I think how someone treats others has no bearing on a belief in god, instead i see that being a decent human being should be enough to help others - within reason. I try to help others, as i see myself in them. This life has seen me go through many good and bad times, and it was the kindness of strangers or that chance meet up. Our strength as a people and the betterment of society as a whole is only increased, the more we each help others.

A friend of mine back in 2004 had a slogan on his Landrover, suggesting that we all carry out random acts of kindness. I did that before, but now I try to so every day.
Many years ago, I had a very Christian girlfriend, who told me that every person who does not take Iezues into thier heart and be saved, would burn in hell. It wouldn't matter how many wonderful peaceful acts you carry out,. You're going to hell! Jews and Catholics are going to hell! Bhudists and Muslims are going to hell, so unless you are a 'Saved Christian' you are buggered!.

People who are good to others only out of fear of being punished by a magical parent in the sky are less evolved

For me it boils down to maturation of, and ultimately transcendence of, ego/self. I have come to see my ego as something with utility but no substantial reality. When I think in terms of the oneness of us all I can see helping others as an extension of helping myself. This may sound selfish but I am always suspicious of people claiming pure altruism. It doesn’t seem selfish if I do away with my “self” and help others as myself(or as I would want to be treated). You end up helping to create a healthier environment that you get to live in.

Religion is no basis for morality. Morality can be summed up fairly easily: Don't like, cheat or steal; don't resort to violence unless it's necessary to defend yourself. Other than that, do pretty much as you like.

I like to think I'm mostly kind and helpful. I think it is the way people should act and how I'd like my children to act.

I allow people to cut ahead of me in traffic. I get things off of a tall shelves for little old ladies. I hold doors for everyone. I occasionally will give money to a guy holding a sign by the freeway. I pick up trash in my neighborhood, or in the parking lot at work.

I think all that is just being thoughtful. If nothing, atheists and agnostics ARE thoughtful. We've been given an "indisputable truth" and pushed back against it using nothing more than reason.

You have put a strange interpretation on the words of the man who thanked you (perhaps to validate your opening statement but it is a weak example). I do not for a second imagine that he considered that your only reason for helping him was that you were a fellow believer. He was asking his god to reward you because he did not feel his expression of gratitude was sufficient reward for your kindness. I find that quite quaint and endearing. ?

I don't have a story but in my case the thing that drove me away from religion was how christians were all such awful people, liars, cheats, and cowards. I think people are good because of who they are, not what they think to be real.

I once heard Penn Jillette in a discussion with a religious person who claimed that "without God, without the Bible, what is to keep you from Murdering, Raping and Stealing all that you want to?"
Penn replied "I do murder, rape and steal all that I want to; that amount happens to be zero, not because I'm afraid that god will punish me, but because I'm not an asshole".

We atheist/agnostics do a multitude of things every day - like stopping in the rain to help someone - because it is the RIGHT thing to do. Plain and Simple. And that is a concept too few people can grapple with, because of limited intelligence in some cases, or no self-control in others. But in most cases, people can't understand this idea because they were taught from a very young age that it is wrong. If someone raised you in a community where everyone you knew said that they sky was red - and you had always identified the colour we see overhead as 'red', how would you feel going out into the rest of the world where people said the sky was blue? Something so simple would be incomprehensible at first. It would take effort on your part to learn and accept this idea that the sky was blue. Most people aren't willing to put in that amount of work in their lives and minds.

Also, even after you'd accepted it as fact, there would still be times when your internal voice would default to the 'red sky' idea as being right.

Thus is the way with religion, racism, etc... people simply can't help themselves for the most part, or simply don't want to change because it's 'too hard'.

In his own way, he was just trying to thank you. Acdept the thanks and move on.

My very religious old testament misogynist christian coworker is baffled by my morals and ethics. He doesn't seem to understand that you can be a good person without religion.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) backs you up. They have a slew of items for sale you can use to help advertise that you're "Good without God." [shop.ffrf.org]

All nonbelievers know you don't need the fear of eternal damnation to be a good person. =]

I'm just bad to the bone

Going back to the Discovery ID (my favorite TV station) Guess what THE NUMBER ONE comment with murderers, serial killers, rapists, etc., in the shows on that station are? What do you think the "running theme is"? You guessed it! "We would have never guessed it...he (or she) was a "god fearing, church going" person. I wait for it in every show and without fail...9 times out of 10, the vile person who committed the act was a "god fearing, chuck going devout christian (or some other faith.)"

A quick look at the cruelty exhibited throughout history and currently in the name of a god trashes that idea.

This sickens me, but it's the general thought among "that" community. The truth of the matter; however, is that there are more vile people IN religion than outside of it. I would say the majority of the people here (non-believers) are good, decent, hard-working people just as those who are inside christianity are. The difference between us though is that I would wager no one here is fake and hypocritical as you will find 99% of the people in organized religion being.

Besides not believing in unicorns and fairies, I'm just like any other decent person out there - I would wager even more so. When I hear people talk about "morals" or "ethics" here's what I tell them...."There is zero about me that I would change IF I WAS aligned with some organized religious belief. I'm a decent person all the time and religion doesn't make me decent." Religion only offers scum bags a "way out" when they fuck up whereas the rest of us just don't fuck up and do things we shouldn't because, well, we just know we shouldn't do it!

I often say things like 'Oh god' or 'Jesus christ' even though I'm not a Christian, just habits learned from others I guess, most people say 'bless you' when somebody sneezes even though they're maybe not particularly religious. Maybe just take it as acknowledgement you did him a favour and don't worry what he believes in.
And yes obviously people can be good without religion. If you can cherry pick the bible then you can make moral choices without it.

People who believe in (a) god are good because they are fearful and/or greedy! They are afraid of a supposed hell or want an after-life. Their actions, of late, show that they are not really good. They are willing to even go against their own dogmas and support a vicious, crazy, evil person so that they can gain their reward. After the guy said his piece you should have said I don't believe in any gods. Let him see that non-believers can also be helpful, concerned people.