Thank [your deity or lack of one here] that ColinM is here to make sure us ignorant non-religious folks don’t miss any points.
Anyway…I’m an agnostic, and I also think it’d be rude. Thank them and wish them well your way, and move on.
That’s hilarious! 
I said “obscure” only because I can’t assume that most people have seen the movie. 
Another person chiming in and saying it’s rude. The person is just wishing you good things, simple as that. I say “bless you” all the time, and I am not trying to impose any particular religious thing on the person I’m talking to. (I am religious, BTW.) I just think of it as a nice thing to say. If someone were to get all huffy and say “I’m an atheist”, I’d look at them as if they were loopy, and think “What does that have to do with it?”
Another thing - do you really want to tell someone this detail about your life? For all you know, they will go into “convert mode”, and never give you any peace. Just leave it be. You won’t regret it.
Or you can answer in Arabic and say Salaam. Been doing it for quite a while. It means “Peace” but to more of a closer extent than just the word itself. Learned it from Ender’s Game.
It would be rude.
It’d be nice if religionists recognized that not everybody buys into their Judeo-Christian-Muslim god-concept. Making people aware that you’re an atheist might help that along, but if you tell it to random strangers who say “God bless you,” you’d be doing it in a pretty negative way. Regardless of how you actually feel about it, they’d think you didn’t appreciate their good thoughts, and they’ll come away with the impression that atheists are rude.
If somebody asks you what church you go to, tell them you’re an atheist. If they simply wish you well, smile and say thanks.
(Sorry, but this reminds me of one of the funniest things I’ve ever read at SDMB, Revtim’s answer to what atheists say when somebody sneezes: “WHERE’S YOUR GOD NOW, CHRIST-BOY!”)
It’d be like someone saying “Have a nice day,” and me telling them I’m a pessimist.
I thought I was on this board when I posted. Was multi-tasking at the time and had three windows open on this board alone. Thanks for responding.
Allow me to clarify. When perfect strangers say god bless you, I typically just smile and nod. I’m not ashamed of my atheism, but you just never know who you’re talking to. It gets tiring to feel the need to explain and possibly defend one’s beliefs.
There have been people who know I’m an atheist who have been saying they’ll “pray for me” or “god bless you,” since September 11th. It’s starting to irk me.
My mother expects me to go to church next Sunday with my grandmother. I’ve been all but threatened to keep my beliefs quiet where my grandmother is concerned. I even attended confirmation and got baptized after a fun little guilt trip in which my mother was the travel agent.
I respect other people’s religious beliefs. I don’t challenge my friends’ and family’s beliefs. I think that same courtesy should extend to me in return.
Last week I bought a card for the corporate trainer that trained me in at my new job. She’s from New York City and was leaving that day. I was filling out the card at work and one of the girls looked over my shoulder and told me to write God Bless You. My card, and someone else is dictating what I should write. I closed the message on my card with “Best of luck in all you do.”
Thanks to those that responded.
somewhat~damaged
A few questions:
a) Would one of you athiests please explain your belief system to me? Please include the why, when, etc. as to how you came to be an athiest.
b) I recently had a son, and his father is a fairly devout Christian. I am not at all. What are the implications of how I raise my son? Baptism? Or not? It seems my religious education has been lacking…
c) at what age do I present my son with his options, as to his religious path of choice? I intend to leave it up to him, but when?
Had a similar question on a Pagan board I frequent.
My first answer was: “I’d rather have someone say ‘God bless you’ than ‘God damn you.’”
My second answer was: Awhile back, I was stranded a thousand miles from home with no way to contact the person I was trying to reach, who was in the next town. A kind woman gave me a ride all the way to that town – about a 15-minute drive. I expressed my gratitude the best way I knew how: “May Netjer bless you and your home.” Now it’s highly unlikely the woman had even heard of my faith, much less shared it, but I wanted to express my thankfulness honestly, so I did. I would not begrudge anyone else the same right to express their good wishes freely.
Everyone else has already said what I would have said re the OP but this reference did whoosh me. You two clever boys care to enlighten the rest of the class. Is this a sports team reference, Batz Maru, Wallace & Gromit… what!?
It is a “Fight Club” reference.
somewhat~damaged, I would say if it’s just a stranger with a quick “God bless you”, do as the penguin says and let it slide. If people who are around you often (family, friends, stalkers, etc.) are doing it over and over, I don’t think it would be rude to inform them of your lack of a belief in God. Just make sure you don’t inform them in a rude manner.