Bless you.

[Uncle Joe]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bless


verb (used with object), blessed or blest, bless·ing.

1. to consecrate or sanctify by a religious rite; make or pronounce holy.
2. to request of God the bestowal of divine favor on: Bless this house.
3. to bestow good of any kind upon: a nation blessed with peace.
4. to extol as holy; glorify: Bless the name of the Lord.
5. to protect or guard from evil (usually used interjectionally): Bless you! Bless your innocent little heart!

(snip)

World English Dictionary
bless (blɛs)

— vb , blesses , blessing , blessed , blest
1. to consecrate or render holy, beneficial, or prosperous by means of a religious rite
2. to give honour or glory to (a person or thing) as divine or holy
3. to call upon God to protect; give a benediction to
4. to worship or adore (God); call or hold holy
5. ( often passive ) to grant happiness, health, or prosperity to: they were blessed with perfect peace
6. ( usually passive ) to endow with a talent, beauty, etc: she was blessed with an even temper
7. rare to protect against evil or harm
8. ( interjection ) bless! an exclamation of well-wishing
9. ( interjection ) bless you!
a. a traditional phrase said to a person who has just sneezed
b. an exclamation of well-wishing or surprise
10. ( interjection ) bless me! , bless my soul! , God bless my soul! an exclamation of surprise
11. not have a penny to bless oneself with to be desperately poor

If you were a Trekkie, the phrase "bless you" would be "Live long and prosper."

You don't have to believe in God, religion or Star Trek to know the person sending you this message is wishing you well.

[Rex]

1. How do you know exactly which one of those meanings

the grocery clerk (yes this is ALL about one thread )ment? I mean, I can 'cherry pick' too.

Bless you - usually short for 'GOD bless you'.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Even if you took the other definitions, that person would be wishing you well, although

I imagine the setting could/would have some influence on the person's meaning.

[Rex]

12. That is true.

This whole issue and all the threads after the original would not exist if the cashier would have said, 'have a nice day' or some other generic farewell phrase. Words do mean something, especially in public and at work. I am NOT complaining here and for the record would have said, "you too" and walked out the door. Just that when at work, it is important to watch what you say to customers. She could get fired over something as trivial. She shouldn't IMO, but it is a risk she takes.

[ScreamingMeemie]

13. Go check out the things that cashiers/waitstaff/servicepeople say that piss you off...

...in the Lounge and you'll know why I'm not even going to look someone in the eye anymore.

[Rex]

17. I will, thanks!

I have a few relatives in the hotel industry and the things they tell me makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. I am a bottom of the barrel convenience store employee (by choice)

and I am writing a book. My store is like a cross between "Cheers" and a psychiatrist's office on any given afternoon.

[Rex]

22. I would love to be the security camera in that store!

Or a fly on the wall, I bet you have some great stories to tell.

[PassingFair]

46. I "pity" low wage workers like you.

Just kidding.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=234108

[undeterred]

2. Bless you too, Uncle Joe

[xchrom]

3. and also to you. nt

[malaise]

4. If you told me 'bless you'

I'd welcome it because you do not wear religion on your sleeves. I know the difference between proselytizers and people expressing good wishes.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Here's the way I look at it malaise.

I'm not forced to believe as they do whether they're religious or not, if they wish to bless me or God bless me, I take it as a positive thought from them directed toward me.

I either thank them or just return the blessing depending on the situation.

[malaise]

7. Not me Uncle Joe

I don't allow zealots to impose their lunacy on me.

[Uncle Joe]

32. You have your own power,

no one can impose their lunacy on you by wishing you well.

Peace to you, malaise and thanks for posting.

[sabrina 1]

28. I agree with that completely, Uncle Joe.

Imagine the state of the world if everyone were to become offended by people from other cultures offering us well wishes using their own beliefs or culture to do so? I take it as a compliment when a Muslim friend asks for Allah's blessings for me.

[Kellerfeller]

63. Can you imagine how offended

some people must get when someone tells them Goodbye?

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=good-bye&searchmode=none

"from godbwye (1570s), itself a contraction of God be with ye (late 14c.)"

[Libertas1776]

8. Joe Bless You!

To quote George Carlin...

[link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MeSSwKffj9o#t=589s|

[Uncle Joe]

11. I've always liked George Carlin, he was one of my favorite comics, brilliant and insightful

Thanks for the link, Libertas.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. Bless you is nice. I do like the Live long and prosper. It kinda sums it all up.

[surfdog]

10. Well then tell me this...

What's wrong with telling somebody may Satan bless you ?

[Uncle Joe]

14. I suppose nothing if your intention was meant as well wishing them and you truly

believed such a message was well wishing them.

