cup comment # 230 GOD/HEAVEN

I am a very open minded person, and I have one question for you.

Did you pull your kids out of school when they pulled prayer out?

Did you purchase pepsi this year after them refusing to include "IN
GOD WE TRUST" on their cans of soda?

Did you, ever once, stop to think, that you're no better than anyone
else?

Everyone has opinions, everyone has their views on everything and
anything. It's how you VOICE those opinions that matters. A well
written letter stating that you found it offensive and would like it
removed would have probably suited much better.

You should have placed more positive comments, such as, "the coffee
was great, my service is always excellent, however, I do not believe
that religion, politics, or relationship/sexual preferences should be
exploited by the company, as you will eventually offend someone--and
as a great establishment, I'd hate for you to lose that business."

I can almost guarantee that it would have merited more of a response,
and possibly even the response you wanted.

Had you bothered to read the rest of the cup, you over-zealous fool,
you would see the disclaimer. The quote is not the opinion of
Starbucks, just the author. Starbucks is all about diversity and
everyone having their own opinion. Not everyone who works for
Starbucks or patronizes it is a Christian/Jew. One of my favorite
customers and newfound friend is a Druid. AND he's gay! Oh, noes! I
myself am a Christian, but I pride myself on being a bit more
open-minded.

By throwing away that giftcard Starbucks gets to keep your money
without giving you anything in return. Yeah, that'll teach 'em.

"Pull the cups with religious opinions and never print them again.
Also a public appology."

I dont think anyone should have to apologize for questioning faith. I
dont want an apology from you for believing in god. thats your right
and i could really care less who you pray to (or dont pray to)

Should I issue a public apology because I'm athiest?

Should you have to issue a public apology because you are Christian?

I dont know, it's your right to boycott starbucks if you really want
to, but to expect a public apology for not adhering to the christian
points of view (which, by the way, the quote doesn't question the
existence of god or heaven) is just silly.

im sorry! they banned religion in schools

THEY AINT TAKING IT OUT OF STARBUCKS TOO!!!

I'm a Christian and I don't find this offensive. Actually, I thought
it was a rather interesting thought because it really is about the way
we view the world in modern times.

If you're offended, then don't drink the coffee, which you have
already decided to do.

The Way I See It #230
Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to
people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can't wait to go,
like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to
keep people in line in the 17th century, but Heaven has to step it up
a bit. They're basically getting by because they only have to be
better than Hell.
-- Joel Stein
Columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

Source:http://www.starbucks.com/retail/thewayiseeit_default.asp

There you have it. Mr. Stein, at least to my reading, does not seem
to be saying that the Christian god is bad, or that religion in
general is wrong. He seems to me to be saying that as our society has
changed, so too should our perception of what Heaven should be like.
I think people are confused by his relatively casual, light hearted
wording, but this is NOT an anti-religion message. I'm a huge Dave
Matthews fan, and this little blurb reminds me of the opening lines to
"So Much to Say," when he says, "My heaven is a nice house in the
sky...got central heating, and I'm all right."

I think the point of all these little quotes is to open people's minds
to different ideas. Not that I'm a great fan of Starbucks' cookie
cutter coffee shops, but thinking, even of an intelligent way to
disagree, has to be better than the alternative. If I had to guess,
I'd say that they are hoping that a customer's interest will be caught
by one of these soundbites, that a conversation will ensue, and that
people will come to associate Starbucks with good conversation.

I'm not a Christian myself, so I can't pretend to understand this on
the level of faith. My own religion doesn't involve the concept of
Heaven at all, so I guess I could get bent out of shape because
Starbucks' quote seems to be presupposing Heaven's existence in the
first place. Or I could just let Vc buy me a cheeseburger and move
on. Yeah, that sounds way better.

If its "Anti Religon" "Anti God" it is okay.

Let the Cup say something against Children, Women, Gays, or the
Environment and the posts would be different.

It is free speech, if you don't like it, dont go there. They can say
whatever they want, but they will face the wrath of the public.

Sadly, when it comes to an issue of Religon, heaven, or whatever,
nobody seems to care.

