October 19, 2005

At Starbucks, get a cup of...faith?

Interesting... Starbucks stirs things up with a God quote on cups.

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."

"They will throw them into the recycling bins, where there will be griping about separation of church and coffee and burning of tongues."

They have 63 quotes on these stupid cups, and the only one that makes a media fuss is one about the Lord. Go fig.

Posted by Kyer at October 19, 2005 02:53 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Well, I raised a stink about the Maupin quote -- not because of the gay reference, but because no sexual content should be on cups six year olds drink hot chocolate from.

Posted by: Laer at October 24, 2005 12:12 AM
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