Customer Refuses to Buy Starbucks Due to Coffee Cup Quote

riverc0il

consumerist.com/consumer/...260327.php

Apparently, Starbucks is now printing Coffee Cups with quotes submitted by their customers intended to drive intellectual conversation. One woman apparently has decided not to drink Starbucks any more due to a quotation suggesting that people need to not rely on a deity when faced with a tough circumstance and instead rely on their own cognitive powers (the quote does not explicitly suggest there is no god, but rather calls into question the asking a favor of a deity instead of taking ownership for action).

Consumerist has a lot of snarky comments despite the occasional interesting article, so I generally do not read the comments. However, in this case, I read a sampling including many people suggesting this message has no place on a Coffee cup.

However, to flip the quotation around, what if an Atheist or Agnostic individual was upset about a religious message printed on a consumable good? The backlash tends to be very harsh. I suggest there is a slight double standard here. That when a religiously oriented person calls into question the placement of a statement calling into question religious beliefs (however, not out right stating there is no deity) most people agree the message is not appropriate but rather when a religious message in a public place gets called into question (hello "In God We Trust" and "Under God" in the Pledge! Both of which added during the Cold War not originally intended... just as two examples), it seems like there is a mass objection from the religious community.

Thoughts? Double Standard?

Mr. Pessimistic

I assume you are asking a question that you already know should be answered with "OF COURSE there is a double standrad here"!

We all know that if any protest against a religious epithet was lodged by an atheist/agnostic, there would be such an outcry and rally against the 'heathen' and/or 'infidel' that we would be forced to struggle against the torrential ignorance of it all.

Look what just a DRAWING of Muhammad brought on!

People get scared when their fragile beliefs are threatened...I mean, it really does not take much to show that these people are sheep and are clinging to crap...so they get very mad when they are forced to confront this fact...even by so little a thing as a statement on a coffee cup.

Mr. P.

I'm not saying it's usual for people to do those things but I(with the permission of God) have raised a dog from the dead and healed many people from all sorts of ailments. - Asana Boditharta (former booktalk troll)

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

What is all this shit about Angels? Have you heard this? 3 out of 4 people believe in Angels. Are you F****** STUPID? Has everybody lost their mind? - George Carlin

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

Frank 013

“Torrential ignorance”

Now that’s imagery.

Later

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"

mikepainter · Newbie Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 4 Gender:

I live in the UK, things are different, people are different, and for those of us who do believe in God I sometimes wonder if we are talking about the same guy. Anyhow what kind of loser would need a quote on a coffee cup to have a conversation. The only coffee cups we bother to read are when the wife gives her man one labled boss and he doesn't believe that.

Mike

Interbane · Senior Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 369 Gender:

Move on down to Pensacola, in Florida. I dare not express my beliefs, else I be pummeled to pulp the the religious cults that infest the area. In some cases, the only opportunity for Atheists to express their beliefs is anominously across the internet. I could not express my belief, otherwise my business would fail. It feels as though I'm the only living being amongst a society of bible thumpers, akin to zombies in "Land of the Dead."

Frank 013 · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject: A Coffee Cup!

No arguement here.

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
shouting..."Holy Crap...what a ride!"

xentryk · Getting comfortable Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 8 Gender:

Starbucks is reaching out to get their consumers to think creatively and intellectually by engrossing them with thought provoking quotes to arise discussion and thought. But the devoutly religious unfortunately don't think critically outside of their religious boxes (if at all).

So it's no wonder why we live in a world where the tossed coin can only land one way. It's okay to promote religious ideas because the non-religious and intellectual take it in stride by using it to arise debate and create counter arguments.

However, the promotion of an idea is taken with a greater fury when one can not think critically and counter the idea itself.

"This paperback is very interesting, but I find it will never replace a hardcover book - it makes a very poor doorstop."
-Alfred Hitchcock


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