I actually agree with her. That quote has no business showing up on a coffee cup.

I'll agree that the quote is a bad idea on a coffee cup, just like a quote about God or Jesus would be as well.

As a society we all need to shut up about religion and keep it private.

I agree too - I was raised Roman Catholic with 12 years of Catholic schooling. Granted, now I'm rather disillusioned and probably as humanist and agnostic as Bill Schnell (the cup's author) - but, still...

That is not something I want to see on my cup of coffee - and would probably turn me off from starbucks, too...

I will now drink more Starbucks to make up for her not drinking it ever again. Kudos to Starbucks for putting that on there in the first place.

I wonder if she was equally offended when the Pope called gay people evil.

@tentimesodds: And I agree with you two too, if only because Douglas Adams did a much better job at proving there is no god.

The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED"
"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.

I mean seriously, its a coffee cup. If that statement has that much of a profound effect on your belief in a diety, you where questioning your faith long before you decided on that half caf moacha soy latte with

cinnamon on top, damn my quick send finger.

To quote someone far cleverer than myself (who posted a comment regarding this article on digg last week):

'Title should read: "Christian intellectually outmaneuvered by coffee cup."'

It doesn't bother me either way. Isn't religion a central topic of philosophy, and doesn't Starbucks target a demographic likely to hold a philosophical discussion?

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Holy rollers!
[/rant]

Sorry about that. Had to get it out.

Anyway, I have seen 'pro'-God sayings on these cups as well. Now I know I am being dangerously open-minded about this, but aren't coffee shops supposed to be places that encourage the free expression and sharing of ideas? The cup-author makes a good point. It echoes a quote I read once from a survivor of the firebombing of Hamburg (going way back, if I got the quote or attribution wrong I apologize).

Essentially it went something like this. One survivor, on observing the remains of his home city, remarked to the other, "How could God allow such things?" To which the other replied, "Leave God out of this. Men make war, not God."

What was that about demanding retail locations wish all their customers a "Merry Christmas"? Seems like if religious people want to insist on bringing religion into the retail sphere, they shouldn't be outraged when equal time is made for all belief systems.

Of course, Starbucks could have seen this one coming and simply stood out of the way of the uncoming truck. Don't know if I should applaud their courage or mock their stupidity.

I submit that your patronage of a coffee vendor does not rest on its religious platitudes whether its on a coffee cup or in the company credo.

If this lady truly was offended, then she needs to brew her own coffee because there is much more offending things posted for public reading all over US cities. Billboards come to mind.

Oh and one short note to the coffee nazi lady: "There is more than one "God" on this planet lady, go sell crazy elsewhere."

Starbucks should put the quote on the bottom of the cup like In-N-Out Burger does. Although it may be hard to fit on the bottom of a cup.

I am an Industrial Designer--by degree and trade. I have a viewpoint that I think people should consider at times--with a bit of comedy.

Reminds me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Aq00yJSxo

Well the whole phenomenon of existential debate coupled with overpriced coffee is pretty fascinating to me. I only want to know if Starbucks will quote my heart-felt ponderings about the socio-economic impact impact of $6 lattes and urban gentrification vis a vis the exploitation of bean pickers living in third-world poverty 'n stuff. And when will the fist-fights break out?

Starbucks is marketing to individuals who like to question and know more about themselves\God\other people's views. Christians do not do these types of things, it is much easier for them to look at something objective like the Bible (and screw anyone else who hasn't "felt God work in their lives".)

I'd go with God on this one. If you don't like God, get your own fuckin planet.

I want to go to the Starbucks she's not going back to. It will ensure one less closed-minded person will be there.

@Falconfire and leftistcoast: Very well put. If she's so ready to be angry at Starbucks and never shop there again - her prerogative - the least she can do is find a good reason.

@leftistcoast: That's just comic gold, right there.

@idledebonair: That too.

Seriously. People get so offended over the littlest things, sometimes.

Oh Christ, a coffee cup hurt your feelings, so you're never going to Starbucks again. Fine with me. One less douchebag to wait in line with. Nice job, Starbucks.

Well, even though I have an unshakable belief in God I actually I applaud such brash openness on a coffee cup. All intellectual debate and all knowledge is good; anything else is just another form of censorship.

Who cares? Have things gotten so bad that anyone actually cares whats on a paper cup? Life is to short, and personally I do not care what a paper cup says or doesn't say.

I'm secure in my beliefs that a paper cup doesn't threaten me or mine. Life is too short to worry about the little things. A little freedom of speech doesn't hurt. So show some compassion and forgiveness for someone who doesn't share your beliefs.

And what Jeff said.

It has no place on a coffee cup.

If the cup had a 200 word essay on Jesus and why you should turn to Him in a time that called for strength the usual suspects would be sreaming bloody murder.

The consumer is expressing her free will to not patronize an establisment that acts in a way she disagrees with. Good for her.

I'm offended that Michelle is spending $3 for a cup of coffee. Maybe a little less caffeine in her body would do her some good; she seems edgy.

