Another "New Atheist" question

[Jane]

Well, for a sneeze, I usually say "all right?"  (as in "are you all right?, not as in "woohoo! Allright!!"   Not as a sub for "bless you" - but just because it seems polite to inquire after their health/ show sympathy if they're all sick or hayfever-y.

For the other, you could take a page from the Irish, who really like "For F**k's Sake!"  

[Whitney]

I think you should say whatever you want to say or not say what you don't want to say.

Terms, such as "bless you" have taken on such a secular usage that they maintain little of their original intent (they use to think that when you sneeze demons could get into you...so they said bless you as a protective phrase).  Now it is just something people say out of tradition and to be polite.  

You could say Gesundheit instead of bless you.  I had a friend who did that because he thought the story behind why people say bless you was stupid (which it is).

If saying words with a religious background bothers you, try what some suggest for bad habbits  Place a rubber band on your wrist and if you catch yourself saying a word you don't want to use snap yourself with the rubber band.  The intent is not to inflict pain, just to associate a slightly negative feeling with the use of those words.

[Atheist Mother]

If saying words with a religious background bothers you, try what some suggest for bad habbits  Place a rubber band on your wrist and if you catch yourself saying a word you don't want to use snap yourself with the rubber band.  The intent is not to inflict pain, just to associate a slightly negative feeling with the use of those words.

Sort of like a shock collar...  good advice.  


Thanks for the advice guys.  I hate feeling more hypocritical then I need to.  Secular or not, saying the words "bless you" makes me feel like a hypocrite.

[Smallville]

If saying words with a religious background bothers you, try what some suggest for bad habbits  Place a rubber band on your wrist and if you catch yourself saying a word you don't want to use snap yourself with the rubber band.  The intent is not to inflict pain, just to associate a slightly negative feeling with the use of those words.

Sort of like a shock collar...  good advice.  


Thanks for the advice guys.  I hate feeling more hypocritical then I need to.  Secular or not, saying the words "bless you" makes me feel like a hypocrite.

No need in feeling hypocritical. The American heritage Dictionary, 4th ed., lists "bless you" as an idiom:
 
"bless you
 Used to wish good health to a person who has just sneezed."

There's no religious connotation involved.

[susangail]

I hate feeling more hypocritical then I need to.  Secular or not, saying the words "bless you" makes me feel like a hypocrite.

No need in feeling hypocritical. The American heritage Dictionary, 4th ed., lists "bless you" as an idiom:
 
"bless you
 Used to wish good health to a person who has just sneezed."

There's no religious connotation involved.

I agree. I think "God bless you" could be seen as hypocritical, but hardly anyone sees "bless you" as a religious phrase. It seems like almost a good luck thing or tradition maybe. I find it hilarious actually.

[Asmodean]

Come to think of it... How's about "Devil bless you"? Devils are cool, no?  

[susangail]

Come to think of it... How's about "Devil bless you"? Devils are cool, no?  

Sweet!  

"ah-choo!"
"Satan bless you."
*gasp!*  

Love it.

[Msblue]

I do the same. I use "Bless you" Jesus Christ and OMG often. They don't have a have a religious meaning to me.

[Jolly Sapper]

I do the same. I use "Bless you" Jesus Christ and OMG often. They don't have a have a religious meaning to me.

Here, here!

They're just words that so happen to have symbolic (i.e. no intrinsic meaning) to some people and therefore shouldn't make you feel a hypocrite.  I use " Jesus F****** NAIL HOLES" as my expletive of choice, its very cathartic.