So much for freedom of expression. So, im guessing, your religion is
better then mine too? STOP BEING NARROW MINDED AND GROW UP!!!

You know what offends me? Someone actually THROWING AWAY a Starbucks
gift card.

How is it offensive?! I find it thought provoking. Also, if we're not
allowed to print certain things on items, then are we really a free
country?

i agree. religious opinion has no place on the side of a disposable
cup.

For a while now, In-n-Out puts religious sayings on their wrappers. I
have a choice. I can be offended as an atheist or I can enjoy quite
possibly the greatest cheese burger and fries known to man.

I always choose to get nutty with a 3x3 and a big ol' box of fries.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Are you paying more for the text on it? No. Just ignore it and drink
the darn coffee already... although I'm not a regligious freak...

I would never purchase anything from a company that puts religious
sayings on their merchandise. I know a lot of people who stopped
buying coffee from "Bess Eaton" because of this. I believe they're
out of business now.

"What we have here is a failure to" contemplate, or accept there is
another point of view.

It amazes me that this is the letter she sent to Starbucks corporate
HQ. Did she even finish elementary school? The use of a
spellchecker, which comes with EVERY word processor, would have at
least found the three spelling mistakes. And if she used a grammar
checker, she would have sounded a bit more indignant. Instead she
sounds like a hick. It's nice your husband has so much money he
'threw' away his gift card. Oh, by the way, Kat, this the 21st
century!!

This is another 'lamb of God' who has been told what to believe and
can't (or will not) consider the idea there are other ideas. I'm
willing to bet, if she ever compiled her list of enemies, I'd be on
it: Gay, Black, Educated, Canadian.

It is this widespread attitude that makes it so difficult for us to be
neighbours with the US. We are a younger country, but we are so much
more growed up!

Edward.

I personally don't believe in religion, but believe that everyone has
the right to believe or not. I know that when I see something like
that, I don't get bothered by it. You can't please everyone all the
time.
I think that you need to relax. Since you have chosen to take your
business elsewhere, as you have every right to do, it no longer
affects you.

OH BROTHER!!

It would be nice if you could write the actual quote and be factual.
When you say it "states" something, that implies you are quoting word
for word. Why do religious people constantly need to be agreed with
about their religious beliefs? Why can't people just be comfortable
with what they believe and leave it at that? The Starbucks cup took a
very basic and elementary idea of Heaven and never once metioned God!

Kat... As one Christian sister to another, I just want to say...

GET OVER IT.

I'm impressed that Starbucks puts such thought provoking text on their
cups. It almost makes me want to go there and spend $4 for a coffee.

Quite honestly, I really don't see the fuss over this. Despite the
fact that Jews share the same god as Christians, I rarely see us
reacting like this.

They're just quotes. There are ones about Buddhism and Hinduism, gays
and trassexuals, and if I remember correctly one about communisim.
They're just words, and if you don't take them to heart then they are
worthless.

I am not sure what you find offensive about these cups.....they are
coffee cups,it isn't as if Starbucks is driving around with a van and
a loudspeaker yelling these slogans throughout your neighborhood.
That being said,I am a Christian and I do not find these slogans
offensive,in fact,I find them interesting and thought provoking.I like
them so much I may even hand them out at church.
Just because you don't like it isn't going to stop Starbucks from
having them on their coffee cups.Starbucks makes enough money that
losing your business really won't matter to them.
My guess is you will get a form letter in return.

Kat, you don't seem to have much faith in your, well, faith.
I just hope that if you do indeed put the cup info on your Church News
bulletin board for all to see, you share the actual blurb
word-for-word without adding to or taking away.
As we can see from your less-than-accurate portrayal of the quote on
the cup (thank you, Jeffery), you tend to misrepresent.

Seriously, you should lighten up. With all of the troubles in the
world today (soapbox, soapbox), the last thing you should expend so
much energy over is a coffee cup.

If you are really going to put the words on that cup in your chuch's
news bulletin, make sure you put the whole thing. Jeffrey gave it to
you down thread. That way the rest of your members know what an
eggshell Christian you are if something like this upsets you that
much.

