked Terry Pratchett’s expletive “primitive and outmoded concept on a crutch!”. 😃 And I agree with **sundog66** that one of the perks of being an atheist is being able to use God and Jesus related expletives with no fear of reprimand (from God, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/26 "2005-07-11T13:29:37Z")
> [@sundog66](#): > > ??? > > I consider one of the cool fringe benefits of being an atheist to be the ability to invoke such oaths without guilt… Why is the only option guilt? It’s not that I feel guilty, it’s just meaningless words to me and such I want to break my habit of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ex\_Machina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/27 "2005-07-11T13:33:30Z")
I like to say “Thank you, Jebus” now. I got that from Homer Simpson. Then I found that it is an actual name of a location in the Old Testament. I like to throw the G-word around when I speak to the savages because it has a magical quality which stops them in their tracks. “Boogah Boogah!!” Seriously, I use expressions such as “Thank God” reflexively but never invoke God to bless people. (Unless it’s at a funeral and they are begging for it.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/28 "2005-07-11T15:54:27Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’m as atheist as they make ‘em, but I find a great delight in spouting, "_Jay_-sus, Mary an’ Joseph, ya _darty bahstardt!_" in a violently fake Irish accent. I feel ok about JAYsus and GAWD because I’m not pronouncing them properly so it’s actually a completely different word. I also say “Aw fercripessake”. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/29 "2005-07-11T19:26:59Z")
I use “Geez” quite a lot. That, and “Criminies”. As far as a sneeze response, I’ve always stuck with the old standard “Gesundheit”. However, I do use “Goddamnit” frequently. As an atheist, I find it a lot easier to use theistic exclamations in a negative context. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/30 "2005-07-11T20:26:26Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > But aren’t the real gems theistic? > > God bless. > Go with god. (Via con dios if you’re feeling international) > Godspeed. (My favourite, though I’m not sure what it actually means) > Bless your heart. Those are gems? :dubious: I’ve got no problems sincerely saying “congratulations,” or “terrific,” or whatever; tossing “God” into the phrase seems like an overt, heavy-handed attempt to witness. I will, however, freely use “geez” and “heck,” since IMO those have no religious connotations whatsoever. And wildly silly expressions like “Sweet flaming Jesus!” or “Holy mother of god in a birchbark canoe!” are great for a laugh. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/31 "2005-07-11T23:04:41Z")
Lord knows, I’m as big an atheist as the next guy, but I’ll be damned if I’m giving up my religiously-themed exclamations. Christ, if I did that, I’d be losing half my vocabulary! No way in hell I’m letting that happen. Thank God there’s no orthodoxy to atheism, 'cause this sort of crap would drive me spare. Look, 99% of people who say these things don’t mean them literally. When some guy says, “That guy just cut me off! God damn him!” he doesn’t actually want the Lord on High to cast him into the fiery sulphur pits of tarterus. He’s speaking metaphorically, or at least hyperbollically. When I say it, I’m doing the same thing, only with more hyperbole, or possibly more metaphor. Certainly a lot more irony, at the very least. I don’t believe in God, but neither do I feel compelled to show off just how much I don’t believe in God by going out of my way to avoid common, everyday English phrases. I’m _an_ athe **ist** , I’m not _the_ athi **est**. It’s a philosophy, not a contest. That said, for sincere expressions of condolence, I do try to avoid anything with a religious theme. Not usually a good time for irony. Sincere congratulations are a different matter, though. What the hell do y’all say when someone sneezes, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/32 "2005-07-11T23:15:22Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What the hell do y’all say when someone sneezes, anyway? I guess “gesundheit” would work if you just absolutely don’t want to bring God into the equation, but even then you’re wishing someone good health, and who’s going to grant them good health on your say-so but some deity? I say just compliment them, like on Seinfeld. Them: aaaa-aaa-achoo! You: You are so good looking. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/33 "2005-07-12T00:43:31Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What the hell do y’all say when someone sneezes, anyway? “Got yer soul!” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/34 "2005-07-12T02:23:12Z")
Here’s another atheist who says god a lot. I’d rather I didn’t but don’t really care. Although to even things out I’ve began to call certain days of the week Tiu’s day, Woden’s day, Thor’s day, Friia’s day and Saturn’s day. So far I think people just think I have a weird accent. Sun’s day and Moon’s day don’t sound good enough. ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/35 "2005-07-12T05:16:48Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Why is the only option guilt? It’s not that I feel guilty, it’s just meaningless words to me and such I want to break my habit of it. That I understand. But the purpose of an expletive, as one [source](http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/ling201/test3materials/SocioStyle.htm) aptly puts it, is to “express emotions in a deliberately socially unacceptable and therefore stronger way.” Note “ **socially** unacceptable”. The expletive will still have the same effect even when the person who utters it does not share the values that made the term an expletive in the first place. Such a person thus has unrestricted access to it as a means expressing strong emotion. That is a fringe benefit. Even though the words are “meaningless” to you in the sense that you don’t endorse the ideological source of their power, they are surely still meaningful to you in social context because you understand the effect they have on others. Christ, I need to get a hobby… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/36 "2005-07-12T05:23:06Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What the hell do y’all say when someone sneezes, anyway? Gesundheit. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/37 "2005-07-12T06:07:10Z")
> [@Fern Forest](#): > > Here’s another atheist who says god a lot. I’d rather I didn’t but don’t really care. > > Although to even things out I’ve began to call certain days of the week Tiu’s day, Woden’s day, Thor’s day, Friia’s day and Saturn’s day. So far I think people just think I have a weird accent. > > Sun’s day and Moon’s day don’t sound good enough. I used to do just that. 😉 However, in answer to the OP, after many an accidental blurting of phrases with theistic origins (Godammit! Stop saying Godammit! Godammit!), I finally decided I ought to be perfectly happy using them, they have no religious connotations for me and if they do for whoever I’m speaking to, big dirty deal. After all, if we can’t all use these words and phrases, shouldn’t everybody who doesn’t believe in Norse gods have to find different names for the days of the week? And so on and so forth through the whole varied but wonderful mess of linguistic evolution. No, they shouldn’t. So buggered if I’m going to. I still try not to use them though ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/38 "2005-07-12T07:51:46Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Bless your heart. Pssst: Hey **QuickSilver** , if you’re in Texas I would omit this one from your vernacular if I were you. Unless of course you want a black eye or broken nose. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/39 "2005-07-12T08:06:07Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > When some guy says, “That guy just cut me off! God damn him!” he doesn’t actually want the Lord on High to cast him into the fiery sulphur pits of tarterus. Sez you. If someone cuts me off in a particularly dangerous way, I wanna see him **BURN!** > [@](#): > > What the hell do y’all say when someone sneezes, anyway? Nothing. If you burp or fart, you’re supposed to say “excuse me”, but if you sneeze I’m supposed to say “bless you”? That’s stupidstitious and lame. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897/40 "2005-07-12T14:36:41Z")
> [@Ashes](#): > > In fact, I like the spanish version of ‘bless you’ better. When someone sneezes you just say ‘salud!’ no hoping for a deity to bless someone with good health or whatever. You just hand over the health directly with ‘salud,’ no middleman. Most of the Mexican guys I hang out with say “Sancho” when you sneeze. Which means “A guy named Sancho is sleeping with your wife right now” Could be just a Milwaukee area thing, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-wishes-for-atheists/311897.md?page=3)