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Anti-God Starbucks cup has customer steaming
Woman says: 'I don't think there needs to be religious dialogue on it. I just want coffee'


An Ohio woman is steaming after reading an anti-God message published on the side of a 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."

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 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. "

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 reads:

    "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 (expletive removed) 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.

Who in their right mind would spend $4.00 for a cup of coffee anyway. As much as I like coffee I would have to be mighty thirsty to spend that much for such a small cup of coffee.

You and me both brother. I think it is time, for all Christians to boycott starbucks.

Amen!

Add it to the list.

Brother.. I am one who ALREADY has been boycotting Starbucks. This just gives me another reason. This topic will be sent to all in my email folder!

Yeah I could never afford to go often.  Starbucks was like a once a year sort of thing for me...

I had it so little...I will not miss it.

By by...and good riddance.

I prefer my own coffee. However, if I need to purchase a cup, I will certainly never patronize Starbucks.  I bet they would never consider permitting an anti-Muslim message to be displayed.  If they are assuming there will be no significant backlash from Christians, they are delusional.

Faithin1 - I agree with enjoying my own coffe a whole lot more.

I tried Starbucks one time, and wouldn't go back.  Too expensive.  Coffee was horrible.

Wonder why Starbucks feels so "big" as to need to delve into the public philosophy realm.  Who owns them, anyway?

The company is an employee owned company. Howard Schultz is the chairman of Starbucks. He recently bought the Seattle Supersonics. The Seattle Supersonics do not belong to Starbucks however. Currently the members of the company's board of directors are Jim Donald, Barbara Bass, Collin Mullahy, Bill Bradley, Mellody Hobson, Olden Lee, Greg Maffei, Howard Schultz, James Shennan, Javier Teruel, Robert Marsee, Myron Ullman, and Craig Weatherup.

Starbucks does own Starbucks Entertainment a company that produces music and films. I think this answers the question as to why they are involved in public philosophy. After all that's what Hollywood does now.