'Have a Blessed Day' versus 'Hope You Get Lucky Tonight'

[Uberpod]

Do you still say "No, thank you" or do you allow it?

I might say 'If you feel like it.' or 'if it makes you feel better.' or if I actually need some help: "as long as you are willing to do x, then knock yourself out. I'll even pray with you."

So, you're saying the delivery is what matters, You want them to ask permission?

It's the acknowledgement that I get to live by my own conscience that is important. To insist on praying for an atheist is actually a minor boundary violation.

Maybe I'm strange. Anytime anyone offers to think of me and plead good wishes to their god for my benefit, I find it very thoughtful and kind. Could be because I used to do the same for others so I understand the motive.

You are not strange, just very kind. To me Prayers like good wishes are empty unless backed up with action.

 

[Rhiamom]

I know where the OP is coming from. I live in the Bible belt of western lower Michigan - Dutch Christian Reformed Calvinists and Baptists, primarily. When they wish me a Merry Christmas, I reply in kind by wishing them to enjoy MY religious holiday. I say "Thank you, and a Happy Chanukah to you!" No snark, no sarcasm. I don't bother myself with whether or not Chanukah is already over, because they won't know.

Perhaps the OP should begin celebrating Yule, or Festivus, and respond to well-wishers appropriately.

 

[Uberpod]

Good health and harvest.

There you go assuming I'm a Farmer! I like Good health. I may use that more.

 

[ChristineES]

I wonder if anyone realizes that you don't need to be a theist in order to be blessed.

 

[Uberpod]

I've gotten the "have a blessed day" treatment in a number of establishments. I tell those who say that to me, "I don't share your beliefs and would appreciate it if you'd keep yours to yourself just as I have." Usually they do. If they don't I find a new supplier

Wow - that's abrupt I would worry that I would get a "if you don't like it, don't eat here" from that restaurant, and the foods good, if I tried that.

who wants waitstaff that does not remember you or a physician who does not see you as an individual?

Thankfully, he's not my physician. He's a colleague. If my physician says that I will slap him.

 

[Uberpod]

I wonder if anyone realizes that you don't need to be a theist in order to be blessed.

I might as well get baptized and circumsized then.

 

[ChristineES]

I might as well get baptized and circumsized then.

That would be your choice. I wouldn't recommend it, though.

 

[Uberpod]

Perhaps the OP should begin celebrating Yule, or Festivus, and respond to well-wishers appropriately.

If only the blessed day thing happened only during the holidays, I could handle it, but this is all year long.

 

[ChristineES]

I might as well get baptized and circumsized then.

People take baths all the time and people get circumcised for medical reasons.

 

[ChristineES]

Well, I think you are lucky. All anyone says to me, whether Christian, Pagan, Atheist, etc is "Hello" and "How are you?" and "Have a nice day" (I prefer "blessed" over nice, myself).

 

[Ingledsva]

It may be a small thing, but it's a thing: a waitress and a physician repeatedly wish me well by saying "have a blessed day" when we depart. I am not sure why I need to look through their words and see their good intentions. Yeah- and I have told the waitress I am not Christian. She does not remember me (or my order.) so she continues. She apparently always says goodbye this way.

I am an Atheist but they don't know that. But, by treating me by default as if I were Christian they are minimizing me. So, I have resolved to respond to their well-intended farewell with an assumption of my own. Having a good sex life is awesome. I know most people actually agree, but many want to keep the fact that they are sexual beings behind the curtain. However, if someone wished for me to get lucky tonight, I would feel very good intentions from them, and thank them for the good wishes. So, the golden rules says it is fine for me to try this out. What do you think??

Why not just make up a NICE Atheist farewell to reply with.

"have a blessed day"

"May your time before the grave, be filled with joy."

LOL! That is all I could think up at the moment.

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[Katzpur]

It may be a small thing, but it's a thing: a waitress and a physician repeatedly wish me well by saying "have a blessed day" when we depart. I am not sure why I need to look through their words and see their good intentions. Yeah- and I have told the waitress I am not Christian. She does not remember me (or my order.) so she continues. She apparently always says goodbye this way.

I am an Atheist but they don't know that. But, by treating me by default as if I were Christian they are minimizing me. So, I have resolved to respond to their well-intended farewell with an assumption of my own. Having a good sex life is awesome. I know most people actually agree, but many want to keep the fact that they are sexual beings behind the curtain. However, if someone wished for me to get lucky tonight, I would feel very good intentions from them, and thank them for the good wishes. So, the golden rules says it is fine for me to try this out. What do you think??

It could be that they aren't actually treating you as if you were a Christian (though I will admit that they probably are). Personally, even though I am a Christian, I never tell anyone to have a "blessed" day. On the other hand, I might say, "Have a good day." The reason I even responded to your post is that I absolutely love the Wiccan phrase (or maybe it's just a general pagan phrase), "Blessed be." If someone said that to me, I'd quite like it, even though I know they don't believe it's the Christian God who might be blessing me. As long as the person isn't being rude to me, I consider myself lucky (or blessed, as the case may be).

 

[ChristineES]

I found what I was looking for: A definition of "blessed" outside of a religious expression.

• bringing pleasure or relief as a welcome contrast to what one has previously experienced.
  "he half stumbled out of the room up to his bed and blessed, blessed sleep"

 

[Uberpod]

Well, I think you are lucky. All anyone says to me, whether Christian, Pagan, Atheist, etc is "Hello" and "How are you?" and "Have a nice day" (I prefer "blessed" over nice, myself).

I would so die for nice!! How can an atheist have a blessed day with any integrity, Please explain.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I don't tend to mind such wishes unless they are clearly aimed at proselytizing, which has very rarely been the case in my experience. I think a theist wishing me a blessed day or saying "God bless," etc., means they're wishing me something they consider very pleasant and desirable. I don't mind that at all.

 

[ChristineES]

I would so die for nice!! How can an atheist have a blessed day with any integrity, Please explain.

Try not to be offended by it. I've have people put blessings of other faiths other than my own said to me. I was touched by it.

 

[Uberpod]

What if you tell someone you are atheist and they insist on saying goodbye that way all the time??

 

[ChristineES]

What if you tell someone you are atheist and they insist on saying goodbye that way all the time??

Have you tried telling them that it bothers you? (If you already said you did, forgive me, I am getting old and forgetful)

 

[Katzpur]

What if you tell someone you are atheist and they insist on saying goodbye that way all the time??

They're obviously not paying all that much attention to what you've told them. I suggest that you do the same; just ignore them the way they're ignoring you. After all, it may be insensitive in a way, but it certainly doesn't seem to be malicious. With all the malicious people out there, be glad this waitress isn't one of them. Life's too short to let things like this bug you too much. I hope this is the worst of your problems.

 

[Ingledsva]

I don't know what it is about me, but I always get people saying things like -

"Have a great day Sugar-Plum."

"What can I do for you Honey-Buns?"

"Hey Sugar, how yah doing?"

Apparently I appear sweet and innocent. Boy have I got them fooled.

I think I've told you before, that I heard such so many times on one trip, that I actually felt like smacking the next person who said such. LOL! It kind of felt like they were belittling and objectifying me. But I'm over it. People say what they say.


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