Members of the GLBTIQ community have called for a boycott of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, because of the company’s partnership with charity Mercy Ministries.

An article on Crikey.com last week claimed that employees of the bookstore chain Borders expressed concern that they were required to promote the Christian charity that is allegedly anti-gay and pro-life. The article claimed that last month Borders’ staff were asked to page customers, every hour, about the coffee emporium’s ‘Cappuccino for a Cause’ day in which 10 cents from every Gloria Jean’s cappuccino was donated to the Mercy Ministries.

SX has received emails calling for a boycott of Gloria Jean’s outlets, particularly the one on King Street in Newtown which “has a rainbow sticker in the window”.

However, the manager of the store, who wished to be known only as Kevin, said there was no such sticker and that the store welcomes everyone. “I’ve been in the store about 18 months,” he told SX. “The previous management took a different aspect with the store and did display a [rainbow] sticker. We cater for everybody, not just one aspect of the community.”

One of the “unfortunate” things about Gloria Jean’s is that the stores “don’t have a choice” over whether to participate in events such as fundraising for Mercy Ministries, Kevin added. “My participation level was minimal. I didn’t organise any special events for the day.”

A spokesperson for Borders said: “Gloria Jean’s … is a sub-tenant in 18 Borders stores. Borders does not control or have any involvement in Gloria Jean’s marketing, promotional or charitable campaigns and our staff therefore obviously do not promote Gloria Jean’s charity programs.”

Meanwhile Executive Director of Mercy Ministries Peter Irvine – who was a founder of Gloria Jean’s – said the charity is a Christian-based organisation that provides a residential program for young women at risk or with “life-controlling” issues and confirmed its non-acceptance of GLBTIQ lifestyle and abortions.

“We don’t support the gay lifestyle,” he told SX.

Comments (17)

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written by Tiger , 20 August, 2008

Sarah (May 0

You say my "understanding" is way off, and you don't know why I bothered posting incorrect stats", but you quote a fluffy stat that you apparently know 20 people kicked out, so who's calling the kettle black?

Bryan (Nov 07)
99% of all Gloria Jean's are small businesses, so wouldn't support them.

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written by 4him4you , 30 July, 2008

Hello Everyone. I just wanted to clarify something for many who seem to be confused about Christianity and what the Bible (God's word) says about homosexuality.

God DOES NOT hate homosexuals, he loves them very much - as such, every 'true' Christian like myself loves homosexuals also.

God does, however, hate homosexuality, because God is against sin.

No, God did not create any person a homosexual. God made us all in His image and desired for us to procreate and live in a manner that gives glory to Him.

Like every animal in the animal kingdom, males cannot procreate together and neither can females.

God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

God's view on homosexuality is clear in both the Old Testament and New Testament

Some scriptural evidence below:

OLD TESTAMENT
Leviticus. 18:22-30(NLT), "Do not practice homosexuality; it is a detestable sin."

NEW TESTAMENT
Romans 1:21-29
So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved. When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness..

For those who live a homosexual lifestyle but deep down feel empty, anxious, unhappy please search the web for the testimony of Sy Rogers - a man who was a practising homosexual but discovered the love and power of Jesus and had his life transformed by the love of God.

May God bless you all.

Love Peter

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written by davidt69 , 29 July, 2008

why should sarah list the names? that is disrespectful and dangerous.

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written by Peter Baird , 16 July, 2008

GJ left a pamphlet in my letter box at West End, Brisbane, to sample their product. I returned their pamphlet with this letter:

The Manager, GJ coffees
The markets Shopping Centre
West End QLD 4101

From... Peter Baird, Senior Gay Activist
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Manager,
We are sorry that we cannot take up your offer. It has to be said. Some time in 2007 a Global boycott by the LGBT communities, their family and friends was called against GJ Coffee outlets. It has to be said, that Deep Southern type Christians and Finger-licking Fundamentalists are somehow in control of GJ coffees and that 10 cents of each coffee goes to their organizations.
One of those organizations uses some money to spread Division and Hatred against our communities. Fundamentalists’ resistance against reason and the misinterpretation of the Scriptures ends in the murder, beatings and the jailing of these innocent people, just because they are different, and that is the only reason.
South Brisbane, West End surrounds have a very large gay, bi-sexual and intersex community. Do your marketers know of this?
This boycott will continue until this irrationality stops. and we suggest that, "The only way to control a mad dog is to muzzle it". We have returned your pamphlet and remind you that, coffee is no good for you"> It causes Irritable bowel syndrome and apoplexy, a condition that "Joh Bonkers Bananas" suffered when he discovered that a famous Lesbian was in control of Expo 88.

Yours in green Tea,
Peter Baird

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written by Laughing , 23 June, 2008

Allira: I can't stop laughing "A cock in a suite".

You need a dictionary love.

Sarah : Stand up and be counted, list the names.

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written by Paul T. , 14 June, 2008

Allira: You are a fool. Your kind will never be pleased. Please don't ever voice your opinion *anywhere* ever again.

Sam: Heh. You savour no choice? Fantastic, go make instant coffee at home to your heart's delight. The rest of us will enjoy a good cup of coffee, and will wave as you struggle to understand why your drink just doesn't taste 'right'.

