November 9, 2015

Red and Green Cup Craziness

I just could not help myself with this one. 
Disclaimer: I am not attacking any religion, it's body of followers, or corporations. 
Warning: I am pointing out utter ignorance and insanity.
Home from work and not feeling well, I see on the news about some pastor being offended by the colors of a Starbucks cup.....in my head is a big WHHAAAT???
What is this madness? You can't be serious!?
I go online to check my email and of course the infamous social network feed, and I am bombarded with this cup color crisis.
Anti-Christian the pastor states. Says that Starbucks has made an anti-Christian statement with their choice of the seasons design, or as some are saying specifically, 'lacking Christmas iconography'. 
This is where I start to laugh. Apparently this guy (and others) really failed at thinking things through before they cried 'war'.....not one bit of thought what so ever....(giggle)
I also came across support of this opinion coming from GQ....really?....or was that just a joke, I'm so confused!....I just don't know; it's so hard to tell these days any more. Some things are such a waste of energy and completely stupid that I have a hard time believing that someone is actually being serious about it.

So let's take a look at this cup controversy and the cry that it is an offensive anti-Christian statement.
What is there in all this madness that supports this guys outcry.

Item #1 - Cup is red and green (and white). These colors have been associated with the holiday Christmas for generations. It is so embedded in our culture that these two colors dominate the decorations, wrapping paper, and other holiday gear. No one has ever made a stink about these two colors being anti-anything before. 
Verdict- Does not support
Item #2 - Cup is void of any and all common holiday symbols. The only symbol is the company logo. In years past there have been snowflakes, reindeer, ornaments on tree branches, people and pets sledding, snowmen and carolers. I don't associate any of those with the birth of Christ. Yet they are well known and apparently acceptable iconography for the holiday. If the lacking of these symbols are anti-Christian, what is a snowman? Why wasn't Starbucks called out when reindeer adornd the cups, or a tree with ornaments. Those are associated with the pre-Christian festivities and traditions of Winter. To be more specific, they are historically pagan. 
Verdict- Does not support
Item # 3 - Some 'Christians' are manipulating the employees of Starbucks, in protest, to write 'Merry Christmas' on the cups by using that as their name. I found a timeline of past cups, none had any sort of holiday phrasing. At most, ornaments had single words such as, hope, joy, peace. Those words are fitting on any given day. So to my knowledge, Starbucks has never 'catered' to any one religion with their cup designs. Now correct me if I am wrong, protests are supposed to hurt the intended target. How is boosting the profits of a corporation (buying a drink just so 'Merry Christmas' will be written on the cup) supposed to hurt?
Verdict- Does not support

As is said, any publicity, bad or good is still publicity. Starbucks is getting a fine kickback from this protest.

From Mother to Crone ~ Adventures in Premenopause