Ok, let me get this straight, we want our children to pray and talk
about God in schools, but we don't want intelligent adults to be
subjected to thought provoking tidbits like that on Starbucks cups?
Do you realize that as humans we were given the unique ability to
reason and to have our own opinions, beliefs etc.? You have the right
to no longer frequent this establishment, but please don't assume that
all of us that believe in God and Heaven also believe that Starbucks
is out of line. I personally think of it as them playing devil's
advocate. Really, they are just trying to provoke conversation.
Isn't some conversation about God and Heaven better than none?

Kat, there is another group of people that felt another person's
opinion contrary to their own should be eradicated. I think they were
called Nazi's.
Don't be a cup Nazi Kat.
Guess what? There is not one religion on earth that is exactly right.
Human interpretation is not perfect, so neither is your belief, but
you are allowed to represent your beliefs.
Kat, is your issue that Star Bucks printed an opinion other than your
own? If so, do you feel you should be allowed to publicly discuss your
beliefs on a site like say, Planetfeedback? Should I boycott
PlanetFeedback because you were allowed to post a complaint and
expressed some of your views?
What cult do you belong to?

You know what, Kat? I am a Christian, but I am a Christian in
AMERICA. In AMERICA, people have the freedom of speech and the
freedom of relgion, among many other wonderful freedoms. That means
that not everyone has to believe what I believe, and not everyone has
to think the same thoughts that I think - what a concept, huh?

I am strong in my faith. If I got this cup when I went to Starbucks,
I would roll my eyes and shake my head. If I was with someone who was
not of my faith, I might even state why I did not agree with the
statement, then listen politely while they told me why they DID agree
with it. I most likely would not alter my opinion based on what they
told me, but by sharing my beliefs CALMLY and listening to their
beliefs RESPECTFULLY, I helped to give Christianity a good name in
that person's eyes.

Honestly, Kat, would Jesus have written a raving, judgmental letter
like this to Starbucks? I think not.

Phyllis? Is that you?

Fortunately the US has freedom of speech which includes freedom of
religion. If Starbucks wants to print quotes about heaven or God then
they have every right to do so. I am a religious guy but I don't find
this offensive, no quote is going to take my faith away and I really
doubt that the quote is taking your faith away but you do want to take
Starbuck's freedom of speech, seems unfair to me.

Don't apologize Starbucks and continue exercising your freedom of
speech and religion.

You want a public apology for something written on a cup. Probably not
going to happen. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and are
free to print or say it anywhere they want.

If you have such a problem with this, stop patronizing this
establishment.

I'm not even Christian and I in no way take offense to what is printed
on the cups. It's a coffee cup.

I'll make you a deal Kat, we'll pull all of the cups if your church
agrees not to talk about God in public.

You don't want to read about someone's opinions on heaven? I don't
want to hear about yours.

Deal?

I never go to Starbuck's but this letter makes me want to.

If you are so offended by these cups (as is your right), then by all
means, stop buying Starbucks products. But it is unfair to the rest of
us, who find the quotes thought-provoking and are not offended, to
insist Starbucks pull them.

There are plenty of outlets for religious opinions. Should we pull all
of them simply because they don't conform to your personal religious
opinion?

Here's a story from USA Today, from 2005:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2005-10-19-starbucks-quote_x.htm


There are hundreds of articles on this topic, going back several
years.

Here's two links to Starbucks web site:

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/thewayiseeit_default.asp?cookie%5Ftest
=1

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/thewayiseeit_letters.asp


Starbucks is doing this, it seems, to spark conversation. They do not
write the text on the cups.

In the case of cup #230, it was written by LA Times columnist Joel
Stein. The correct quote (since Kat has not reproduced it quite
correctly) can be seen at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandrino/750393364/. The text is:

"Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to
people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can't wait to go,
like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to
keep people in line in the 17th century, but Heaven has to step it up
a bit. They're basically getting by because they only have to be
better than Hell."

The word "God" never appears.

Personally, I find it a rather sardonic. And thought provoking.

But, yes, I can see how it would offend some people.