I don't have a TV, so in the mornings I usually listen to the radio a bit to catch up on the news. I usually listen to NPR. Sure, they're a bit biased, but at least you know where they're coming from and can account for it.

Anyway, I caught a snippet of Democrat presidential nominee John Kerry closing out some backyard meeting with voters in, I think, Wisconsin. His closing words to his audience were (I'm paraphrasing the first part from memory; the italic part is a word-for-word quote) “Let's go work hard out there. Thank you, and God bless.”

After getting over the initial shock of NPR actually airing the words “God bless”, I got to thinking about this.

I know that most major candidates bandy about the words “God bless” like this, and it's always bothered me. But it bothers me in other settings too. It bothers me when it happens as an almost liturgical response when people greet you in church. Essentially, it bothers me when the context of usage is unthinking, formulaic, and trite.

Did John Kerry really, sincerely mean to ask God to bless those at that meeting who go out and work hard for him? Or was it just a little formula, a verbal tick of some sort, appended on out of habit and lack of thought because it seemed appropriate? In most contexts, among most people, I think it's the latter. And that's why it bothers me.

My further question: Remember that piece of scripture known as the “Ten Commandments” (Ex 20.1-17)? Is this sort of thing a violation of Ex 20.7? You know, taking the name of the Lord God in vain? Why utter “God bless” if one doesn't truly and sincerely mean for God to bless those to whom he is speaking? And if one doesn't mean it, isn't that taking the name of the Lord in vain, or using the name of God emptily?

Please note that I'm not saying that any and all uses of “God bless” are wrong. There are times when it is sincerely meant and appropriate. But I fear the phrase is used tritely far more often than it is used properly, and I think that as Christians, we should be aware of this and be diligent in ensuring that we say these sorts of things when we mean them, not when they're expected to be said or heard.

Side note: What is the correct response when someone says “God bless you!” to you in a personal conversation? I never know how to respond to this. I'm sure the proper answer isn't “He'd better!” I usually mutter something like, “well, thank you” but this doesn't seem right either. A knee-jerk “well, may God bless you too!” doesn't seem right for the very reasons mentioned above. So, what do you say? How should one respond in this situation?