However if you do it out of spite or as insult, that's a different matter, intent or meaning is everything.

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. There isn't anything wrong with it.

Why should there be?

[sabrina 1]

21. I might say that to someone like Cheney. But maybe it has a different meaning I am

not aware of. To me, to wish someone blessings from Satan has a negative context whereas 'Bless you' means to me and always has, that someone is wishing me well.

Do you have a definition of 'Satan bless you'?

[Buns_of_Fire]

15. And to you...

I know it's a conveyance of good wishes, whoever it comes from. Life's too short to constantly carry around a chip on one's shoulder about it all. "Bless you," "Blessed be", "Allah Akbar," "Go Forth and Prosper," "Eat Mo' Possum"... it's all the same to me. I can't understand why people feel any need to get into a fight over it.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Kudos to your handle "Buns_of_Fire"

[GoCubsGo]

20. Thank you.

You, too.

I am agnostic. I always take "bless you" in the non-religious sense. To me, it's just another way of saying "best wishes".

[Uncle Joe]

24. I read somewhere, there are four levels of communication.

1. What the speaker intends to say.
2. The actual message sent by the speaker.
3. What the listener actually heard.
4. How the listener interpreted the message.

It's easy for any one of those levels to breakdown into miscommunication so I prefer to err on the positive side of caution, giving the speaker the benefit of doubt until proven otherwise.

[MineralMan]

23. Why...I oughta...

How dare you bless me? Don't you know I'm an atheist? I don't need your fracking blessings!

It's amazing what things people can get offended about, isn't it? If someone says something to me with bless* in it, I assume they're wishing me well. Good wishes are always welcome, as far as I'm concerned, and everyone has a different way of expressing good wishes. I'll accept any such wishes, with thanks.

[sabrina 1]

25. Nice post, Uncle Joe. I missed the controversy over this

but frankly it's getting silly now. I agree with Shakespeare regarding words:

A rose by an other name would smell as sweet

And from a glossary on Shakespeare's use of words:

http://www.shakespeareswords.com/Glossary.aspx?let=b

bless (v.) 1 guard, protect, safeguard
bless (v.) 2 wound, hurt, beat; also: consecrate



blessed (adv.) blessedly, happily
blessed, blest (adj.) 1 lucky, fortunate, happy
blessed, blest (adj.) 2 happy, glad, joyful
blessed, blest (adj.) 3 capable of blessing, full of happiness
blessed, blest (adj.) 4 curative, therapeutic, endowed with healing properties


blessedly (adv.) luckily, fortunately, happily

[Uncle Joe]

26. Thanks for the post and rec, sabrina

Peace to you,

[Festivito]

38. One link, although there seem to be more of these posts.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002232263

I think this poster needs to apologize. I doubt that I'll get a response.

[sabrina 1]

41. I had not read that thread. Thanks, sad to see this from a supposed liberal.

Must feel great to slam a poor, middle-aged woman who wishes you well and then go post about it on the internet. And we wonder why there is so little compassion and kindness in this country.

[stlsaxman]

27. i didn't sneeze.

[Uncle Joe]

31. You don't have to, I wish you the best regardless.

[stlsaxman]

42. thanks, but with all the "blessing" bestowed on random others- like in grocerie stores...

they might do well to remember Matthew 6:5

New International Version (©1984)
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."

By the way- i'm glad that people who randomly say "Have A Blessed Day" or "God Bless You" are happy and enthusiastic about "spreading" their happiness. But they should realize they come off as, at best, superior or pompous or, at worst a baiting troll looking to get into an argument about something so very personal and divine as ones relationship with God.

PLEASE NOTE: I am using the word "they" as this is not a personal attack on you, Uncle Joe.

[great white snark]

30. To you as well Uncle Joe.

Thanks for the kind wishes.

[Nye Bevan]

33. MOST OFFENSIVE THREAD TITLE EVER. HOW DARE YOU

assume that we share your so-called "God". It's going to take me the rest of the day to recover from this OUTRAGE.

[taterguy]

45. Lighten up Francis

[Uncle Joe]

34. Thanks to everyone that has posted and yet to post.

Peace to you all.

[unapatriciated]

35. Unless they are from the south and include your heart in their blessing.

http://www.alphadictionary.com/blog/?p=219

[Uncle Joe]

36. Even the phrase "bless your heart" has multiple meanings, I've seen it

used as sarcasm or polite ridicule and as an expression of sincere sympathy.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bless+your+heart

bless your heart 292 up, 99 down

1: phrase used by Southern women to excuse themselves for speaking ill of someone else.

2: an expression of sympathy or pity.

