Washingtonpost.com:
Some say Jesus Christ healed the sick and died to redeem humankind. Little is said about his views on the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Still, secular coffee maker Starbucks has come under fire from some Christians who say the company isn’t repping hard enough for Jesus on its recent understated holiday cups. The problem? Political correctness, according to one evangelical.
“I think in the age of political correctness we become so open-minded our brains have literally fallen out of our head,” Joshua Feuerstein said in a widely viewed anti-Starbucks rant on Facebook titled “Starbucks REMOVED CHRISTMAS from their cups because they hate Jesus.” “Do you realize that Starbucks wanted to take Christ and Christmas off of their brand new cups? That’s why they’re just plain red.”
Feuerstein, an Arizona-based evangelist and “social media personality,” according to his Web site, had a plan. He didn’t want a boycott. He wanted a movement.
“I went in,” he said in the video. “I asked for my coffee. They asked for my name. And I told them my name is ‘Merry Christmas.’”
How utterly effen stupid. I almost hate to breathe life into this absurd story. Then I have to pinch myself to remember that corporations are people and CAN have religion.
I couldn’t care less what my Starbucks cup looks like. I care if it holds liquid and isn’t burning my hands. I think most Starbucks customers feel like I do.
Why do some people have to beat other people over the head with their religion? Then these same people blubber about a war on Christians. There is no war, at least in this country, on Christians. There is a war on jerks who want to bully corporations and others into acknowledging their religion according to their specifications.
These people are pretty pathetic if they need to validate their God by a Starbucks cup. It seems to me they need to sit down and have a good talk with the Guy upstairs about what is really important and what isn’t.
Go to Starbucks website and look at all the neat things you can buy that ARE about Christmas. Start with their Christmas Blend coffee. Yum. You also might want to try Chestnut Praline Latte, Peppermint Mocha and Caramel Brulée Latte. Those all sound nice and Christmasy. I am also willing to bet that there are also a great many ornaments, and decorated holiday mugs up there.
To the people bitching about the Starbucks cups–SDASTFU. You are giving normal Christians a bad name! I just hope my stocks go up.
+1
If this is a war on Christmas – Bring it on. What a load of crap. It just shows that anyone can get their 15 minutes of fame multiple different ways.
How can I get a job as a “social media personality? ” Sounds like a loser with too much time on his hands.
No kidding.
then there is the fact that this story made the front page of the Washington Post. this brings victimology to a new low.
and when it says – Merry Christmas, some yokel complains that they are commercializing a religious event too much (which I think we do).
Ha ha. I was just in Starbucks – not for a cuppa because I’d had too much already but for a snack. I didn’t even notice the cups. I don’t give a damn what’s on the cup. I just want a medium size cappuccino. At least Starbucks can use the cups for Valentine’s Day as well if they’re just plain red with the store’s logo.
Some peeps just have to be victims…
Starbucks, breeaach, phooey, I would rather have a cup of Joe from Sheetz, particularly the stuff that has been sitting on the burner for a couple of hours. Anybody that spend $9 on a cup of coffee is nothing but a poseur.
My question is….Why are so many people buying overpriced, crappy coffee?
@Cargosquid
I suppose because they like it and can afford it. Plus Starbucks is just a good place to hang out.
Starbucks coffee has an ashy taste to me. I like my Dunkin’ when I’m not mainlining off of my Keurig.
McDonald’s coffee fan here. Disclosure: 2 close family members working at SB.
I like Green Mountain for my Keurig.
When I go to Starbucks, I like Starbucks. I also own some stock in the company. Its a great company.
You already are.
Wolve! [stern look]
At those prices for a cup of hoked up coffee, I wouldn’t even go near Starbucks. The company owners must laugh all the way to the bank. It’s “Christmas” every day for those people.
Which would make you a perfect fit for the job.
Cato! [stern look]
Well, it’s like this, blogmistress. The QB takes the snap from center and drops back to pass.
Down the field, he sees his wide receiver break into the clear because the defensive back has gotten his own feet all tangled up and has fallen on his face. So, the QB, totally unable to resist the opportunity offered by the defensive back, whips the ball downfield to the wide receiver for 6 points.
Simple. On that play, Starry left it wide open. Just absolutely could not resist. Chalk up 6.
I guess the fact that what he said couldn’t possibly be construed as offensive doesn’t take him off the radar?
Donald Trump has called for a boycott of Starbucks because of their red cups.
I have it on great authority that the Starbucks in Manassas were very busy yesterday so apparently the corporation will survive.
Dunkin’ drive through and Dunkin’ by Kuerig. Now Dunkin is a religion. Chocolate glazed doughnuts….
I often go to Starbucks in my travels (which I do quite frequently) – and I do not pay $9 for a cup of coffee – more like less than $2 – which is on par with other outlets. Nothing like landing in Beijing and getting my Starbucks. It is like McDonalds – I know what I am going to get, even if it is not the best.
The Chocolate Glazed are the bomb.
We share the same tastes. DD and Keurig. The best coffee I have ever had was in Okinawa. French press in the little coffee houses that are everywhere over there.
MickyD / 95 cents! Good coffee!
And who said red cups with a green Starbucks logo isn’t “Christmasy” enough? Corporate branding is a big deal, and brands must be protected.
Also, doesn’t Starbucks have special Christmas blend coffees that are labeled as such?
We have enough manufactured controversy, without adding more. I don’t go out of my way to go to Starbucks, but I wouldn’t avoid one either.
They have a Christmas Blend which is displayed all over the lobby. They usually have ornaments and all sorts of other holiday paraphernalia to make you spend your hard earned bucks on fun things.
Frankly, DD is just as expensive in the k-cup dept as Starbux. That includes thru Amazon. Woe is me! What’s an addict to do!!!
@Moon-howler
I think this whole dust-up over the cups is silly.
We get our K-cups at Costco, but also bought one of those drop-in filters, so we can grind our own. K-cups for when you can’t spend the minute to fill the drop-in. Drop-in for when you can spare the minute.
I tried the drop in. I think everyone gave up. I just order through Amazon or hit peapod when there is a sale. I save money (this is how I delude myself) by not getting tea in k-cups. How Spartan of me.
Have you compared Costco to Amazon prime? If yes, who wins?
This dust-up is silly. Some dude that most of us probably never heard of releases a video, it goes “viral,” and the press makes a big deal out of it. I don’t think anyone is really all that upset about it.
Not in Manassas, at least. My daughter said things were hopping here.
I enjoyed it because it gave me a post first thing on Monday morning when I had been lazy and not put up a post.
I try never to miss an opportunity to express whole-hearted agreement with Steve Thomas. His comments on Christmas War (#23) and coffee making (#25) are right on the money.
The “war on Christmas” theme was always a strained, manufactured bit of rabble-rousing. I’m not sure who originated it, but I do recall in past years that Fox News seemed to think it was a good ratings booster. It was phony from the get-go, and it has so run out of steam that those who got cheap highs from it were left with nothing better than a red coffee cup to work with. The good news is that this year’s version of this scare tactic is so stupid, even among large sectors of its intended target audience/victims, that perhaps we won’t have to hear any more about the imaginary “War on Christmas” ever again. If it takes a red coffee cup to be the coup de grace for this abject silliness, I hope Starbucks casts a ceramic version. I will buy a complete set and use them year-round.
And their business is booming here in Manassas. It sounds like everyone is a winner. Maybe this was part of their marketing plan. ho ho ho