Is supporting Starbucks sinful?

[MariaGorettiGrl]

Affirmed:

I don’t believe that buying from Starbucks is sinful. But then again I don’t believe that abortion is the ONLY worthy cause in the world.

I doubt any true Catholic believes abortion is the ONLY worthy cause in the world. But none the less, you shouldn’t support the murder of innocent babies just because there are other problems in the world.

It’s great if you want to help other causes! The world needs all the support for various problems that we can get! So don’t go to Starbucks and support abortion and instead spend that money on PIME or another worthy cause. Then you help multiple causes at once.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

RockAndHoops:

D’oh! Why didn’t I know about this before?! Well, at least it will save me money now. Besides, there are plenty of other places to get an iced cappuccino. And the Salvation Army does this too? And the United Way? I didn’t know about all that.

So what about when we have to spend nights in a hotel, and they offer PPV pornographic movies. Even though we’re not watching them, should we not go to the hotel? Serious question, because I’ve not been to a hotel that did not have that garbage.

The only place where one won’t even indirectly give any money whatever to bad causes, is Mars. Or Alpha Centauri.​

Unless anyone knows of an island or mountain-top somewhere on this planet.

I forgot - to travel to it so as to lead an ethical life, would cost money: which would at some point go back to government - and be used to buy arms, destabilise unwanted regimes, finance cloning, finance “freedom-fighters” (who would later be reckoned as terrorists - look at the mujahedin, and who they have turned into), or do something else equally objectionable.

Boycotts are mere tokenism - they don’t change policies. We can hardly boycott our own governments; yet to boycott a company and not a government, is to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. ##

 

[kev7]

StCsDavid:

I recently learned that Starbucks is a major corporate contributor to Planned Parenthood, which as we all know, encourages abortion. Knowing that, what is your opinion on whether patroning Starbucks is sinful? I know how I feel, but I’m interested in other’s opinion.

Thank you for telling me this… I won’t ever go to starbucks again.

It sucks anyway. I tried to order a medium regular coffee from there and the guy gave me a hard time. Apparently they don’t know that that is.

The good news is that I’m canadian and everyone up hear goes to tim hortons for coffee.

Please don’t tell me that tims is doing the same thing… I’ll have to make my own coffee.

 

[tcay584]

kev7:

It sucks anyway. I tried to order a medium regular coffee from there and the guy gave me a hard time. Apparently they don’t know that that is.

I had the same problem. I asked for coffee…black. You would have thought I’d just sprouted another head by the reaction I got.

 

[verismo]

kev7:

Thank you for telling me this… I won’t ever go to starbucks again.

It sucks anyway. I tried to order a medium regular coffee from there and the guy gave me a hard time. Apparently they don’t know that that is.

The good news is that I’m canadian and everyone up hear goes to tim hortons for coffee.

Please don’t tell me that tims is doing the same thing… I’ll have to make my own coffee.

Awesome, we have Tim Hortons in our twn too! In Ohio.

24 hours, coffee, donuts. Awesome.

 

[MooCowSteph]

MMmmmm how I love a grande iced vanilla skim latte. I’ve been craving one like crazy since I’ve been pregnant. Not to mention, in the fall and winter they have a gingerbread latte and a peppermint latte. YUMMY! Good thing I already own the syrup and can make the same thing at home. But what will I do when I run out of syrup???

I have to admit that I don’t always participate in boycotts. A while ago, probably two years, I purchased the list from Life Dynamics that lists all the companies that donate to PP. One company on the list was my bank. Well, I like my bank. They offer the best and most convenient service for little to no cost. Will they miss me if I leave? NO. They are huge! Again, there are companies on the list who produce various beauty products I use. I won’t go to a product that costs more and works less in order to prove a point that no one is going to get. I know it’s about not giving money to causes that are morally reprehensible, but it just isn’t possible to avoid it all together. I can’t check the list every time I need to buy toothpaste or decide to try a new granola bar.

 

[miguel]

Gottle of Geer:

…Boycotts are mere tokenism - they don’t change policies. We can hardly boycott our own governments; yet to boycott a company and not a government, is to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel…

With respect to government, people boycott by refusing to support political parties. While policy change may be slow in coming, it does come eventually. And hitting companies in their bottom line has been effective…you just need enough people doing the same thing at the same time. Look what happened to the Dixie Chicks. They were at the top, until their singer offended half of their fans by taking political jabs at President Bush. Haven’t heard too much from the Dixie Chicks lately.

 

[buffalo]

MooCowSteph:

I have to admit that I don’t always participate in boycotts. A while ago, probably two years, I purchased the list from Life Dynamics that lists all the companies that donate to PP. One company on the list was my bank. Well, I like my bank. They offer the best and most convenient service for little to no cost. Will they miss me if I leave? NO. They are huge!

This is the same as my single vote does not count in elections. Your single decision does count and if all Catholics vote and purchase to Catholic dictates, you will be amazed how quickly things will change. Please, don’t opt out.

 

[buffalo]

Successful Campaigns

 

[kev7]

This isn’t the only thing that I would boycott.

