Does anyone hate being Blessed or Gesundheit-ed when you Sneeze?

Getting blessed when you sneeze comes from an old superstition that when you sneeze, your soul leaves your body. People thought if no one blessed you, your soul would stay that way-outside your body. This is perhaps why it is not standard to bless any other bodily expulsion.

Some people get really mad when you don't bless them, so I think people don't really ever know if it is okay or not to say bless you afterwards. I also think it is needless, but I do it for people anyway.

Wow, I never realized that someone could feel the exact same way I do about being blessed after sneezing. I absolutely HATE being blessed after I sneeze. What makes it worse for me is when someone sneezes around me and they actually get upset that I don't bless them back. I have asked why people bless others when they sneeze and I was told that it has something to do with back in the old days and when people would sneeze people would believe that your soul was about to come out of you and that would make you evil. So to make sure that you were not going to turn evil others would say bless you and it would keep you holy. Weird huh. I was also told by my brother that back in the day people believed that your heart stopped when you sneezed, so people would say bless you to make sure it was going to stay beating.

You bless someone for sneezing because their heart does not beat as they sneeze. That does not happen when someone coughs, burps, or farts, so it's not necessary. Why don't you appreciate people being polite and take the opportunity to thank them?

I tend to agree. It is a meaningless gesture. I think the custom arose because people used to believe your heart stopped when you sneezed, so they were trying to make sure it restarted, or something weird like that.

I feel stupid saying "bless you" to people when they sneeze, like you said, its just one of the body mechanisms in reaction to an irritant - what makes it worth a special mention?

But some people get so bent out of shape if you don't acknowledge their sneezes, that I usually end up mumbling "blessu" anyway, just to save myself the hassle.

yeah that's right.. when you sneeze..

your heart sort of skips a beat and they say u could have died that's why they are saying that you are blessed because you live on after that..

yeah, it's kinda weird... it's nice if people who says it to you really mean it, i hate it when they say it just to say it... it gets annoying sometimes..

and i agree on excusing your self and it is appropriate when sneezing and burping and farting and coughing occurs.. and i would appreciate it if they say excuse me and cover a bit of their mouth when they cough or sneeze.... ;p

Why should it bother you? I like as many blessings as I can get.

Its a nice thing that someone should say bless you, but if you are sneezing a zillion times in a row, .....that could get aggravating if someone keep saying it each time.

It is how it is, it's really just polite. That someone would atleast take the time to say "bless you" or "gesundheit" is fine in my book. Hell I'm not religious at all and I say "bless you".

I'll take every BLESSING I can get!!!!!

Many Blessings to you....and not just when you sneeze!

P.S. Counting your blessings each day can change your life!

Doesn't bother me a bit at least they don't say anything when i do sneeze and blow a fart at the same time

Well i hate it when sumone doesn't say it when i sneeze, when they dont i just say "bless myself", lol jk