Customs come and go, and are forgotten when they are no longer needed. Blessing someone after they sneeze is ripe for the culling.

And I never, not once, told The Little Astronomer that kissing something would make it better. Why would I? Kissing a wound is likely to infect it. Instead, I told her to keep her cuts clean, put a bandage over them to help make sure germs don’t get in, and watch them for redness or irritation. Otherwise, don’t sweat it, go outside, and keep playing.

That way, she grows up with a practical knowledge that might benefit her, and doesn’t grow up already practiced in believing in fantasy, another custom that really needs to go extinct as well.

No, they don’t really think they’re expelling demons.

Do YOU really think that you or your friends are keeping your soul inside you when you cover your mouth while yawning?

Do YOU really think that your acquaintances, boss (if any) etc. - and yourself - need to be stealth-searched for a dagger when you shake hands with them…?

Those people (and I am not one of them) think that you’re ignoring a well-established, time-honoured social convention - and that by doing that WITHIN a social frame which relies entirely on conventions, you may be slighting them. (And it makes sense.)

If you sneeze around me, don’t expect to hear me calling on superstitious nonsense t make you feel better.”

How about calling on *good manners* (and good humour), to make everyone feel better - which is actually what they want?

Or, to be consistent, eliminate the “kiss it better” routine, if you have (or will have) children.

Better yet, tell all the people whose hands you need to to shake that you won’t be pampering their antiquated fears of daggers.

And, by all means, feel free to yawn as widely as you can, preferably with the appropriate noises. Let others worry about the whereabouts of your soul.

I haven’t checked your profile (I never do that, so it’s not personal :), but you do sound like a thirteen-year old Rousseau-wannabee (and trust me, that ain’t a good combination).

If that is so, then there’s hope you’ll grow up some day.
But for God’s sake, keep your mouth well covered!

I agree that the definition you list is listed 2nd at most sites. And I would have no problem with it IF that was the intended usage.
However, that’s not how it’s being used in most cases - not when they attribute the miracle to ‘divine intervention’, ‘God’, etc.
In that case, they’re invoking a supernatural cause for which there is no evidence, when simple statistics can explain it satisfactorily.