"Even an Atheist Says . . ."

[queerbychoice]

"But just as you needn't be Christian to enjoy ['White Christmas'] or ['Easter Parade,'] you don't need to believe in God to appreciate ['God Bless America.' Irving] Berlin's is the nondenominational, civic god, the one in whom, our currency says, we trust. When someone sneezes, even an atheist says, 'God bless you.'"
from Slate

I would like to state for the record that I have never in my entire life said "God bless you" to anyone under any circumstances, whether they had sneezed or not. Never once. And that this omission has always been deliberate. Furthermore, when we had to say the Pledge of Allegiance in elementary school I stood silent and deliberately said nothing because the "under God" part offended me.

Nor will I ever sing along to the song "God Bless America."

Comments

[arhuaine.livejournal.com]

ditto. Well I wouldn't sing it anyway, being British and all, but I totally agree with the sentiment. I won't sing certain parts of the British National Anthem for the same reason, or at least if I do sing the words I use "God" and "Goddess" alternately.

Actually if the truth be known, I don't sing the National Anthem because the tune is so crap. ^_~