As far as religion goes, what I've been finding is that in one breath it has a place in public (the nativity scene in a town square) and in the next breath religion has no place in public. Or, put more succinctly, Michelle is offended by speech she doesn't want to hear. Sorry darlin', the problem with free speech is that occasionally, you'll get some guy from Canada trying to tell you that everything you've held dear to your heart is all bullshit. God is testing you, sort it out and move along with a cheaper cup of coffee.

@partyone: I agree but prefer Jeff's scenario. The more people that storm out with their shorts all in the wad, the better. Prices down, lines shorter. Yay.

I don't believe that comment is offensive. I believe it's stating that we, as cognitive creatures, are contradicting rational thought by asking for support from something that is, by its very nature, not assured to be real.

@BStu: Perhaps the they thought the word "may" would avoid causing offense.

Though the Christmas bit is a good point.

So who can I write at Starbucks in order to voice my support of their decision to put that idea on their cups in the first place??

@Mojosan: your right, and we are expressing our free will to point out that she has some major issues with her belief if a piece of 100% recycled cardboard with a quote from some guy in Canada would so greatly effect her as to call up a journalist and proclaim her hatred of all things Starbucks.

Got to say though, as a self proclaimed "Starbucks addict" she probably is going to start saving herself a good 120 dollars or more a month now. So maybe god is on her side to point out how stupid she was to be buying 4 dollar burnt dirty water.

@nerodiavola - Your a fucking idiot.

This lady needs to move into the mountains, buy a horse and never speak to anybody again. That is my honest opinion, should everybody in the world be forced to live with my opinion? No.

As someone who loves God, I was so offended by that.

I see this and read:

As a religious Christian I am offended by people whose opinions and beliefs differ from mine.

I hope John Paul III is up in heaven right now figuring out a way to phantasmically urinate in this grotesque woman's cappuccino. WTG Bill "Scheel?".

Is it any worse than John 3:16 on the bottom of every I/O burger cup?

Technick, you can join her.

I can't beleive that God would let people drink that charred swill that is Starbucks anyway...

So I take it that she's equally as offended by the message from Pastor Rick Warren that found its way on to other coffee cups in the same series?

The whole point of these "As I See It" cups, I believe, was to get people talking. Mission accomplished.

@quantum-shaman: I don't see how not having a "douchebag" in line can keep prices down? However, I do agree that there will be one less person in some Starbucks somewhere, sometime, and someplace that won't hopefully be in front of me.

What gripes me is when people (not everyone, just some) start complaining about freedom of speech. Which to me is just as important as freedom of religion. They go hand in hand.

It's sad. We as a society get too easily offended.

@Greeper: Of course not. Christians forcing their beliefs on everyone is AOK. Non-Christians being allowed to speak or have any representation in the public sphere is not.

For just this reason alone I now vow to go to Starbucks every day.

My, my.

There is no more smug, fervent defender, and evangelizer of their religion than athiests.

My atheism is not affected by pervasive references to God and Jesus in our culture. If you're freaking out over a coffee cup, your relationship with God is probably more tenuous than you're willing to acknowledge.

@BStu: I don't think this is a fair assumption. I'm fairly religious but I don't think retailers should wish people Merry Christmas. I know I wouldn't want to be wished a Happy Hannukah. I don't like school vouchers for paraochial schools because I don't want the government influencing religious studies. And I don't want creationism taught in schools (although in some ways, it's probably good for older kids to know that such a belief exists even if it's taught as fiction).

I also don't want to be told there is no God on my coffee cup just like an atheist doesn't want to be told there is a God on their coffee cup.

Starbucks also put this on one of their cups:

"Darwinism's impact on traditional social values has not been as benign as its advocates would like us to believe. Despite the efforts of its modern defenders to distance themselves from its baleful social consequences, Darwinism's connection with eugenics, abortion and racism is a matter of historical record, and the record is not pretty."
Dr. Jonathan Wells,
biologist and author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design

And religious people didn't really have a problem with that one. Though biologists sure did. I don't read my coffee cups. I prefer to get my knowledge elsewhere... like books... and consumerist.

OH NO INK ON A PAPER CUP CONTRADICTS MY WORLD VIEW QUICK WHERE IS THE NEAREST REPORTER!

Somebody look at me. Somebody look at me. Good God honey find something better to do. Please. Nobody forced you to buy it, drink it, read it, even look at it.

P.S. Make sure you bring this up when you meet him after the next botox shot sends you to our maker.

@Greeper:

Show me the quote where the Pope called gay *people* evil. I've definitely never seen it. Probably because he's never said it. People aren't evil, but we definitely do evil things.

If a person is inclined to be an alcoholic or a kleptomaniac (whether by genetics or some external cause) we don't applaud him for "just being who he is". The truth isn't just about what feels good to us this minute. It isn't fleeting, and it isn't always easy.

No one should patronize Starbucks anyway, so I categorically don't care.

That said, I also refuse to patronize In N Out because of their Jesus cups and their gross fries.

I don't see what the big deal is. Just as someone already mentioned, if Merry Christmas was plastered all over the cup, no one would think twice about how it was "offending" non-Christians.

I'll have a cup of Starbucks in support of this free speech.