I’m very disturbed with outsourcing and I don’t support it. A lot of the stuff that you buy in the major department stores is made from Chinese labors that are in some cases children or people who are unjustly imprisoned.

 

[MooCowSteph]

buffalo:

This is the same as my single vote does not count in elections. Your single decision does count and if all Catholics vote and purchase to Catholic dictates, you will be amazed how quickly things will change. Please, don’t opt out.

But where does it end? So I choose to go to a different bank, and I lose money because I now have to pay for things I was getting for free. So I’m out $10 a month…not too big a deal, although I’d prefer to stay at my bank and donate that $10 to Catholic Answers. But how about a company like Microsoft. They donate to PP. Are we going to stop using Microsoft products? It would be impossible! Johnson and Johnson are on the list. JP Morgan Chase. Sony. I’m just saying it’s nice theoretically, but a boycott isn’t going to happen on such a level as to impact these companies. Maybe I’m just being lazy; maybe I’m just cynical. I don’t see people making the lifestyle changes necessary to have that kind of impact.

 

[MariaGorettiGrl]

I’m just saying it’s nice theoretically, but a boycott isn’t going to happen on such a level as to impact these companies.

Nestle and General Mills. Surely you’ve heard of these companies? One makes candy, one makes cereal. Big companies. Both USED to donate to PP. Now they don’t. Why did they stop? Because one person decided to boycott. And another one person decided to boycott. And one plus one plus one plus one etc…equals a large enough amount of money that these large companies did feel the impact and quietly stopped their donations to PP.

Look at it this way if you think one person isn’t very much:

How much would you pay to save one baby? If you knew it would keep the baby from being killed, to what lengths would you go? I’m guessing to quite a lot. Why? Because ONE LIFE MATTERS. One life saved is important and one life refusing to help pay the salaries of murderers is important.

Plus, I seem to recall this one guy who changed the world about two thousand years ago…

 

[MooCowSteph]

MariaGorettiGrl:

Nestle and General Mills. Surely you’ve heard of these companies? One makes candy, one makes cereal. Big companies. Both USED to donate to PP. Now they don’t. Why did they stop? Because one person decided to boycott. And another one person decided to boycott. And one plus one plus one plus one etc…equals a large enough amount of money that these large companies did feel the impact and quietly stopped their donations to PP.

Look at it this way if you think one person isn’t very much:

How much would you pay to save one baby? If you knew it would keep the baby from being killed, to what lengths would you go? I’m guessing to quite a lot. Why? Because ONE LIFE MATTERS. One life saved is important and one life refusing to help pay the salaries of murderers is important.

Plus, I seem to recall this one guy who changed the world about two thousand years ago…

I do see your point, and I think it’s a very good one. What I’m saying is that it would be nearly impossible to boycott all companies which support Planned Parenthood. Some of the companies on the list you wouldn’t even think of, like Benjamin Moore Paints. There are a bunch of banks and financial firms. Use Chap Stik? - their company donates. Other products manufactured by people on the list - Advil, Anbesol, Coppertone, Dimetapp, Jimmy Dean Sausage, Dockers pants, Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Hills Bros Coffee, Stayfree…the list just goes on and on and on.

I think boycotting all the companies on Life Dynamics’ list is a noble one, but I have to admit that I am not dedicated enough to do it. I would have to get rid of half the things in my medicine cabinet, including my contact lenses and my husband’s RX medication. My big problem would be Johnson & Johnson; can’t use Band-aids, Neutrogena, dental floss, Carefree (which are my favorite), Mylanta and Monistat. I do buy a lot of generic brands, which I suppose helps with some stuff. I will continue to donate to organizations which combat PP, I will continue to pray, I will continue to volunteer at the crisis pregnancy center, but I will probably not be participating in many boycotts soon. ** I wil not go to places or purchase items on the list if there is a good alternative, so you all have swayed me at least a little.** I just feel like a hypocrite if I choose to boycott this company and not that one, especially since the reasons for not boycotting certain companies are for reasons of convenience, like keeping my bank, my brand of contacts and my car insurance company.

 

[MariaGorettiGrl]

I will continue to donate to organizations which combat PP, I will continue to pray, I will continue to volunteer at the crisis pregnancy center,

And all that is important, too! Praying is the most important thing we can do!

Thanks for helping the cause!

 

[Maureen_Sprohge]

I have done a bit of research. I hope that people are aware that Microsoft, Wal-mart, Disney, American Express and many other common things we use on a daily basis are also contributors to Planned Parenthood. Microsoft is the largest. If it is a sin to buy coffee from Starbucks (please someone show me hard fast data that proves they are a PP contributor to the magnitude that Microsoft is - they aren’t on the watchdog list, so I still cannot prove that Starbucks is a contributor - and will quit buying from them as long as this is true information), than it is a sin to use Hewitt Packard, Microsoft software, shop at Wal-mart, use Time Warner Cable or visit Disney World. If these are all sins, than we are all in big trouble. Out of good conscience, if we are to talk about Starbucks, what about all of the other organizations? I will nto buy coffee there and will consider getting rid of Time Warner and even seek out other alternatives to Microsoft, as that is the largest contributor that I know for a fact - Mr and Mrs Bill Gates received an award from Planned Parenthood for being the largest contributor Planned Parenthood has - in the billions of dollars!). So, please, let us not judge but be conscientous about our choices of where we spend our money. I use Microsoft every day to send out pro-life, as well as other numerous and varied Catholic e-mail. What do we do about that?

