Atheists in America are trying to put a damper on Christmas festivities by putting up a billboard showing a girl texting her friends about not going to church anymore as her surprised mother looks on.

The billboard promoted an "Atheist Christmas," proclaiming "the more, the merrier!" The mother and daughter whose pictures were used without their knowledge are not pleased about their photos being used to destroy the Christian tradition of church-going since both of them are proud Christians.

The mother, named Candy Burns, told The Gazette that she had no idea the stock photo, which was taken four years ago, would be used by atheists to sabotage the Christmas spirit.

"Normally, I could care less, but this hits a little under the belt for me," Burns said. "I'm not an atheist. I love the Lord. My daughter is not an atheist. I have a life in Christ."

However, Burns noted that she can do nothing about the image used since she already signed a release for it. She only realised that it was used for the atheists' billboard when a friend of hers emailed a link to the news story.

"If they want to sit there and not believe in God, that's on them," Burns said. "But for them to take a Christian mother and daughter and put them on a billboard, I think that's low. Why don't they use their own people?"

For his part, American Atheists' National Program Director Nick Fish said that his group got the photo from iStockPhoto, and that they met all legal requirements to use it.

Earlier, the group's president David Silverman said in a press release that the billboard hopes to tackle the stigma that he and other non-believers face in the United States, especially during Christmas.

"It is important for people to know religion has nothing to do with being a good person, and that being open and honest about what you believe — and don't believe — is the best gift you can give this holiday season," Silverman said, according to The Christian Post. "More and more Americans are leaving religion, but we still have work to do when it comes to fighting the stigma many atheists face."