[Lavender le Fay]

If you'll allow me to add my 2 cents.. (I'll need those back when you're done, thank you.)

I'm atheist and gay, you can imagine that religious people have more than one issue with me. I never seek out to offend or mock anyone for their beliefs, although I could; it's not a system without flaw. Each time someone tells me 'God bless you' or similar things, I say thank you with a smile. I have felt the urge to reply with 'Thank you, but I'm atheist.' That would've been a redundant provocation and a slap to their face over a kind gesture. In today's very messy world, religion gives people some comfort. If that helps them get through their day a little easier, nobody no business taking that away. Now on the other hand, some people outright ready to fight you to prove their belief's superiority or use religion to not have to spend a second using their brain. (If you ask me, those individuals have a very shaky relationship with their deity of choice, but that's a whole different topic.) My opinion is that you will spend some time convincing your mother that you think differently with polite, calm conversation. You'll get nowhere with arguments.