Does the word "bless" apply only to God? For example, can a human bless anything (such as "bless the day")? Or can only God bless?
Note, I am asking about the usage of the word "bless", and not about religion.
Is there a definition of the word bless that describes an accepted usage of the word in a secular way?
Best Answer
Firstly, "bless" does indeed have a secular meaning, like many words borrowed from theological practices. As a programmer sometimes one program will "bless" a component or another program, so that the system knows going forward the blessed program is special in some way. Perhaps if there are conflicting instructions, only the blessed one should be listened to.
Priests often say "I bless you in the name of the Father..." which I will assert from an English language standpoint means the priest is doing the blessing, not God. For a theological standpoint, please consult your local priest.
The point is, of course it's a fluid word like any in English. And yes, it certainly makes sense for any entity with agency to bless anything else. The listener or reader does not need to be specifically knowledgeable of the secular usage to draw the proper metaphor and understand the blessed thing is now special, by declaration, on the authority of some shared belief in a higher power (whether it's the law, a computer system, or God.)