People assuming you believe in a God

[Brian37]

It happend sometimes to me. Someone I just met for the first time tells me "God bless you" or "I fear God" or thinks like that. Are they assuming I'm a theist? 

You live in a country where over 92% of the population identifies as a member of a monotheistic religion and only 0.2% identifies as either atheist or agnostic. So yeah, they're assuming you're a theist. Not really surprising that they would do such a thing when you look at the numbers. 

If you want to be offended by that, then do as you wish I suppose. But I think many people, myself included, would consider getting offended under such circumstances a little... How shall I put this? A little bit ridiculous. 

God bless you is how theists say I wish you well. Same as saying have a nice day or something like that. Except they because they're theists, they've been conditioned to say god bless you instead of saying something like have nice day. Why get offended about that? They're just trying to wish you well. 

If you're going to choose to be offended by it, maybe you should at least be offended by the one thing that is at least marginally offensive in all this. And that is the fact that in vast majority of cases when people say god bless you or have a nice day or any other kind of pleasantry, they don't really mean it. No one or says have a nice day really gives a shit whether or not you actually have a nice day. No one who says god bless you really gives a shit whether or not god blesses you.

When you get right down to it, most them only care if god blesses them. So the only reason they say god bless you is because they think god is keeping score and will only bring them good things if they're sufficiently nice to other people. If you're going to get offended by any of this, maybe you should be offended by that.

But remember this. If you choose to be offended because you don't like the way people wish you well, the only person that loses in that scenario is you. Pick your battles and all that.

And? I agree they do assume, but so what. If minorities always bowed to assumptions blacks would still be slaves and women would not have the right to vote. 

Again, I am willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt the first time, but after I tell you, and you still keep doing it, then you are not accepting my autonomy and that is rude. Why the fuck is my duty to placate someone else's insecurities? It would be one thing if I were demanding nobody say it ever, but that is not what I would do. It is reasonable to make the request simply to have someone offer a different neutral response. 

I don't like the logic behind any religion no, but I am not going to stop someone from saying those things to others, just don't offer that to me.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It happend sometimes to me. Someone I just met for the first time tells me "God bless you" or "I fear God" or thinks like that. Are they assuming I'm a theist? They don't know me. Don't they know that atheists, agnostics, ignostics, aphatheists, deists and other beliefs exist? Theists who do that, how would you feel if an atheist who doesn't know you would tell you without your permission that there is no God?

That's not for you, that's them getting their Heave Points. Get enough and you can turn them in for a Pearly Gates Pass.

[The Valkyrie]

I passed off a very devout Christian who kept saying "god bless you" and various other platitudes by saying "and may allah bless you and his prophet guide you."

[Brian37]

It happend sometimes to me. Someone I just met for the first time tells me "God bless you" or "I fear God" or thinks like that. Are they assuming I'm a theist? They don't know me. Don't they know that atheists, agnostics, ignostics, aphatheists, deists and other beliefs exist? Theists who do that, how would you feel if an atheist who doesn't know you would tell you without your permission that there is no God?

That's not for you, that's them getting their Heave Points. Get enough and you can turn them in for a Pearly Gates Pass.

Yep, pure narcissism, chasing a utopia that does not exist just so you can go "look what I did".  My response, "What you want a cookie? Or you want me to put your finger painting up on the fridge and put a gold star on it?"

Hitchens put it right, and still have yet to hear anyone of any religion come up with a good response, "Name me one good thing said, or good deed done, that only a person of faith could do that an atheist could not do."

[JackRussell]

Why wouldn't a theist in a predominantly theistic culture expect otherwise? it's not about the expectation but about the well measured response.

[Foxaèr]

I think it also depends where one lives. In small towns and small cities, one is more likely to encounter theistically minded people whereas in major cities one is less likely to encounter theistically minded people on a regular basis.

[brewer]

I get it almost on a daily basis. That and being a Nebraska football fan. Most people here find that more disturbing. Go Big Red (not)!

[downbeatplumb]

It gets galling at funerals when someone says, "they're in heaven now" and you have to clench your teeth and nod even though you really want to say "no they're not they're dead" and the person goes away thinking they've made you feel better even though all they've done is slightly annoy you.

[Alex K]

That never happens...

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

*shrug*  When I sneeze and someone says, 'God bless you', I say 'Thank you' and apologize for ruining their salad.  This is a non-issue, really.

Boru