What to say in the time of grief for Atheists

[XOX]

I just got news that a coworker of mine had a stroke last week. I know this coworker is an atheist, and some religious coworkers have taken the opportunity to send mass email and setting up a formal prayer meeting in the conference room during office hours.

Accepting that christians might deal with grief by praying, so private prayers is fine even for a horrible atheist like myself. But this is done in the conference room, during office hours, with loud and public prayers and asking all coworkers to join especially the bosses. It is just not right.

I want to email back, but I don't know what is the standard atheists response to a time like this. I want to get in touch to her family and see if there is anything I could do to help.

Anyway, this is me asking for help to response in time of grief. We are not close but we talked to each other in passing.

Also, I would want to know the right thing to say to an atheist if this atheist is seriously ill.

This is me asking for help from fellow atheists.

Edit: I have been gradually editing out my anger. Feeling kind of stupid now for getting so angry.

Thank you all who have responded to this thread, no matter how you respond to it. You have probably saved me from having an aneurysm. So thank you.

Update:
She is still in critical condition. I would try to visit her tomorrow. (non family members have limited visiting hours)

Update:

My coworker passed away on 29 Sept 2009.

[Palladium Alchemist]

You're more of a bigot than most Christians.
Seriously, if you want Christians to accept you for who you are, then you should start by accepting them. I'm an atheist, and I would never, ever, EVER call someone of faith a freak for trying to comfort me. You have some serious issues to work out.
It's people like you who give atheists a bad name. You're the person who, when someone says "God bless you" when you sneeze, get all up in their faces for being courteous.
It's not the Christians who are being jerks, it's you.

[XOX]

Don't need no shit from horrible christians. I'm asking for advice on what to say so that I could counteract the nasty stuff jerks christians are doing in my company. I don't need acceptable from jerk christians. I am only responsible for my own action, not the whole population of atheists in the world. You are barking up the wrong tree.

[Palladium Alchemist]

The thing is, we are all PEOPLE. Any no one, NO ONE has the right to think less of someone for their differences.Do you believe handicapped people should be put down because they are lame? Do you think black people should be enslaved? Should Jews be burned? Should Asians be slaughtered?
The answer, if you couldn't deduce it, is NO.
My advice? Don't say anything to you coworker. Just shut up, because from the looks of it, nothing but hatred spews forth from the confines of your wretched mouth.

[XOX]

It is those vultures christians who are disgusting. If you could not see how horrible it is to act like vultures when an atheist at work is seriously ill. You had a problem.

[Palladium Alchemist]

It's a nice gesture. If someone told me they would pray for me, I'd be touched.
I don't think it would do anything, being an atheist, but I would be grateful that they cared.
Strip away their good intentions. Call them evil, vile, disgusting.
Better yet, give the next christian you see the middle finger!
You know what you'll accomplish?
Nothing.
Because hate gets you nowhere. You'll only end up causing more grief.

[XOX]

No it is not a nice gesture. It is a christians vultures type of action to get converts using my coworker illness as an excuse.

[Palladium Alchemist]

Any what do you think you are?
You, my friend, are an atheist vulture.

[XOX]

Try something more original.

[Palladium Alchemist]

Fine, although the entire point of using the word "vulture" on you was to demonstrate that you are the same as any Christian.
You're a horrible excuse for a human being. Someone is sick. Get over your hatred and work with the Christians to easy your poor co-worker's pain.

[XOX]

Try harder. I just describe the situation. Preying on someone who is close to dead, circling and trying to find opportunity to take advantage of the situation is acting exactly like vultures.

[Sarah Lenore]

Even if praying doesn't help, maybe these people's hearts are in the right place? They're not trying to "spread their religion," they're just trying to offer emotional support in the only way they know how. I'm not Muslim but if I was seriously ill and a Muslim friend told me they would pray to Allah for me to get well, I would be touched because to a Muslim, prayer is meaningful and it meant that they cared about me.

Anyway, if I were not a religious person and wanted to approach things from a nonreligious angle, I'd do just what you said. Get in touch with the family and ask if there was anything you could do to help-- and let them know that if they need anything, they can count on you to listen to them talk or give them a hug or help them with chores/errands while they get things sorted out.

[XOX]

It is just the wrong thing to do. My coworker is a out about about atheist. And those vultures christians are using this as a way to spread their stupid religion. That is just disgusting.

What I need is a more public formate of greeting so that I could send out email to all atheists in my company. There are more atheists than vultures christians here, but these jerks are trying to run the show as a way to spread their religious message. I should have explained it better but my blood is boiling when I read their bullshit email.

No, those vultures didn't really care for this atheist coworker of mine. It is their famous fake caring.