I'm atheist and I've always been. I taught my son religion so he could make his own educated decision. no surprise, he's an atheist. Around age twenty he told me that when people say they'll pray for him that it's all they know to do so we should accept and be gracious and thankful. I'll take it.

I think because theyve been taught to say that, and don't feel comfortable in those situations. Religion is something that makes people feel that there is something that binds them together. I usually just say thank you because I don't really care what they believe if they think it helps them. Its like being vegan too-it makes people uncomfortable for some reason

Simply because they believe, honestly. They believe that even if you don't believe, prayers work. That, or they're trying to assuage their guilt

I'm to the point that I think they're just so used to saying that stupid shit, it just comes out of their mouths without their brains engaging.
Either that, or they're just doing it to piss me off.