Comments on: Atheists & Blasphemy

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:17:47 +0000

I don’t know…I use all these expressions, secular and theist alike. They really hold no meaning for me as an atheist except that they get the point across that I’m happy/surprised/mad/etc. I look at it the same way I look at “God” on money. I don’t care if it’s there, as long as the stuff is useful.

By: muffin

muffin — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:33:06 +0000

Whenever someone around me sneezes I just say “sneeze you”. I’ve been saying it for years so its just as natural as “bless you” is for most people. I even say “sneeze me” after I sneeze so if someone says “bless you” to me I usually don’t hear it over my own “sneeze me”.

“Oh my fuck” works pretty well instead of “oh my god”.

I still say “god damnit” and “jesus christ” but sometimes I’ll say “cheese and rice” instead of “jesus christ”, it rhymes, its just not vulgar.

By: Francisco

Francisco — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:34:02 +0000

*sneeze*
Salud
*sneeze*
Dinero
*sneeze*
Amor

That’s usually how I try to play that. Health, Wealth, Love (give or take). Now if they do it again I say “Wow!” and just laugh it off.

By: Luis Dias

Luis Dias — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:01:34 +0000

In portugal it is similar to what Wrathernaut is talking about. Everytime someone sneezes, we say “Saúde” (Salud, or health), and no deity is summoned.

By: daver

daver — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:38:54 +0000

This doesn’t bother me much anymore, but I do try to be aware of being hypocritical. Living in the southern US, where jesus is in your face 24/7, people throw god into everyday phrases quite often, and they really mean it. I usually say gesundheit only after a woman, a child, or an older person sneezes (above-mentioned southern thing) and salud as a polite toast with wine. I also say “see you in hell” before slamming shots of tequilla, but I don’t believe in that either.
I still can’t let go of goddammit, particularly for its blasphemous charm and usually say “jesus fuckin’ H christ” for the same reason. There was a time when “christ on a crackpipe!” was hip among the heathens. On a more general note, thanks for this website. Didn’t find you until you were Dugg but got it bookmared now.

By: Wrathernaut

Wrathernaut — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:53:33 +0000

I use the Spanish “Salud” as well, when I feel obligated to say something. If they’re a multi-sneezer, I usually wait and ask if they’re done instead of saying anything polite.

I do find that if you excuse yourself quickly afterward, it prevents somebody from imposing their god’s blessings upon you.

By: Sondra

Sondra — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:00:39 +0000

When someone sneezes and looks at me expectantly for a response, I usually take the good-sentiments route and say “don’t die”.

By: Bevans

Bevans — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:08:15 +0000

To DP: The problem with those is that it makes other people think you’re worshiping science in the same way that they’re worshiping their god(s).

By: Bevans

Bevans — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:06:43 +0000

“Jeez” isn’t really a good alternative if you’re trying to avoid using religious terms. I’m pretty sure it’s just a shortening of “Jesus”. Instead, I tend to say “holy crap”.

As for what to say after someone sneezes, why say anything? After all, it’s a natural function. There are no demons getting into them, and I still don’t understand why someone who’s non-ordained would be very effective as a blesser.

You could congratulate them for successfully clearing their nasal passages of irritants, but that would just be weird. Besides, we don’t have any rituals for after someone uses the bathroom, or spits, or blows their nose.

Anyway, I don’t think I’ll ever rid myself of saying “goddammit”. It’s either that, or scream “motherfucker!” really loud.

By: mikeg

mikeg — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:01:20 +0000

“dang-gar-rooney”…