For Jehovah's Witnesses?

The full phrase is "God bless you" which has been shorten by custom to "Bless you". While Jehovah's Witnesses do want God's blessings, we try to avoid doing things that have become just the custom. We don't take offense at someone saying it. We try to "bless" people with the good news of God's kingdom, when even the "common cold" will not longer plague mankind.

The history of sneezing and being "blessed" relates back, according to some, to the Black death.

"One explanation holds that the custom originally began as an actual blessing. Gregory I became Pope in AD 590 as an outbreak of the bubonic plague was reaching Rome. In hopes of fighting off the disease, he ordered unending prayer and parades of chanters through the streets. At the time, sneezing was thought to be an early symptom of the plague. The blessing ("God bless you!") became a common effort to halt the disease.[2]

A variant of the Pope Gregory I story places it with Pope Gregory VII, then tells the common story of "Ring Around the Rosey" being connected to the same plague.[3]

A legend holds that it was believed that the heart stops beating and the phrase "bless you" is meant to ensure the return of life or to encourage your heart to continue beating.[1][2][4]"

We don't say it, but I would never be offended by someone who did. Here's what I could find for the reason behind it - we don't believe in superstitions. However as the article below mentions no one would think of it as anything other than a courtesy. Hope this helps!

IT HAPPENS everywhere—at work, at school, on public transportation, and on the street. You sneeze, and people you’ve never met, mere passersby, say: “God bless you” or simply “Bless you.” There are similar expressions in many languages. In German the response is “Gesundheit.” Arabs say “Yarhamak Allah,” and some South Pacific Polynesians say “Tihei mauri ora.”

Believing that it is simply common courtesy rooted in social etiquette, you may have given little thought to why people say this. Yet, the expression is rooted in superstition. Moira Smith, librarian at the Folklore Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A., says of the expression: “It comes from the idea that you are sneezing out your soul.” To say “God bless” is, in effect, asking God to restore it.

Of course, most people would probably agree that to believe that the soul escapes your body during a sneeze is irrational. Not surprisingly, therefore, Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines superstition as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.”

It's truly wonderful to read your post and your sincere caring and respectful words. Im sure your mailman enjoys delivering to you. The CORRECT and TRUE answer has already been posted by Chloe M. But I just had to let you know how much your post is appreciated.

Have a great day.

JW Miami, FL

I fell Rick G answerd in a good way but I would just like to say Cupcake is not a JW we do not believe in a Hell

The automatic response in some cultures when someone sneezes to say "bless you" may possibly be linked to superstition and is not a response most Witnesses feel comfortable with.

That having been said, Jehovah's Witnesses do not hesistate to express their desire that someone receives God's blessing - not in response some some superstition linked to sneezing, but in reflecting many bible verses. Thus a Witness, may on occassion be heard to say "May God (Jehovah)'s rich blessing be upon you" or "may God bless your efforts" or words to that effect.

FURTHER

The superstition that my fellow Witness is referring to, is an absurd ancient myth that it may be possible to sneeze one's soul out. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to engage in superstitious activities, annd the custom of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes is one of those superstitions.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_jehovah's_witnesses_...

Yes, it is everyday human language, if you put up you palm and starting chanting it, yeah, they may be offended.

I'm not sure, try it sometime, if they get red in the face and all flustered, you'll know you made a faux pas.

No, they would go to hell and burn for all eternity.