Tennessee teen in trouble for saying 'bless you' after sneeze

[rurallib]

3. not to hijack your thread, but I never know what to say

to someone who says 'bless you' when I sneeze.
I almost said 'fuck you I am an atheist' one day but bit my tongue and offered a weak 'thank you.'

But the 'bless you' puts folks like me in a bit of a pickle. I don't want to raise a stink over something so trivial, but dammit, don't assume everyone is religious and welcomes your show of religiosity.

My understanding is that the phrase bless you comes from the middle ages when christians of the day believed a part of the soul left the body with a sneeze. The 'bless you' would either replace or or send that piece back where it was.
- if that were true, me and my allergies have blown away about ten souls over the years, especially this time of year. Maybe I should get a recording saying 'bless you' to get all those souls back.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Were I in that classroom I would have been offended.