Namaste ?

I say, 'Thanks matey' and get on with my day.

"You, too." Here in Texas, this is a standard goodbye, and not worth quibbling over imo. Usually well meaning, and that's all I can ask for in today's society.

Over here in London i hear "bless up bless up!" to which i reply "stay cool" seems to work out for me.

Insha allah? That is "God willing" in Arabic. Always brightens up a good Christian's day to be blessed in Arabic ?

I know nothing, but I suspect that church leaders are encouraging there flock to say this to inject religion in ordinary conversation. If true, it's annoying. With that being said, the rank-and-file religious person telling you that is probably just trying to be nice, so I usually just say, "thanks".

Maybe we can come up with something like, "Maybe you survive this darwinian trial until old age!" ?

It doesn't bother me. These folks are just being nice. I don't get mad at nice.

It is their dopamine hit to make such a statement.
Your reaction to their comment is all you.

The Story of the Angry Young Man and The Buddha
It is said that one day the Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him, saying all kind of rude words.

The Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man, “Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?”

The young man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, “It would belong to me, because I bought the gift.”

The Buddha smiled and said, “That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself.”

I always just say "you too", avoiding a prolonged discussion regarding their beliefs versus mine, because frankly I don't give a damn and they're entitled to believe whatever they like.

I ignore and hope they mean well. Online, if the person is reasonable, I explain that it is an insult, most people are kind about it and stop. When I say bless your heart to another atheist it means something very bad.

My response is to a similar instance, when I sneeze and someone says, "Bless you." If I sneeze again, they say it again. Even teenagers I have known, from irreligious households, say this by reflex. In response, I say, "Thank you. I feel blessed." If it happens again (sneezes often come in succession), they say it again, and I say, "I feel doubly blessed." Although it seems a straightforward response, people don't quite know what to make of it, and that's OK with me.

I say "Thank you. You too."

I just say “thank you”. Life’s too short to stress over something so trivial(to me) as a well-intended remark. Sometimes, it may irritate me slightly, but I just let it go.

I like the bredth of the word. I do not hear it said often. I found nameste much more confusing as in a way I think its terribly missunderstood. I am sure i believe in both those words a bit more than I believe in the word "nice" ?.

I usually say something like you have a good day also unless you made other plans ?

I simply say "you too" with everything I over think this is not one of them.

"Thanks. You have a good day too."

That seldom happens to me. It depends on the circumstances and who says it to me. Smile and nod works. Thank you works. Stare at them like they are crazy or "fuck you too" works if it is a fellow atheist who is saying it to joke around with me.

I couldn't live anywhere where this was a common expression, it would drive me nuts.

I say something from The Handmaid's Tale like "under his eye" or "may the lord open".... cracks me up everytime!

They mean well it's their way of saying have a happy day. Means no more than that .

It’s better that than being cursed by them! They don’t know you’re an Atheist....just smile and say nothing, it’s well meant.

Can't recall anyone saying that to me.

Thanks for the best wishes or Thanks, I hope i have a lucky day too.

This happens to me at my local grocery store. I pay and get the hell out of there.

Back at you!