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"God bless you"

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by webdog, Jun 15, 2006.

  1. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    When someone sneezes, is this response taking Gods' name in vain? I was thinking about this last night, that God's name is used as a response to a sneeze. Thoughts?
     
  2. 2BHizown

    2BHizown New Member

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    Heavy legalism

    Well, its small potatoes! God reads hearts!

    A little heavy legalism concern there, pushing the limits toward perfectionism perhaps!

    Besides that its a nice opportunity to voice hope to God blessing so and so who is sneezing!
     
  3. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I'm sorry, I didn't realize that "big potatos" were the only potatos allowed on the BB.:rolleyes:

    I'm anything but a legalist. If you would read the OP without a judgemental approach due to our differences in soteriology, you would have read that this was something I just thought about last night. It's not legalism, it called curiosity.

    I take it that every time you respond to a sneeze, you are deliberately thinking about God's blessing on them? What exactly does using God's name in vain entail?
     
  4. Dave

    Dave Member
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    I have wondered about this as well on occasion. I came to the conclusion though, that wishing God's blessing on someone, if done with sincerity, is never a bad thing.

    I guess maybe it should not be an automatic reaction, but more a thinking reaction from the heart.

    Does this make sense?
     
  5. 2BHizown

    2BHizown New Member

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    Beg your pardon! Dont get excited! Neither did I realize that one couldnt respond to a post in a kind, comfortable exchange without one feeling they'd been accused of something!

    IMHO taking God's name in vain is using it frivolously, with thoughts in mind other than of Him. Like every single time on TV a contestant of any kind wins, You can see them say, "Oh my God". A constant retort of this nature, using our holy God's name so lightly as slang or profanity even is sin, is it not? It seems in the world to be the favorite exclamation and I consider it blasphemous as they use God's name as an expletive.
    Sorry if I answered the OP incorrectly but I did share my thoughts and feelings!
     
  6. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    My aunt

    My aunt (gone home, now) does that all the time. She does something else, too. She was a 'street wise' lady who cussed a lot before she was converted.
    Well, after conversion she had this habit of saying, "Praise the Lord", when something happened, even when she hit her fingers while nailing something on the wall.
     
  7. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    I say "horse manure" when I hit my finger!! :laugh: :laugh:
     
  8. 2BHizown

    2BHizown New Member

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    Should we be surprised? :laugh: :laugh:
     
  9. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    And interesting fact, I learned in class last night, that saying God bless you after a sneeze originated in Germany. Back then they believed sneezing made your nose vulnerable to having evil spirits enter through your nose, and that asking God to bless you during a sneeze would keep the spirit from being able to enter you through your nose.
     
  10. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

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    donnA

    I have heard something similar, that it's origin is in superstiition. I am not sure that makes any difference, except it's interesting to know.

    peace to you:praise:
     
  11. Cailiosa

    Cailiosa New Member

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    I believe it depends on the spirit of your reply. Like as in any word you say could possibly be a curse word (like darn, or gosh, and blankety blanks) It just depends on the spirit you say it in. If you hit your thumb with a hammer and say "carrots" with the same spirit you might have seriously cussed, then "carrots" becomes a curse word, because of the spirit you said it in.

    So also I think, "God bless you!" would be the same. Are you really intending God to bless them or are you saying it just for the sake of saying it?


    (that sounds a little wierd the way I type it I have a hard time typing or saying what I am thinking)
     
  12. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    Well...here in my neck of the woods when someone sneezes we say, "Bless you" not "God bless you."

    I think it has, for me any, turned into a polite, mannerly, and traditional way of saying, "Are you OK? I hope so...". It's even considered rude here NOT to say "Bless you" when someone sneezes.

    I was always taught the old folk tale that people used to believe that your heart stopped when you sneezed, just for a nanosecond, and that "blessing" someone was the old thinking that this was the way to make sure it revived.

    Well, nonetheless, it's just an expression of good will towards someone.

    Now my grandmother always said "SCAT, CAT!!" when people sneezed, but that's another thread.

    :tongue3:
     
  13. Ed Edwards

    Ed Edwards <img src=/Ed.gif>

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    If you say 'God bless you' to someone, then
    it is vain if you don't really believe that God will
    or can bless them; it is not vain use of God's name
    if you really believe that God will bless them.

    BTW (by the way) the English term "Good-bye"
    is a contraction of "God be with you(ye)
    God in implied each and everytime you say 'Good-by'
     
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