3: a polite way to respond to an ignoramus, particularly male, who showers upon you flattering but unwanted compliments.

1: "She's as ugly as a mud-fence, bless her heart."

2: "Well, bless your heart, that must have been terrible!"

3: drunk fella: "I think you're beautiful! Even if you were ugly, I'd STILL think you were beautiful!"

recipient: "...bless your heart."

[unapatriciated]

37. I must admit I had not heard of this term until I moved to Georgia.

Many of my customers have said this to me after hearing my political views.

[Uncle Joe]

39. My first memories are of my great Aunt Rose using it at funerals to comfort

the grieving relatives of the departed, as an aside she had nine children.

Going to her house for dinner was an adventure.

[xfundy]

40. Perhaps it's a teachable moment

After being "blessed," one could say, "Do you know Jesus? He's a liberal Jew!"

The "outrage" on this issue baffles me.

[Edweird]

43. With the exception of the colloquialism "Bless your heart" I know it's well meaning.

I don't take offense to it - and I'm a confirmed Atheist.

[Dragonfli]

44. Having received your blessing, is it appropriate to genuflect or simply make a sign of the cross?

I do not know from which school of theology you get your priestly power to bless things, and so do not know the proper response.

Can you bless my apartment as well? I heard one has to pay for that privilege, at least in some cultures and some faiths, but I wouldn't want any demons lurking about so perhaps a home blessing is more a need of mine than a want.

Demons clutter up the place and leave invisible poop all over!!!

[PassingFair]

48. Try waving some of this shit around.*

*Light first.

[Dragonfli]

50. Nothing like a good smudging!

[Zorra]

51. Sage and sweetgrass would help also.

[Dragonfli]

53. with the added benefit that I love the smell and love dancing Widdershins around the place.

Tho the neighbors dooo seem to find it odd...

[Uncle Joe]

57. If someone justs says "bless you," it makes no difference whether you believe

they're religious or not, or whether you believe that they believe in magical powers or not, the primary and overriding message is of good will directed toward you from them.

That was the point of listing the various definitions all of which connotate "good will" whether by religious or secular means.

To answer your question as to the appropriate response, it depends on you, if you're religious or not you can bless them back,

If you're totally against religion, just say thanks because they were wishing you well, it's just courtesy it doesn't mean A. that you accept their religious point of view and/or B. that they even said it from a religious point of view.

There are plenty of good reasons to be upset with the state of the world, but a greeting of good will shouldn't be one of them.

[Zorra]

47. Thank you so much for this thread, Uncle Joe.

to bestow good of any kind upon: to grant happiness, health, or prosperity to: they were blessed with perfect peace
6. ( usually passive ) to endow with a talent, beauty, etc: she was blessed with an even temper
7. rare to protect against evil or harm
an exclamation of well-wishing

I use the word bless, blessings, and blessed in the context of the definitions posted above all the time.

"You don't have to believe in God, religion or Star Trek to know the person sending you this message is wishing you well."

Backatcha!

[riderinthestorm]

49. 11/16 definitions have a religious overtone. THAT'S why its taken as religious

by virtually all strangers upon whom it's bestowed.

[PassingFair]

52. This has been done before, on DU2....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=137&topic_id=4202&mesg_id=4202

And the phrase is "Have a blessed day".

Not "bless you".

Or just "bless".

Here's a particularly funny rant and the resulting comments are hilarious:

http://thesecularity.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=468

snip>

"What non-religious people need to do is come up with a similiar saying they can put on their answering machines and the like. Maybe - "I'm not in right now, leave a message and there is no God""



Possible responses to "blessed day" :

"Think for yourself."

"Get some stinky, buddy."

"And a multi-orgasmic day to you, too."

""Thank you. Did you remember to put all my (expletive) in the bag this time?""

[highplainsdem]

54. Thank you, Uncle Joe, and bless you!

[Uncle Joe]

58. Likewise and thanks highplainsdem

[Lars39]

55. It's an imperative sentence, with peremptory tone.

Sounds bossy and wth is the alternative to having a blessed day anyway? Having a cursed day?
"I hopeyou have a blessed day"doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as
the other phrase, though.

[Uncle Joe]

59. No more than have a good day or goodnight, the alternatives,

have a bad day or bad night.

[Lars39]

61. I disagree...it's a form of "witnessing".

[Uncle Joe]

62. It may or may not be according to the definitions in the dictionary,

it can be religious or secular.

[BumRushDaShow]

56. Fixed.

If you were a Trekkie Vulcan, the phrase "bless you" would be "Live long and prosper."

[Uncle Joe]

60. Thanks for the correction BuRushDaShow it's Vulcans, Trekkies is

too generic the Klingons would never say that.