Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 15:43:38 EST

From: Monkmag Monkmag[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: Re: the mindlessness of "bless you"



In a message dated 10/23/97 9:29:26 AM, you wrote:



2. As an atheist, I'm unot especially delighted when people saying prayers

on

my behalf (at least vocal ones in my presence). It seems rather "mindless" to

assume that I want to be prayed over!



I should add that I am much too polite a person not to respond with "thank

you" to a proferred "Bless you"--in fact, what maybe others me REALLY about

the "Bless you" routine is that sometimes people seem irritated with me if I

don't say "Bless you" when THEY sneeze.



I should add also that I don't have a lot invested in all this--there are a

LOT of times when I feel out of touch with my own culture, as for example

when people ASSUME that I am interested in sports (who IS Dean Smith,

anyway?--recently somebody asked me to observe a moment of silence in honor

of Mr. Smith's impending retirement!) or that I drink alcoholic beverages.





Mega Ibids.