A friend gets mad

I tried to give a friend a compliment and it backfired. I'll explain.
 
Sheila is a liberal christian, raised methodist, and is a science and math teacher. She's been dating lately and complains that she's been attracting and been attracted to atheists. So lately, before the relationship gets going, she asks these men if they believe in God. So far the ones that she's dated for more that a few weeks are, but there are a couple that aren't and she blows them off easily.
 
OK, here's her dilemma. Sheila has met the man of her dreams. He's good-looking, witty, British, smart, romantic; you get the picture, he's perfect. He's got a couple of faults, but hey, don't we all. So she's going on and on about him and I finally ask the money question, "Have you asked him if he believes in God?"
 
Now, I've met him and talked to him a little. It would surprise me if he isn't an atheist and I told Sheila as much. I also asked her if he is an atheist is that a deal breaker? She couldn't answer the question. Instead she changed the subject and asked why there are so many atheists in her life and my answer is what offended her. 

I explained that because she is intelligent she is attracted to intelligent people. I mentioned to her that many of these people have thought about christianity and have rejected it because it doesn't make sense. She then said that it was taking everything she could not to hang up on me. This really surprised me; I thought she was beyond being insulted religiously especially since I was paying her a compliment. I did prefaced it by saying that I was sure she had good reasons for not questioning those beliefs, it's just that other smart people have, and those were the one's she was attracted to.
 
On the other hand, I could've been insulted by some of the things she said to me, but I wasn't. She noticed that the people she knew that are atheists were brought up in fundamentalist households. And, as much as that might be true, I pointed out to her that I knew of people who had very positive religious experiences and that, as adults decided for whatever reason or reasons, became atheists. My husband is one of those people, which surprised her.
 
Anyway, the conversation ended well, with her understanding that I wasn't making fun of her. At the time I was talking to her I did make the connection that she was the one offended and I wasn't. Funny how religion will do that to you, even if you are liberal.