"When you were still a dub, did you say thank you after sneezing and someone stated God bless you? When I was younger and sneezed, and they said God bless you, I just acted like I didnt hear it."
I understand why you acted that way, but that's rude to anyone other than a JW. I have always said thank you if someone says bless you. I still dont say bless you to people when they sneeze because I think it's stupid. But if someone tells me to "have a blessed day" I thank them and wish them the same.
If you really think about it, this is another means to make sure that JWs remain isolated. By refusing to allow JWs to engage in basic interaction with others by demonizing what really are just societal niceties, the GB further alienates them from the rest of the world. It works to keep them enslaved to the org, and also to keep them from being able to function in the world should they try to escape.
I still have to make myself say "happy birthday" to people, and I constantly feel like I am acting like a weirdo. A couple of my co-workers gave me Xmas gifts, and I felt really awkward, I didn't get them anything. I am thinking of designing a t-shirt that says "I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, so please forgive me for being retarded."