This nonsense about have a blessed day

Every once in a while we see threads of people having grand mal hissy fits over having someone saying have a blessed day. Then the utterer of the phrase is assumed to be a Republican. Well, at least in my experience, the overwhelming number of people who say this phrase are African Americans among whom Bush currently has a 2% approval rating. That isn't very Republican to me.

Unless the person is working on behalf of a government agency, in which case it would seem inappropriate. Otherwise, I just sort of let it go in one ear and out the other.

The are more important things to get trippy over

I don't want to hear that crap during business dealings

that is how a free market works.

what if they're all doing it? ENOUGH ALREADY.

This is by far the more attractive choice for me.

Why should I have to switch just because somebody else acted inappropriately.

The free market assumes that the transaction between buyer and seller is NOT specified based on religious identification. And, quite frankly, African American working class woman, high-end white bread fundie...hell, I don't care if it's Karl Marx's great granddaughter: I don't need to hear about somebody's personal religious beliefs when I'm inquiring after my 401K. I don't need to be assumed to be a Christian when I'm picking up my grocieries. I don't need to be evangelized to when I'm getting my oil changed. And it is precisely the figure of universal buyer - assumed by the universal equivalent of the free market (money) - that makes those behaviors out of line. Capital doesn't care whether its selling to Jew, or Muslim, or atheist, nor does it care whether the seller is Zoroastrian or Christian. These are inessential components of the free market transaction, and they have no place within that transaction. The more they are inserted, the more the universal quality of the transaction is disturbed. The people inserting them are out of line.

But you are right about the free market. The free market says that I'm perfectly within my rights to inform their employer and force them into a free market decision: do they want to retain me as a universal buyer? If so, they should reduce to the extent possible the insertion of particular qualities into their transactions and communications.

But if they say it in an informal setting, I have no problem with it, and I'm an atheist.

It's not the statement itself, but it's insertion into a sphere in which it is inappropriate.

I border on atheism most of the time but in cases like these I listen for the intention of the person.

If it is intention is genuine then I take it as a great complement.

If it is said in a derogatory way like they are speaking down to me because of my beliefs then I get offended.

(usually a southerner) half my age, calling me "Hon".;)

I consider it a compliment coming from a religious person. I just say "thanks, you too," and move on with my life.

and I'm not religious.I think it's kind of sweet.

It is sweet. In my experience, at least, it's usually an old lady saying it. I don't feel insulted by it or anything.

I generally beleive the person speaking is wishing me the "best" (we all define best differently) there is.

They almost killed me.

Don

comes from bliss, which means reaching a state of total happiness and peace of mind, on this earthly paradise. Those who are offended by that have obviously not achieved this state.

That said, what I can't stand is the condescending way some fundies say goodbye by saying "God bless you."

I will try to respond to "God bless you" or "Have a blessed day" with "As the pagans say, 'Blessed be'."

Should stop their world for a second or a day.

They're cashiers, salespersons, cooks-minuimum wage Democrats-who are simply using a phrase common in their community. They're not preaching, they're just trying to be nice, and anyone insulted in these cases would be a culturally insensitive, uptight, sanctimonius prig.

People should save their vast rage for more appropriate targets.

little heart" than I have from the ones that say "fuck you"

"Bless Your HEart" is Southern for "Fuck You"

:rofl:

I haven't wanted to say anything, for fear of being labeled racist. But that has been my experience. It's a ridiculous complaint. I also don't know why we think it's OK to label anybody who is religious as a Republican! I'm an extremely liberal religious person (I pray every day for guidance in my personal life and world peace, for instance) Does that make me a rightwing wacko???
:wtf:

Al Gore, bless his heart, should have been president.

He was robbed! And so were we!

and hang up.

Why should you be the one nonplussed? Shove the wooly booger up their ass, and go on.

"If you're doing business with a religious son-of-a-bitch, get it in writing. His word isn't worth shit. Not with the good lord telling him how to fuck you on the deal."