 

[sasafr]

I don’t see how it’s sinful. Planned Parenthood does have the facilites to perfom abortions but that is not the only function of the organization. It also has services for GYN exams, pregnacy testing/prenantal, STD testing and more. Planned Parenthood operates on a sliding scale for payment. Not everybody in this country has heath insurance or the money to pay out of pocket for a different doctor. Planned Parenthood might be the only place where she can get a yearly GYN exam. They also offer information on adoption. To the best of my understanding, and i’ve heard presentations from Planned Parenthood in classes. It does not freely offer abortions as you seem to think. To boycott starbucks just becuase they donate money would be silly. It’s as bad as saying that you support sweatshops in forgien countries because you buy Reebok sneakers. Reebok is not the only company that does that either. Buying coffee does not support starbucks you are not responsible for what a coorperation does with its money.

 

[thechrismyster]

the real sin is buying overpriced, over roasted coffee at a place that markets it’s coffee as a urban cult status symbol. People pay FOR THAT MERMAID to be on their cup. Starbucks is queen of marketing. she has the general public really convinced that a great cup of coffee should cost $2.55 - She has the soft lights, the smooth music, the ‘barista’ and you can order your espresso ‘hot’… just to look cool.
starbucks doesn’t sell coffee, they sell the average american woman (their target audience is 27-41 year old females, full/part time workers - with kids) the illusion that this double shot steamed carmel macciato half-caf/decaf is a sip little slice of heaven. they sell mood and illusion. a vacation in a cup. and Americans will continue to pay $5.69 for a mixed coffee drink that they could make themselves in 2 minutes at home for about .28 cents.

starbucks is not a coffee company.
they are a lifestyle company.
the new york times a few weeks ago called the chain “a purveyor of high-end culture” - and that is the truth of what they sell.

i feel myself getting worked up… i’ll stop now!

ps…
‘Starbucks’ was the first mate of the Pequod in “Moby Dick,” a Quaker known for his integrity and unromantic, mercantile instincts.

 

[thechrismyster]

today… i EMPOWER YOU to not need starbucks anymore…

Mocha Frappuccino
** I N G R E D I E N T S**
6 cups double-strength freshly brewed dark roast coffee
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus additional cocoa powder for garnish
2 cups nonfat milk

 		**I N S T R U C T I O N S**          
Fill ice-cube trays with half of the brewed coffee and place in the freezer.  	In a bowl, combine the remaining brewed coffee, cocoa powder and milk and  	stir to dissolve the cocoa. Cover and chill.

When the ice cubes have frozen, transfer them to a kitchen towel and, using  	a hammer or mallet, crush the cubes. Fill 4 glasses with the crushed ice and  	divide the coffee-cocoa mixture evenly among them. Dust the top with cocoa  	powder and serve.

---

hot chocolate here

or do a google search for ‘starbucks recipes’ - there are dozens of sites that give copycat clones and show you just how easy the drinks are to make yourself in a minute or two.

my wife used to get gingerbread steamers all the time.
she was paying $2.99 a pop.

i steam the milk myself at home, put in 3 squirts of gingerbread syrup (bought at starbucks for $5 and lasts 2 months) and we have a steamer for about 35 cents without leaving the house.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

the real sin is buying overpriced, over roasted coffee at a place that markets it’s coffee as a urban cult status symbol. People pay FOR THAT MERMAID to be on their cup. Starbucks is queen of marketing. she has the general public really convinced that a great cup of coffee should cost $2.55 - She has the soft lights, the smooth music, the ‘barista’ and you can order your espresso ‘hot’… just to look cool.
starbucks doesn’t sell coffee, they sell the average american woman (their target audience is 27-41 year old females, full/part time workers - with kids) the illusion that this double shot steamed carmel macciato half-caf/decaf is a sip little slice of heaven. they sell mood and illusion. a vacation in a cup. and Americans will continue to pay $5.69 for a mixed coffee drink that they could make themselves in 2 minutes at home for about .28 cents.

starbucks is not a coffee company.
they are a lifestyle company.
the new york times a few weeks ago called the chain “a purveyor of high-end culture” - and that is the truth of what they sell.

i feel myself getting worked up… i’ll stop now!

ps…
‘Starbucks’ was the first mate of the Pequod in “Moby Dick,” a Quaker known for his integrity and unromantic, mercantile instincts.

In Britian you can get a cup of coffee for 79 pence from Wetherspoons. Nowadays you can also get a beer for 1.50 at nine O’Clock in the morning from them. Now I know that Starucks donate to Planned Parenthood, I don’t think I’ll patronise them again.

 

[happygal]

Wow now then i know Starbucks contribute to PP, ok what other companies does that?? So that i can share with all my Catholic’s frez and see what reaction would there be!!