I like to say "thank Satan!! LOL seriously though, no theists has ever pointed at me and said "aha gotcha!" Because I said thank god

I try to say "Thank Goodness" instead but sometimes forget. On the other hand, I still say "God be with you" - actually the contraction "Goodbye" when I take leave of someone. lol

I don't use that much anymore (thank god.) I know what you mean about the ingrained part. It's just so prevalent from childhood on. As a secular person I noticed that it's everywhere, on money, in the news and media, on the calendar. We even have religious holidays that reward children with candy and gifts because of supernormal powers that happened in an old book. Our great politicians also speak about bless this and that. I sometimes am disapointed with myself when I say the same things, and I know better. So yes I struggle with these issues also. Holy cupcakes !!

I use expressions with the word "God:" often. I'm an atheist, but as you said, those things are somewhat ingrained into my vocabulary, and for me they're just expressions without real meaning.

Your "Thank Void" remark is hilarious! ... I don't have a problem with those phrases, because I say "Oh my goodness," instead of omg. However, when it comes to the acronym, that won't work!! So I suddenly become a polytheistic atheist, and I write "omgs"! Nobody ever says anything.

Sure, we are all influenced by our social environment. I’m a New Yorker living in Oklahoma. It was pretty painful the first time I said “fixin”. Almost choked on my tongue when I heard that leave my lips. But I got over it and I learned to chill out a bit. I don’t say fixin too much but I do say “sack, pop, and howdy” quite often.

I use god damn and its variations as both positive and negative expressions.

I use all of them every once in a while. Really don’t mean anything. Just like if you said holy shit. It doesn’t mean you worship shit. Or holy cow. It’s just an expression. Nothing more.

It's perfectly fine to say "Thank god" or "Oh my god!". When you say such phrases, you are not necessarily referrning to any specific god just like when you say "Oh shit!" you are not referring to any one specific shit.

Why Daniel Dennett says "thank goodness."

I just use "Thank goodness for that"

As has been said, how about "Thank Goodness?" =]

No. It’s simply a part of our lexicon and zeitgeist.... people who try to take it out of their vocabulary ate trying to follow the second commandments

Thank you kind sir/maam. Goodzundtheit, OMG, are substitutes for verbal and written

I use religious terms but only because its burned into my brain.

How about thank dog? Really good if you happen to be a dog lover.

I find that it has become a habit to say expressions other than swear words and it took a while to train myself. Now it comes very easy to NOT swear and I believe you could get into the same habit. You only have to find some really great alternatives. The flip side of your problem is that as an atheist, I enjoy saying the expressions you're having problems with around Christians because they always have to complain about my using them. I have used the word gazunthyte when some one sneezes and the believers have commented to each other and in earshot of me that "it's too bad I don't have a way to bless someone when they sneeze." I come back with, the German word gazunthyte means "God bless you" and that if they weren't so closed minded they might have known that fact, and that it's only being used to be polite....especially from an atheist. You should try "Holy Cow", or "Holy Moley", or even "Thank Goodness". I don't find your use of the other expressions as a problem but as leadin to a conversation of religion and your being an atheist and why. Take your opportunities when they come up.

I like to say "thank Satan!! LOL seriously though, no theists has ever pointed at me and said "aha gotcha!" Because I said thank god

Juheezuussah

Theistic language is embedded in English (I suspect it is in most if not all language). It's part of why atheists are viewed as hostile and angry. The basic operating system of society has a built in bias against us which means that we have to spend extra energy just to hold our world view. Not so bad if you live in an environment where theology is largely invisible. Much more confronting when every time you leave the house you're being told that the ultimate punishment awaits you.

Mainly because this sort of expressions became part of the usable language more than a symoblic word indicating to religion or cult, So it became a force of habit cuz we are part of this Society.Like a muslime say "ohh my god" So what god are he meant by this ....
( The god of islam or christianty ?! )
it's all about the setution or the case that leads you to use this. So don't take it this way.

Try saying thank goodness

Perhaps it is Conduct Unbecoming A Proper Atheist to say "Thank god" ... but I can't seem to stop saying it. I try to put some variations on it "Thank goddess" ... "Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster" (I use that one with people who are "in the know". I also find myself saying things like "walk on water" or "see the handwriting on the wall" or "cast the first stone". Sigh. I think it will take awhile before we can incorporate secular words.

I say Thank "Bob" for Mr. Marley... very spiritual, but I do say Jesus Fucking Christ when in the right mood too

I don't try to make the struggle with this. At my age I'm likely not to win it. God expressions are in our lives and a part of us even if we have no god. In my youth they told us not to swear and we quickly invented "mad dog backwards" and other such stuff. Find a friend to help you and start swearing in Spanish or something. Going out of your way to learn these things could be fun.