Why is it so many people today continue to say "God bless you", "bless you" or "gesundheit", after one sneezes? Were you told that when you sneeze it was a sign from God that your prayers were to be answered or it is an omen of good fortune or good luck? Are you under the impression that when you sneeze, your soul leaves your body, and that by saying "bless you" you are using the saying as a sort of shield against the devil or evil spirits? Do you think your heart stops and to insure the return of life or to encourage your heart to continue to beat the saying is needed? Or, is it a sign that you are getting sick or a sneeze is an early symptom of a disease like the plague, or that it's your body's way of expelling evil spirits? Really??? Some of these superstitions date as far back to the Romans and Greeks in which they would use the saying "long may you live" or "may you enjoy health". Some foreign lands these ancient customs are still widely believed by various religions and cultures. All of these things, whether they came from pagan or christian superstitions centuries ago, we now know, is not what happens when we sneeze.
What is a sneeze? A sneeze (or sternutation) is a semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion (reflex action) of air from the lungs traveling at minimum speed of 150 kph (kilometers per hour). Usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa, mostly the sign of something relatively benign, such as a cold or allergy. It can more rarely be caused by being suddenly exposed to a bright light, such as sunlight or from a full stomach or even smelling a strong odor.
Did you grow up saying "Bless you" after one sneezes because your parents did and you were taught it was good manners? It seems odd to bless someone after one burbs, hiccups, passes gas or twitches; now we know why we really sneeze, so why should we say "God bless you" after one sneezes?
We can wish those in our lives to be in good health, be protected from bad things and to live a happy and prosperous life everyday and anytime. You do not have to wait for them to sneeze.
Applying God's principles in Rock Tavern,
Laurie
