Starbuck’s controversial cup has become more famous than Kim Kardashian and her desperate attempts to break the internet. Who knew a red body, white lid-ed recyclable could garner so much attention from coffee drinkers and spectators alike. The argument that some Christians are making is that “Starbuck’s hates Jesus” as an explanation for the company’s reluctance to put Christmas trees and snowflakes on their cups.
As a ‘Christmas researcher’ — (3 Google searches and 30 minutes of videos were watched to gain the qualification lol ), I came to find that Christmas has been offensive since it’s origin — to believers and non-believers alike. For non-believers the observation of Christ’s birth isn’t something that doesn’t quite ‘tickle their fancy’ because of the obvious Christ factor, and for some Christians this same holiday owes its events to pagan celebration and (or) is not revered enough by society at large. The conclusion I draw is that for both classifications of people — Christmas can be offensive, and I wanted to know why?
There are some things that are not available to us as humans, but thank the Lord for the power of an opinion. And I’m a Christian who has one of those [an opinion] — about Christmas’ offense directed at my fellow Jesus lovers and for those who aren’t so fond. Here it is ..
IT DOESN’T MATTER.
To my beloved believers, whether Starbucks ‘hates Jesus’ or not doesn’t stop the praise and worship that he’ll still receive. You or I cannot (I mean I guess you can — but probably shouldn’t) stop working for a boss who refuses to say Merry Christmas, while putting a ban on the singing of Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer at the office Christmas party. Do keep in mind that these symbols that many Christians so desperately demand a return for on Starbuck’s cups have nothing to do with Jesus and his birth. Regardless, the point I’m trying to make is that what others choose to do and believe in, has nothing to do with my beliefs and the image of God I was created to be. If we as believers based what offends us on the people, places and things we think are “waging a war on Christianity” as it’s been put in the media — then I would probably never leave my house. The offense I give into would likely overwhelm my impact as a child of God. And I get it, for a lot of people it’s goes deeper than snowflake images on a cup — but the argument favours the overarching theme of a society that wants to remove God. Proverbs 18:19 says: A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a cast. If this in fact IS the motive in Starbuck’s minimal Christmas cup, as Christians we still aren’t called to be offended. We are called to continue in our truth. Yes, a believer should stand up for the church and all that is righteous when needed – but that isn’t achieved in Twitter brawls and attacks on a corporation. John 15:18 which says: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” is surely a reminder that we can’t count on others to ‘PROMOTE JESUS’, that’s up to you, the individual of the collective Church.
And to my people who don’t believe in Jesus, you can still say Merry Christmas (It doesn’t make me think you are signing up for the clergy or anything). The U.S and Canada both have a rich Judeo Christian heritage and Merry Christmas, whether regarded as cultural or religious, is a product of this heritage. A large number of Americans and Canadians aren’t fans of Thanksgiving and other holidays either, but I can guarantee you that saying ‘Happy Thanksgiving, Easter, or Columbus Day’ will not be given a politically correct reface. Maybe it’s the power of the CHRIST in Christmas that really gets people going – only God knows.
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4 replies on “Why is Christmas so offensive?”
Kristina, you are quite the writer. Thank you for sharing your thoughts .
Aww lovely Abena! I’m so glad to see you here <3 thanks thanks 🙂
Great words and very rightly said.
Thanks lovely!