Tom Tangney: ‘Movement’ against Starbucks ridiculous, coffee wasn’t served at Jesus’ manger

Frustration over Starbucks removing Christmas-themed images from its cups is ridiculous, KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney says.

After discovering the company opted to go for simple red cups for the holidays, an evangelist, and self-described Internet and social media personality, began a movement &#8212 or, he would like to try.

“Starbucks REMOVED CHRISTMAS from their cups because they hate Jesus … SO I PRANKED THEM … and they HATE IT!!!!” Joshua Feuerstein wrote on his Facebook page.

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That prank, according to a video Feuerstein posted, is forcing Starbucks employees to say “merry Christmas,” by telling them that is the customers name.

“Do you realize that Starbucks wanted to take Christ and Christmas off of their brand cups?” he asks in the video. “That’s why they’re just plain red.”

Starbucks never really had Christ on their cups to begin with, KIRO Radio’s John Curley points out. It was all snowmen and stars and sleds. The problem, he says, is that the cup was so red it angered the former pastor; who acted like a bull in the arena.

And is the prank really a prank? The people working at Starbucks are doing so because they need a job, or at least the benefits, Curley says. They don’t care if you make them say, “merry Christmas.”

John Curley: There is an idea … to remove religion from the holiday, that offends some people. The idea is to celebrate the holiday and that’s all there is to it. They do feel as if you have to keep it intact. Can’t have benefits of Christmas without Christ.

Tom says being upset over the cup doesn’t make any sense.

Tom Tangney: I think it‘s ridiculous. I say “merry Christmas” to everyone. My favorite music is Christmas music. Nobody loves Christmas more than I do. But I think it’s ridiculous to want to have the Jesus nativity scene on their cup. If they want to put it on, that’s fine, but it is ridiculous to go after a private company for coffee. I don’t think coffee was served at the manger.

How this new “movement” will impact Starbucks remains to be seen. However, if the prank is to first purchase a cup of coffee in order to force employees to say “merry Christmas,” the company can expect pretty good sales this season.