Controversy surrounds Starbucks holiday cup design

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - By now you've probably heard about the controversy surrounding Starbucks Coffee's new cups, they are plain red and feature the Starbucks logo.

The coffee chain is coming under fire by some Christians, including an Arizona pastor, who says basically "Starbucks Hates Jesus."

In past years, the company cups have included a reindeer, a snowman, and even Santa Claus. So what has people upset?

A former Arizona pastor who says he is now a social media evangelist living in the northeast Valley, Joshua Feuerstein says this is so much more than a plain red cup.

He posted a video on Facebook about the red cups, and his post has gone viral. He says this is another shot in the war on Christmas and Christians.

"I think really this is representative of a society that over time has been pushing Christmas out of the holiday season," said Joshua Feuerstein.

Pastor Feuerstein says that is pushing Christ out of the season. At a local Starbucks location, the red cup controversy was not trending.

"I think that Christmas is right here in the heart and the mind, and if you believe in Christmas good for you if you do not know you do not," said Robert Flores, a customer.

So at Pastor Feuerstein's home, we gave him the opportunity to design what he would like to see on the Starbucks Christmas Cup.

"Probably wouldn't be accepted by the PC people over at Starbucks, but I would like to see the original Christmas tree where the light of the world hung on the tree, I think that would be very appropriate," said Feuerstein.

Starbucks has said it's simple basic holiday cup is aimed at encouraging people to encourage people to tell their won story this holiday season, to fill in the blanks.

On his FB page, Feuerstein encourages people to tell Starbucks their name is Merry Christmas, thus forcing them to shout Merry Christmas when their drink is ready.