I agree with you. These phrases are so common that they don't automatically imply religious belief. A phrase like, "she is such an angel" doesn't imply that angels exist only that she did something good at that time.

I think the more we use phrases and words that are/were associated with religions and make them commonplace in different context we extend their meanings to the point that their original definitions have little to no impact. For example the word "gay" used to mean lively, merry, and carefree. Now it is more associated with same sex.

I generally just try to remember that all those "bless your heart"s and so on are just the idioms those people use to express those feelings. Being upset by someone trying to wish me well seems silly. I grew up in the rural south so merely being non-christian (Baptist or methodist specifically) placed me in an EXTREME minority. And expletive versions of these idioms are so ingrained in my vernacular I find myself having to deal with offended believers for all the "goddamned" and "God dammit"s. I just reply that no, neither of those qualify as "taking the Lord's name in vain." The former is simply an adjective, the latter a formal request. Which, again, are nothing more than idioms I picked up from adults during my youth and just happen to enjoy using.

you left out, "Bless your little cotton socks".

I don’t “take offense”, but those phrases don’t have to be the norm either

I still say some of those things. Not because I believe but more out of habit. I do say “bless your heart” but as a “your dumb” type of way. My favorite is “god fucking damnit!”

I can’t stand when someone says “have a blessed day” though. Had a nurse leave an appoint reminder message and closed with “have a blessed day”. My first thought was “how unprofessional”. I guess I’m a religious word snob. Some is acceptable but some infringes on my personal views and how dare anyone force their religious blessings on me.

I don't take offense at these turns of phrase, but I admit I have made a bit of an effort to change my own speech habits to remove these types of things.

You know (I know you are all going to complain) misspelling is a serious trigger for me and because the majority of the members here are from North America, I am constantly triggered. It's 'offence'!

I don't get offended by any of those.

What would offend me would be if someone who knew I'm an atheist said "I'll pray for you." That would piss me off, especially if they said if because I'm an atheist.

The other thing that irks me is when people have religious quotes associated with their work email signature. I don't think it's the right place for that (unless, of course your work is religious based.)

I don't get offended when others use religious expressions towards me but I sure try really hard not to use then myself. It's a subtle way to show resistance. I even avoid OMG and other non religious but misleading words like saying my hypothesis rather than my theory.
In French, we say à tes souhaits to mean bless you for a sneeze. It is secular and is translated word to word as To your wishes
[thoughtco.com]

Agree, they're just expressions.... Language is a complex subject

No, not that stuff so much. But more specifically including me in their religious thoughts does piss me off. Keep your delusions to yourself and leave me out of it!

I live in the South. I say "bless your heart" all the time. It's often a way of telling someone to fuck off, when in polite company.

thumbs-up
"Awesome ! Need all the help I can get ! Got any money ?"
Which is also pretty effective at running them off quick.

It doesn't bother me. These phrases are ingrained in our culture. I do make a point of saying "gesundheit" when someone sneezes. The sentiment of "god bless you" goes back at least to Mycaenean times and a phrased was invoked (and I'm not sure about this, but presumably) Hades, the god of the underworld. It was believed that when one sneezed, the psyche left the body, and thereby invoking the god of the dead would restore you.

No, and I even say some of them.

You know there is an old Arab saying : your enemy is not your teacher”. We as Agnostics and Atheists can behave like the religious right or Zealots or every day garden variety Christians . We don’t have be rude , unkind , disrespectful, dogmatic, brain frozen... but rather move on and don’t sweat the small stuff

My go to curse is jesus fuck. I feel like it would be more offensive to believers than atheists. But I don’t use it with any intention to offend anybody. It just rolls naturally off my tongue. I have been considering retraining myself to say fermi fuck instead.

Better things in life to enjoy not going to be bothered or waste my energy on others I am happy

yeah hate it as bad as I'll pray for you,which is doing nothing.

I do not take offense depending on the source. If someone who knows about my lack of faith then I take it as an insult

Try not to

I agree. ?

Granted, not to be taken so seriously

I agree. I have sometimes used a few myself, such as "Bless you". It is just an expression of good wishes and friendliness. I see no harm in these phrases. I look at the intention, not the words.

I do not get offense in the meaningless comments, such as Bless you, but I want to ask them who are they to bless me?