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Stephen Colbert Licks Starbucks Christmas Coffee Cup Dilemma [Videos, Photos]

By Charisse Van Horn
Published on: 02:26 PST, Nov 13, 2015

Stephen Colbert has licked the Starbucks Christmas coffee cup dilemma in true form and hilarious fashion. If you aren’t aware of the drama, it began when former pastor-turned-internet blogger Joshua Feuerstein went to a Starbucks and was horrified to receive a red Starbucks Christmas coffee cup without any snowflakes, bells, or ornaments associated with the holiday. He presented his case against Starbucks’ alleged “attack on Christmas” and “attack on Jesus Christ” in a video on his Facebook page. The video has since gone viral and shows Feuerstein holding his Starbucks cup that he just purchased, as he explains how he tricked Starbucks into writing Merry Christmas on it. Since then, GOP hopeful Donald Trump proposed boycotting Starbucks. While some Christians have spoken publicly to state they don’t see any point in boycotting Starbucks over their lackluster holiday-themed cups some have voiced outcry on social media. Thankfully, Stephen Colbert offered a solution to Starbucks that should appease everyone.

You may watch the video of Joshua Feuerstein’s Starbucks’ coffee cup rant below.

Stephen Colbert addressed the issue on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and pointed out many humorous aspects of Feuerstein’s Starbucks’ rant, as well as the characteristics of the coffee cup itself. First, he pointed out that a red and green cup could symbolize many different things.

“It’s just red and green, which obviously could represent anything: different types of bell peppers, two-thirds of a stoplight, a frog that was run over by a bus — anything!”

Stephen Colbert continued to point out that Starbucks’ coffee cups were never Christian or religious oriented.

“Yes, they got rid of the Christian religious symbols like snowflakes and snowmen. I think we all remember the story of when baby Jesus was visited by the Three Wise Frosties. I can see why people might be all frothed up about this. Now, Starbucks is completely devoid of any trace of the holiday besides the Christmas-tree ornaments, Advent calendar, CDs of Christmas music, Christmas-themed gift cards, Christmas cookies and giant displays of their Christmas Blend coffee.”

The problem with Feuerstein’s video is that it assumes Starbucks declared a war on Christmas by choosing to be politically correct, turning their backs on Jesus Christ, when the cups never embraced Christianity or stated the words “Merry Christmas” to begin with. Previous cups displayed snowflakes, which have nothing to do with the religious aspects of Jesus Christ or Christmas as celebrated by Christians. In fact, the symbols associated with Christmas are pagan originated and were claimed by the Catholic Church during the expansion of Rome and the spread of Christianity.

Joshua Feuerstein isn’t alone with his controversy. Breitbart writer Raheem Kassam saw a Facebook post discussing the plain red cups and wrote an article declaring Starbucks had launched a war on Christmas. On Feuerstein’s website The Radicals, there is an article written the same day, titled “Starbucks Holiday Cups No Longer Contain Christmas References.”

The article states that Starbucks is trying to be politically correct and wants to remove Jesus Christ from the holiday season. However, Starbucks never celebrated Jesus Christ with their coffee cups.

“Apparently, for many people, the switch-up from white cups to red cups is a Christmas tradition, an indication the holiday season is upon us, but preserving the spirit of the season doesn’t seem to be on the company’s radar, although appeasing the PC Police and making sure no one’s delicate feelings are hurt certainly is.

“Yes, because Christmas has CHRIST in it — and technically, since it is about His birth, it’s a day that really should be focused on Him— that makes it super offensive to the liberal crowd who simply can’t tolerate that Jesus character.

“Stephen Colbert solved the controversy with his newly designed Starbucks’ Christmas coffee cups. They are complete with nativity and manger scenes, tinsel, Handel’s Messiah sung or rather barked by dogs and ornaments.

“Don’t fight this: Give the customers a cup so crammed with Christmas, they’ll be picking tinsel out of their Yule Log for months.”

While many people aren’t having the same issues with the Starbucks coffee cup (Christians included), Feuerstein is continuing to post controversial and disturbing Facebook posts.

Maybe more troubling than the “Starbucks’ War on Christmas” video rant is this video message by Joshua Feuerstein that refers to “Starbucks Abortion Coffee,” which makes one ask why someone who feel the company is making “abortion coffee” would continue to patronize the place and give them their money.

What are your thoughts on this? Did you find Stephen Colbert’s Starbucks coffee cup solution humorous? Do you agree with Feuerstein and Breitbart that Starbucks has removed Jesus from the season?

Check out these videos surrounding the Starbucks Christmas coffee cup dilemma.

[Photo by Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

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