US atheist organisation intentionally attempting to stir the pot this festive season

An atheist organisation in the US is attempting to stir the pot by taking out billboards across the country's bible belt encouraging people to "Make Christmas Great Again" by not going to church.

American Atheists unveiled the billboards on Saturday in Colorado, Georgia and Louisiana.

One of the billboards parodies US President-elect Donald Trump's election slogan, but puts an atheist twist on it.

"Make Christmas Great Again... skip church," one billboard reads.

"Skip church for a merrier Christmas," was emblasoned on another billboard.

American Atheists national director Nick Fish admits the organisation are intentionally trying to be controversial.

"We want to use humour, we want to use a little bit of people driving by these billboards and say, 'Wait, what did that just say?'" he told KSLA-TV.

"We celebrate Christmas pretty much the same way everyone else does... We have a tree. We give gifts. We have big meal. We hang out with the people that we love."

The billboards will be on display through to the end of December.