Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Monday, May 21, 2007

Boycotting Starbucks

I'm totally done with you Starbucks. I made up my mind after reading the first article about this anti-God business. But this one has me mailing the letter. I don’t buy that the quotes are a "way to promote open, respectful conversation among a wide variety of individuals. " Since when do coffee drinkers depend on their coffee cups for topics of conversation? I do believe that Starbucks' liberal, West-coast roots are showing.

I must tell you that this is killing me. I've been drinking Starbucks' Yukon Blend coffee every morning for about five years. And I love to drive thru for a Caramel Macchiato. But, I'm putting my money where my mouth is, and I'm done.

I'm in the market for a good strong coffee bean. Preferably one from a Christian business. Suggestions welcome.


8 comments:

  1. http://www.vashonmonks.com/coffee.html

    Hello, I've ordered from these local Orthodox monks before. I am sure there are others out there!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read both of your linked articles. The gay cup...pretty distasteful. Poor Bill, trying to overcome on his own...I just feel sorry for him. The "blue skies and soft music" cup, though, well, that one made me laugh out loud. Of course that's not heaven, but it's a funny cup.

    I don't go to Starbucks anyway, so I don't need to boycott. I'd probably stop buying, though, if only because some of these are obviously inappropriate and I wouldn't want my kids to read them.

    Good luck in your search for coffee beans. I've heard of some monks in with a mission in Columbia who sell them, but I've forgotten who they are!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Saint Ignatius gourmet coffees: http://www.caffeappassionato.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=29

    Haven't tried them yet. Waiting to move first.

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I was in the hospital having my third child, the movie Austin Powers was on the TV - edited, but altogether the topic of the movie was disgusting. Being that Starbucks had a big part in that movie - a tower - a rather large advertisement for them - I quite buying Starbucks then. That was eight years ago now. Since then, I've liked Seattle's Best (altho' I heard rumor it might be conjoined with Starbucks - but I'll check that out. But they have several nice strong blends. A catalog that comes to our home (Monastery ..?_ something_) does have coffees from Catholic establishments - and while pricey, they are good and as potent as the Yukon blend you gave up. On line there's Peet's Coffee (don't know their affiliation, except a friend orders from them regularly.)

    While not as strong, I like Bob Evans coffee, and how about the brand New England Roast....They have some varieties of strengths and our local coffee shop sells theirs.

    Hope you find your perfect coffee match that you can support and live with for a long happy time :)

    Blessings,
    Denise

    ReplyDelete
  5. Heaven forbid anyone have any tolerance for anybody that has a differing viewpoint from theirs. And heaven forbid anyone be allowed to express it. Jesus didn't hang around with judgmental bigots; he hung around with tax collectors and prostitutes. Presumably because he had compassion for and understood their troubles. Sheesh, move to a theocracy like Iraq instead of America if you don't like other people to express their opinions

    Sophia

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, Sophia, it seems you talk out of both sides of your mouth. I should move to Iraq because I don't agree with Starbucks, yet where does that leave you? You don't like my opinon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think your opinion is narrow minded but that doesn't mean I don't support your right to express it. As far as the comment to moving to Iraq is concerned, that was hyperbole to illustrate a point. If we lived in a theocracy, any theocracy none of us would even have the right to express opinions that vary from one official position.

    Of course you don't have to support Starbucks. But the whole point of the cups is to stimulate discussion not to shrink from it. So what if you don't like one person's opinion that is on a Starbucks' cup? They have other quotes on cups that I roll my eyes at but I don't blame the company just for giving folks a forum to express their views. If you read their cups, there are ones that express secular views, spiritual ones, religious one--tolerance promotes enlightenment. That is how we learn to grow as human beings, from examining all facets of a discussion, not from cutting ourselves off from everything we find offensive.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm glad to hear you support my right to express my opinion. From your first comment, I did not think that was the case.

    My point with Starbucks (and I did write them a letter about it) was "just make the coffee and stay out of my conversations." I have never gone to a coffee house with a friend and needed a paper cup to start a conversation, how about you?

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!