Is Starbucks Really Declaring War on Christmas?

Apparently coffee giant Starbucks declared a war on Christmas by removing snowflakes from their Christmas cups.  

Perhaps you are like me and spend the entire year waiting for that glorious peppermint mocha steamed to perfection and served in a red cup that brings you pure delight. Or not. I understand you may not have the coffee addiction I do.  

But in a move to encourage customers to draw their own designs on cups, Starbucks created an ombre design and removed tacky snowflakes and other holiday symbols in favor of simplicity. 

It’s a move making waves in the Christian community. You might be thinking, “What outrage? All I see is outrage over the outrage!” 

Well, you can start here and here.

Andrea Williams of Christian Concern told Breitbart News: “This is a denial of historical reality and the great Christian heritage behind the American Dream that has so benefited Starbucks. This also denies the hope of Jesus Christ and His story told so powerfully at this time of year.” 

Wait, what? 

I’m confused as to how a change from nothing that had to do with Jesus (sleds, snowflakes, hues of red) to clean design is an attack on my values.  

Furthermore, Christian social media enthusiast Joshua Feuerstein is calling for Christians to tell baristas their names are “Merry Christmas,” so the employees will write the greeting on the cup.  

And while there is no doubt Christian religious freedoms are under attack in the United States, there is no reason to prank baristas into saying or writing “Merry Christmas.”  

Joel Rogers, the proprietor of a Salvation Army-backed coffee shop, is just as confused.  

“First: Starbucks is a secular company that can choose to do with its cups as it pleases. At no point is my faith in Christ influenced by the cup choice of a secular company,” Rogers says. “Second: For Christians to launch a campaign to trick a company into writing Merry Christmas on their cups just shows that as a people of faith we are more concerned with our perceived feelings of persecution (and I use that word lightly here—we have no idea what true persecution is) in America than we are of following the Biblical mandate to share the gospel, reflect Christ, and not take offense but instead respond with kindness.” 

Rogers is far from alone in deciphering how a plain red cup indicates persecution. 

Lee University Humanities Professor Mary McCampebll broke down some of the perceptions of American Christmas:  

“There are so many people hurting physically, emotionally, and spiritually—yet some Christians are spending time focusing energy (and anger) on the designs on Starbucks cups?” McCampbell says. “… I have seen far too much in (Facebook) today about these cups. So much injustice and pain in this country and the world—and people are ‘offended’ by Starbucks cups. 

“We do not live in a Christian country in which businesses must celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday. What do you expect when one of our main religions is consumerism? What about being angry about the fact that the chocolate in some of your fancy coffee drinks is most likely produced by child slaves in Africa? Now (that) is something to boycott, to get angry about. Snowflakes removed from cups are not religious persecution.” 

I won’t claim to be familiar with persecution. Though I am harassed and mocked online for my stories, I don’t consider these negative comments an endangerment to my faith. The hollow threats I receive are nothing compared to what men and women like Steven Khoury, Asia Bibi or Saeed Abedini undergo each and every day. 

I shudder to imagine the torture they endure because they choose to embrace a Savior who promotes love and turning the other cheek above wrath. And while these people experience persecution at the hands of international governments, I am not in denial that an undercurrent of hatred exists here in the United States.  

But the way to permeate society with the true Christmas message is not to cry foul over a cup color from a company who changes its designs every year.  

Rather, take what your community has given you and use it to spread the Good News that gives us a reason for being.