La Chiara:
Your point is valid–for you.
The original post refers to a message on a coffee cup that was promoting an actively homosexual lifestyle. I may not choose to stop buying Starbucks coffee at the supermarket. But then again, I might. If that had happened to me, I would have been offended that I was paying for a pricey cup of coffee and was being used as advertising (via the coffee cup) for an immoral message. And it doesn’t matter if no one saw the message. It IS the principle of the thing.:twocents:
I am glad she posted her experience. This is the second thread about Starbucks and their liberal causes. It does give me pause and causes me discomfort about drinking their coffee. In a similar way, I incorporated my feelings about Planned Parenthood, the Komen Breast Cancer campaign, NPR, and similar into my charitable giving choices and Ben & Jerry’s into my ice cream purchases.
(And I wouldn’t care what kind of health benefits Planned Parenthood provided their employees.:nope: )
For the record: I disagree with her, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t post what she thinks. I’m not the Vatican. When I relate what my conscience tells me, don’t mean to imply that anyone else should take that as advice to ignore what their conscience tells them. It is right to share when you think you have something to say about a matter of general concern.
There are those in the Church with the authority to make binding pronouncements concerning the formation of conscience. I’m not one of them. I don’t expect any word from the Vatican or the USCCB on this, either, though. We are on more subtle ground here. Discussion is in order.
I can understand anyone who thinks that this action is a deal-breaker. Starbucks has crossed the line from welcoming all to publishing blunt approval of immoral behavior. Still, while Starbucks may be reaping financial gains from making homosexuals feel comfortable in their shops, I don’t think anyone is out there committing homosexual acts because Starbucks is promoting homosexuality. OTOH, I do think Starbucks is in a position to change the standard of how profitable and successful businesses treat their employees.
For me, it is most important to find the companies who do the best job of making their own actions moral, which starts with whether their employees can support themselves on their wages but would also include how they treat their vendors and customers and how they procure their wares. It is not that what they tolerate, promote, or discourage in others is of no concern, just that it is not my primary concern.
Of course, in spite of fears to the contrary, nobody ever died from lack of lattes. So if your conscience responds to this, boycott away. But if you keep drinking coffee elsewhere, I urge you to pay the little extra it costs to go to places that do their moral best, including treating their employees more humanely. That’s my take on it.
When will people realize to be a homosexual is not a sin only the “act” and “impure thoughts”. My daughter has a wonderful very Catholic friend of hers who is homosexual, but he lives a Celibate life, because he is smart enough to know that to act upon it is a Sin. He is one of the kindest people I have ever known. He is very engrossed in his career and when he goes out its always with a group of friends, male and female, married and singles.
