Kimberly Winston
Kimberly Winston is a freelance religion reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
All Stories by Kimberly Winston
Grateful without God: A secular Thanksgiving
By Kimberly Winston — November 27, 2013
(RNS) “It is important for us as nonbelievers to recognize that we are lucky in the grand scheme of the universe and to spend this time with our friends and family, and the tradition of doing that once a year, whether you are religious or not, is a valuable thing to do," says Maggie Ardiente.
Do atheists need their own ‘church’? Sunday Assembly prompts controversy
By Kimberly Winston — November 25, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (RNS) “We can go through an entire Sunday Assembly meeting without mentioning atheism, without mentioning religion,” organizer Sanderson Jones said. “We have enough values that define us without having to do that.”
Atheists challenge IRS over nonprofit finances
By Kimberly Winston — November 22, 2013
(RNS) Current tax law requires all tax-exempt organizations, including American Atheists, to file a Form 990 financial report -- except churches and church-related organizations.
Got faith? ‘A Manual for Creating Atheists’ would like to change that
By Kimberly Winston — November 18, 2013
(RNS) “A Manual for Creating Atheists” sold out its first printing before its Nov. 1 release date and ran through a second printing in just two weeks. It also broke into Amazon’s top 100 overall best-seller list.
Humanists warn public schools over Franklin Graham’s ‘Operation Christmas Child’
By Kimberly Winston — November 14, 2013
(RNS) The toys collected by Operation Christmas Child come with an invitation for recipients to accept Christianity. Since its founding in 1993, Operation Christmas Child has sent 100 million boxes of toys to poor children.
Atheists use a popular Bible app to evangelize about unbelief
By Kimberly Winston — November 5, 2013
(RNS) “There was a girl in my math class who had a tattoo about Jesus and I asked if she knew Leviticus says you shouldn’t have tattoos,” said atheist Adam Wright. “She said that wasn’t true and I opened my app and showed her the verse.”
Air Force Academy drops ‘So help me God’ from honor oath
By Kimberly Winston — October 28, 2013
(RNS) The Air Force Academy's Honor Oath was adopted by the academy’s first class in 1959 without the words "So help me God," which were added in 1984 following a cheating scandal.
UPDATED: Atheists step in to help Ohio pastor assaulted by ‘militant atheist’
By Kimberly Winston — October 25, 2013
(RNS) "This shouldn’t have happened," says atheist blogger Hemant Mehta. "We disagree with Christians all the time but that is not how we resolve our debate.”
Oprah interview stirs debate: What is an atheist?
By Kimberly Winston — October 21, 2013
(RNS) Most saw in the talk show host’s rejection of Nyad’s atheism what polls, studies and often their own experience tell them -- that atheists are among the least trusted and least liked Americans.
Hispanics increasingly identify as ‘nones’
By Kimberly Winston — October 17, 2013
(RNS) Researchers say those with no religious affiliation are now statistically equal to evangelical Protestants as a share of U.S. Hispanics and warn of a religious divide in the Hispanic community that will be felt for decades to come.
Yale’s humanists lose bid for campus recognition
By Kimberly Winston — October 7, 2013
(RNS) “From the very beginning, we fully expected people -- religious and nonreligious alike -- to have questions about our pursuing membership" in Yale Religious Ministries, coordinator Chris Stedman said.
Minister-turned-atheist Teresa MacBain loses Harvard job after inflating resume
By Kimberly Winston — September 27, 2013
AUSTIN, Texas (RNS) “I have committed a grave error in judgment that I deeply regret,” minister-turned-atheist Teresa MacBain wrote. “While I did not do anything with malice or with intention to harm others, my actions were still wrong.”
‘Secular safe zones’ offer campus shelter to atheist students
By Kimberly Winston — September 18, 2013
(RNS) The sticker on professor Robert Schmidt's door at Utah State University signals that his office is a ``Secular Safe Zone,'' open to students who are atheists, agnostics or just questioning their faith and in need of advice.
‘Hug an Atheist’ film tries to put a human face on unbelief
By Kimberly Winston — September 13, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO (RNS) "I wanted people that could just be the people next door,” said filmmaker Sylvia Broeckx. “I wanted to put a face on atheism and the face is your neighbor, your friends and your co-workers who you might not expect to be an atheist."
Mass. Supreme Court to hear challenge to Pledge of Allegiance
By Kimberly Winston — August 30, 2013
(RNS) An atheist couple challenging the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance hopes that the same Massachusetts court that legalized gay marriage can set another precedent against the phrase "under God."
