Posted on 10/19/2005 12:19:56 PM PDT by linkinpunk
Starbucks stirs things up with a God quote on cups
By Cathy Lynn Grossman
Wed Oct 19, 7:25 AM ET
Coffee drinkers could get a spiritual jolt with their java in the spring when Starbucks begins putting a God-filled quote from the Rev. Rick Warren, author of the mega-selling The Purpose-Driven Life, on its cups.
It will be the first mention of God in the company's provocative quote campaign, The Way I See It. In 2005, Starbucks is printing 63 quotes from writers, scientists, musicians, athletes, politicians and cultural critics on cups for company-run and licensed locations to carry on the coffeehouse tradition of conversation and debate.
Some mention "faith in the human spirit," but none is overtly religious. Last month, Baylor University pulled Starbucks cups after objections to a quote from writer Armistead Maupin saying that "life is too damn short" to hide being gay.
Warren says the idea of a grande pitch for God as creator came to him after seeing a Starbucks quote on evolution from paleontologist Louise Leakey. Because Starbucks solicited customer contributions for 2006, Warren sent his in. On Tuesday, Starbucks spokeswoman Sanja Gould confirmed that it would be used.
The cups carry a disclaimer that the opinions "do not necessarily reflect the views of Starbucks."
But a few companies plant clues to Christianity in their wrappings, music or signs precisely because the owners are believers.
In-N-Out Burger, the California-based fast-food chain, has included tiny notations for Bible verses in some of its burger and drink packaging since Richard Snyder, son of the founders, called for it in 1987. "He told me, 'It's just something I want to do,' " company spokesman Carl Van Fleet says.
After Snyder's death in 1993, "the family felt strongly about keeping this just as he had done it" at its 196 outlets in California, Arizona and Nevada. The Bible book and verse in minuscule type "are so subtle most of our customers never notice."
One who did: Don Chang, the deeply religious founder of clothing chains Forever 21 and XXI.
Five years ago, the clothier copied In-N-Out by stamping the Bible book, chapter and verse notation John 3:16 on the bottom of his stores' shopping bags: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
It's "evidence of faith," corporate spokesman Larry Meyer says.
Other owners making a faith statement in the secular marketplace include David Green, whose craft chain Hobby Lobby plays only Christian contemporary music in its 362 stores, and S. Truett Cathy, who advertises that Chick-fil-A sandwich shops nationwide are closed on Sundays to free employees to focus on faith and family.
"Americans are more accepting of overt religiosity these days, and corporations are good at figuring out how to do it with a light touch, one that's not going to scare off unbelievers," says sociologist David Halle, director of the LeRoy Neiman Center for the Study of American Society and Culture at the University of California-Los Angeles.
Alaska Airlines has put baseball-card-size prayer cards on hot-meal trays for 30 years "just to differentiate us from the competition," spokeswoman Amanda Tobin says. "Compliments have always far outweighed complaints."
They put some quotes from a God fearing man on a cup and you are so offended that you refuse to buy anymore of their product. It seems your hatred for all things Rick Warren is pathological. I didn't see you complaining when Starbucks was putting pro-homosexual quotes on their cups. No. That was probably just peachy with you, huh?
But God forbid they put a quote from Rick Warren.
Sad.
I wonder if that applied to the pharisees of whom Jesus said "you are of your father the devil"?
I was wondering when the Warren-bashing zealots would show up.
That took a long time.
I am offended because Rick Warren is doing more to liberalize the church than liberals! Try as I might I can't help but like the guy when I see him, but I can't stand his silly version of 'christianity-lite' which only serves to invite a larger percentage of CINO'S into the church.
Yes. It did.
I'll be paying In-N-Out Burger an extra visit to look for the Bible Verse. Their Double-Double with extra grilled onions is the best burger around!
So, what's the Warren quote?
GR.
I used to work in Lansing with a pro-family organization and would always see the Grangers trucks around town.
Pinging you because everyone needs to go to the circus now and then...
Thanks for the ping. I was just about to post this myself. I wonder if they'll have, "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away..." (Act 3:19) or "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."
"which only serves to invite a larger percentage of CINO'S into the church."
Right, and we would not want them in the church where the sanctifying influence of the spoken Word and the "lived" Word might cause them to be just like us.
From their web site....
Starbucks Donates to Military Personnel As part of Starbucks ongoing commitment to share the comfort of coffee during times of crisis, the company continues to demonstrate our support of the men and women serving in the U.S. military overseas.
Starbucks is a company with a social conscience and a long history of contributing product, time and funding to a wide variety of local, national and international non-profit organizations. In addition, Starbucks has the deepest respect and admiration for U.S. military personnel. We are extremely grateful to the men and women who serve stateside and overseas. We sincerely appreciate that they are willing to risk their lives to protect Americans and our values of freedom and democracy.
http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csr.asp#
Define "liberal".
If, by "liberal", you mean relaxing non-scriptural traditions (such as suits and ties and pipe organ music) and seeking to bring non-believers to a place where they will be confronted by the risen Christ, then I pray that the church continues to be liberalized.
If by "liberal" you mean traditional "liberalism" such as denying the truth of the scriptures and denying the miracles of Christ, promoting abortions and the homosexual agenda and other traditional "liberal" positions that have infected the body of Christ.... then you are lying.
Look under the cup.
"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 real 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." - The Rev. Rick Warren for StarbucksA seriously missed opportunity to spread the Gospel. Instead we are to hope for a life that makes sense.
My apologies. That sidebar is from the USA Today article.
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