Anti-God Starbucks cup has customer steaming

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55564 

An Ohio woman is steaming after reading an anti-God message published on the side of a http://www.starbucks.com/customer/con... color="#0000ff">Starbucks coffee cup.

The message that got Michelle Incanno's blood boiling reads:

"Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure."

Michelle Incanno of Springboro, Ohio, holds a cup part of Starbucks' 'The Way I See It' campaign (Dayton Daily News)

The quote was written by Bill Schell, a Starbucks customer from London, Ontario, Canada, and was included as part of an effort by the Seattle-based coffee giant to collect different viewpoints and spur discussion.

"As someone who loves God, I was so offended by that," Michelle Incanno, a married mother of three who is Catholic, told the Dayton Daily News. "I don't think there needs to be religious dialogue on it. I just want coffee."

Incanno of Springboro, Ohio, admits she had been a huge fan of Starbucks before discovering the message, always ordering a large, house-brewed coffee with nonfat milk and two Splenda.

"I wouldn't feel right going back," she said.

The paper says Incanno wasn't satisfied with a company disclaimer saying the quote is the author's opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks, which http://www.starbucks.com/wayiseeit"><... color="#0000ff">invites customers to respond on its website.

Starbucks spokeswoman Sanja Gould said the collection of thoughts and opinions is a "way to promote open, respectful conversation among a wide variety of individuals. "

Starbucks cup with a pro-homosexual message caused controversy in Waco, Texas, in 2005 (courtesy: Seattle Times)

This is not the first time a message on a Starbucks cup has caused controversy.

As WND reported in September 2005, officials at Baylor University told the Starbucks store on its Waco, Texas, campus to remove a cup said to promote homosexuality.

The offending cup featured the words of homosexual novelist Armistead Maupin.

It read:

"My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don't make that mistake yourself. Life's too damn short."

Baylor University, the world's largest Baptist school, refused to comment on the issue, said KCEN-TV in central Texas. Employees at the campus Starbucks said none of their customers had complained about the cup, but they removed it nonetheless.

As a Christian the best thing you can do is never buy another cup of coffee from them again. I'm sure a lot of Christian's drink coffee, so it would be interesting to see how it would affect their sales if all Christians stopped patronizing them. They're way over priced anyway. Drink green tea. It's much better for you too.

No more Starbucks for me.....

---

Nor Ben & Jerry's ice cream.  America haters.

---

I have written Starbucks requesting a response to this most recent quote.

 I will keep you updated.

Don't buy into their liberal  left line that they are just using customer's views on different subjects.... they are like the news media....they cherry pick what they want to  ram down the public's throat ....  you can  be pretty sure that they will never use the opposite views on those subjects and i  agree with Blaze's comment about  Ben and Jerry's but what can you expect from the socialist empire of vermont. Don't spend  your money at either place unless you  think the same way as they do.

It is only because of the anti christian culture which has been gaining for decades that the secular progressives have become so emboldened as to finally be brave enough to openly display their contempt for christians and christianity. It is only going to get worse and become more pervasive and it certainly seems to be chic to bash christians. Political correctness continues to shred the moral fabric of this country and we have to counter this offensive with all of our might and deny them success at every turn. Boycotting and hurting them in the pocketbook is indeed the most effective way or making our view points heard.

---

These fools that want to continue the assaults on the christian religeon do not realize that the religeon that is waiting in the wings is not a pretty one. Burkas and beheadings here we come.

---

Not wanting to jump to conclusions,  I would like to know if a Christian viewpoint is given also maybe on another cup?  This is a country where there is freedom of belief.  As for the gay comment, I think that is pretty much inappropriate.

---

I spoke of this personally to another person who had a very intelligent response and solution.  If all persons who were offended by the anti-God statements were to respond in an educated manner, giving the company a chance to respond and correct their mistake, change could be made.  Keeping comments civil is the key to the solution, openly bashing or attacking the company would be written off as "bigoted Christians are at it again!"

 Before boycotting, remember that Starbucks tries to cater to all beliefs, no matter how wrong they might be.  Let the company know that most people do not appreciate bashing our Christian ethos.  Honey attracts more flies than vinegar.

                    Never been and definately will never go.

---

To all you non believing GOD people out there on judgement day what will you say to him before he sends you to the lake of fire? No more starbucks.

---

I leach off of em every morning. They give us free coffee. Today while there all we heard was Mexican music and you couldn't understand Pedro's lyrics. Guess that's all for the free coffee. I'd go down the street to Mac Donalds. It's better coffee as well.

---

I stopped supporting Starbucks in January after realizing that I was spending over $1000 a year there.  I am now making my own coffee at home every morning and ya know what?  It tastes better than Starbucks and I get to use that $1000 to buy other things that I've been wanting to get. 

---

Here is the answer from Starbucks Customer Relations.  I thought it appropriate and understanding, but you can take it for what it's worth.

Thanks for taking the time to write and express your concerns about the recent "Way I See It" quote from Bill Scheel.

Our goal with "The Way I See It" is to promote a free and open exchange of ideas and thoughts on a wide variety of topics. We think this tradition of dialogue and discussion is an important facet of the coffeehouse experience. In fact, the conversation around Quote #247 is sparking dialogue, which is the original intent of the program.

Here are some of those cups that have appeared in the past that take a different point of view from Mr. Scheel:

The Way I See It #92

You are not an accident. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He wanted you alive and created you for a purpose. Focusing on yourself will never reveal your purpose. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny.

-- Dr. Rick Warren

Author of The Purpose-Driven Life.

The Way I See It #158

It's tragic that extremists co-opt the notion of God, and that hipsters and artists reject spirituality out of hand. I don't have a fixed idea of God. But I feel that it's us - the messed-up, the half-crazy, the burning, the questing - that need God, a lot more than the goody-two-shoes do.

-- Mike Doughty

Musician. His songs can be heard on Starbucks Hear MusicT station, XM Satellite Radio Channel 75.

After reading these quotes, I hope you'll feel that the quotes for the program reflect a broad array of thoughts and opinions.

Thanks again for writing.

Sincerely,

Shawn H.

Customer Relations

Starbucks Coffee Company

Michelle, I think you should take Starbucks to court! If the cup had said the same only to the Islamic religion they would be in court so fast! The famous A.C.L.U. ,  American??? Civil??? LIBERTY???Union??? would be behind Starbucks, for sure. But we can't let them take away our rights They aren't looking out for America, they are out to destroy it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the ACLU  and thdestroy you.

---

EXTRA.....EXTRA........READ ALL ABOUT IT!

http://www.newswithviews.com/Stuter/stuter101.htm

---

I don't go to Starbucks because I don't like coffee enough to pay that much for it.  However, I like the concept of their cups.  Evidently, they are including quotations from a variety of sources and that's a good thing.  Although most of us disagree with the anti-Christian sentiment, I do not see that Starbucks is attacking Christians.  Let's not become so thin-skinned that we can't even tolerate a different point of view.  The beauty of America is its different points of view.  Starbucks isn't trying to ram anything down our throats.  And, yes, people of the Islamic religion would be suing.  That's their culture.  They are oversensitive and manipulative.  If we have to close the mouths of all who disagree with us, then we are making no progress at all.

---

motorcyle cat.....you seem to be confused. Too much cat nip?

---

thats right all this is america we have no free speach i mean my god why should we allow anyone in this country to speak their mind....my god folks if this realy bothers you....you need to build a bridge and get over it....i bet if some one put on their pro christan thought (like burn all witches,oppress gays, hang anyone that is not christan) you would all be fine with it....i think i will go and spend all of my money on starbucks....and Ben and Jerrys....thanks for the heads up all

---