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Holy Hydration: How Evangelicals Are Using Fake Stanley Drink Cups to Spread the Gospel

A new trend of distributing Bible tracts that look like popular insulated tumblers has sparked controversy and confusion among coffee lovers.





If you are a coffee lover, you might have seen them at your local cafe, office, or even on the street: colorful cups that resemble the trendy Stanley drink cups, known for their durability and thermal performance. But before you get too tempted and grab one for yourself, you might want to take a closer look. These are not genuine products, nor are they harmless giveaways. They are actually cleverly disguised Bible tracts, designed to lure unsuspecting millennials into reading the gospel message.


The idea behind these fake cups is simple: since millennials are notoriously hard to reach with traditional methods of evangelism, such as door-to-door visits, street preaching, or handing out pamphlets, why not use something that they are interested in, such as coffee, to catch their attention and spark their curiosity? According to the creators of these tracts, who call themselves the "Holy Hydration Ministry", the goal is to use the cups as a conversation starter and an invitation to share the good news of Jesus Christ.


"We want to reach the lost generation of millennials who are turning away from God and the church," said Jane Doe, the founder and leader of the Holy Hydration Ministry. "We know that coffee is a huge passion for many of them, especially in the US and Europe. So we thought, what better way to get them to listen to us than to offer them something that they love and use every day, like a Stanley drink cup?"


Doe and her team of volunteers have been making and distributing the fake cups for the past year, using a 3D printer and a plastic coating to create realistic-looking replicas. They then insert a folded paper inside the cup, which contains a brief summary of the Christian faith, along with a QR code that links to their website, where they offer more resources and information. They also include a catchy slogan on the outside of the cup, such as "The Living Water", "The Cup of Salvation", or "The Coffee That Never Gets Cold".


The reaction from the public, however, has been mixed. While some people have been intrigued and amused by the tracts, others have been annoyed and offended, accusing the ministry of deception, manipulation, and disrespect. Some have even reported the tracts to the Stanley company, claiming that they are infringing on their trademark and intellectual property rights.


"I think it's a cheap trick and a dishonest way of spreading their message," said Lisa Jones, a loyal customer of the Stanley brand, who received one of the fake cups at a Starbucks. "They are basically lying to people and taking advantage of their love for coffee. How would they feel if someone gave them a fake Bible that turned out to be a Quran or a Book of Mormon?"


Doe, however, defends her ministry and insists that they are not doing anything wrong or illegal. She says that they are not trying to deceive anyone, but rather to surprise them and make them curious. She also says that they are not violating any laws, since they are not selling or profiting from the cups, and that they are clearly marked as tracts, not as official Stanley products.


"We are not trying to trick anyone, we are trying to bless them," she said. "We are not forcing anyone to read the tracts, we are simply offering them a free gift. And we are not stealing anything from the Stanley company, we are honoring them and their customers by using their symbol as a metaphor for the gospel. The Stanley drink cup is a great product, but it is nothing compared to the eternal life that Jesus offers."

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