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written by Sarah-- , 16 May, 2008

Tiger, your "understanding" and those stats you posted are way off. I know of over 20 girls who got kicked out or left because of different reasons. I don't know why you bothered to post incorrect stats like that.

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written by Tiger , 24 April, 2008

Sarah, I find it interesting that you say that you went to Mercy, but left, my understanding is that 96 have been through the program, 92 have graduated, so are you one of the four, or are you making up what you said to create a stir?

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written by allira , 20 March, 2008

Fuck that... I used to buy G.J. coffee. Never again, how dare a person judge another by who they are or what they have done. Getting an abortion or being gay is no one's business. Especially a cock in a suite. There are worse things in this world to support. Like 3rd world famine. Or if you must judge, how about child molesters, or child abusers, serial killers, you get my point. You dick, Kevin. God does not want us to judge or start a cult. Who are you to judge anyone? Fuck you, I will never ever, ever go to a Gloria Jeans ever again and I will make sure that all my friends and family never go to a G.J. and I will be telling all my clients not to go either.

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written by Jenny Cullen , 17 March, 2008

A National Australian magazine is keen to talk to someone like Sarah (see comment above) who has been involved with Mercy Ministries and had a difficult time (see March 17 story in the Age and Sydney morning herald.) If you can help please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Jenny

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written by Sarah , 02 January, 2008

I have spent time at Mercy Ministries and it was extremely traumatic. The way the girls there are treated is very abusive. A lot of girls are kicked out if they do not become the Hillsong brand of 'Christian' within a certain amount of time after arriving. I saw many girls being hurt there, it is a real shame that anyone would support such an organisation, even if it is out of pure ignorance.

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written by Sam , 04 December, 2007

Easy solution to your shopping conundrum, people:

Ask to see the manager and owner of every shop you frequent and cross-examine them on their views of "alternative" communities. If they are accepting, or at the very least tolerant, then support their business with your custom.

Do as much research into all the companies that produce the products you like to buy or consume.
Simply don't buy anything that comes from a hateful source.

Animal rights activists, anti-sweatshop campaigners, vegans, etc. all have to do this sort of thing in order to maintain their integrity and "clean" activist credentials. For them, being perceived as a hypocrite is a fate worse than fashion death.

Speaking for myself, when there is a direct link between a company's operations/management and dodgy religious beliefs or inethical business practices, I tend to avoid them.

No need for shrill criticism and big fuss. A quiet word to your friends and family about dodginess of certain companies usually does the trick.
The best boycotts are just quiet withdrawals of customer support over a single financial year, leaving only the die-hard, brand T-shirt-wearing geeks behind.
Easiest way to ruin a small business or company is to imply it's no longer a desirable or fashionable option, regardless of the quality of products and services being provided. Once something loses its cachet with consumers, the only other option is to rebrand or abandon the target market altogether in a bid to prevent a slide in profits.

Look at what happened to the MacDonald's on both Oxford Street and King Street.
They ceased to be profitable and no longer exist.
Said fast food giant has also had to go crazy with faux-healthy menus in Australia as their market share started to shrink in a market more interested in proper nutrition.

You would've thought both Gloria Jeans and Starbucks wouldn't have done too well in the inner city either.
Well, they are quite daggy and don't do things any better or cheaper in a cafe market that was already saturated when they started to appear.
Their drinks on average are more expensive and some of the options are quite ridiculous. Too much choice on a coffee menu is a bad thing.
I like the sign on the coffee machine at Bar Italia in Leichhardt: "NO decaf, NO skim, NO eftpos!!"
Hoo-ray!!!

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written by Tiger , 03 December, 2007

I hope you all don't shop at Coles and Woolworths, as I am sure, due to the size of Hillsong Church, that their are high levels of management that support Mercy Ministries. Everyone is allowed their opinions, but don't boycott a store because they are a large chain. Take "Kevin" at Newtown. Here's a guy, with a family and a mortgage, just like most of us, trying make a go of it. I know that he makes fantastic coffee. If you don't like the strong flavour of GJ's, ask for it half or 3/4 strength. Is it right that you boycott a store, because the owner works 80 hours a week. Yes all franchises pay a fee for the name. But that goes towards the advertising, new drinks, support of the brand. Hey, lets not buy fuel, I am sure someone their supports Mercy Ministries.

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written by Brendan of Wollongong NSW , 26 November, 2007

Their coffee is like a cup of dilute tepid mud. There's nothin holy about that.

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written by allison , 26 November, 2007

Agree with all of the above. Plus the coffee is appalling!

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written by Greg , 26 November, 2007

It's funny, as we passed Gloria Jeans last night i bristled and said to my friend 'It just does not feel right' .. now maybe more than ever is the time to support smaller buisnesses and to declare that no matter how tenuous the link or the excuse that 'i just have the franchise' i'm not interested in giving a small fraction of my money to the anti gay and right wing organisations that these places are linked to.

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written by bryan , 23 November, 2007

There are too many hard working wonderful businesses failing. Support small business and not chain stores. I gag everytime I walk past Gloria Jeans or Starbucks. The fact that they support right wing loons is just another reason to boycott this blight on our urban landscape.

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