Had me until I read, “…we want to use our platform and resources to glorify God…”

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Oof.

They have a donut with rainbow candy…maybe they’re the ok kind of religious? I am a little curious what would happen if a same-sex couple applied for their catering.

I’m not seeing what’s wrong with that. Everyone should have the ability to have their own religion and practice it openly and freely (foundation of American rights and freedoms), same as you do. I don’t mistreat anyone and I love everyone, the way God wants us to. Glorifying God is helping people, loving people, and treating people with kindness and grace! Reasons being why I have to continue to use the resources I’m entrusted with to make sure I take care for my community and love on them! Also, the donuts speak for themselves and are truly blessed! Spread some love today and try not to tear down a small business today, especially one that’s done nothing to you.

You are alienating a huge chunk of your potential customer base by being so religion-centric with your business.

How about a little separation of church and business? I don’t want something I fundamentally don’t believe in shoved down my face when buying donuts

yeah there’s definitely some mixed messaging going on. i am curious what their stance is and would not patronize this place unless they came out in full support of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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Supporting modern Christianity is supporting religious intolerance. You lost business by including god as a cornerstone of your business. Leave it at home where it belongs.

Alec, I’ll take donuts without proselytizing for 600 please.

This is the type of response I was expecting, unfortunately. Keep god out of donuts 🤣

Just do what I do, buy donuts elsewhere. There’s a great bakery in Fairfax and on the north side of St. Albans.

I mean like you realize the disconnect here between what you said religion is about and what religion is actually getting up to these days, right?

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Posting twice in the same day on the same sub to advertise ain’t cool at all.

Not tearing you down. You’re doing a good job of it yourself. I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Someone’s religion has nothing to do with me or how I live my life, and honestly why does it matter to anyone else? If someone isn’t personally doing anything to you, why do you care? Do you visit other establishments and refuse to go there or eat there when they have Hindu or budda things displayed in their restaurant or establishment? No, because why would anyone personally care? Live your life the way you choose, and vice versa.

Good point. I don't care of this business is religious, but I would not be interested in supporting a business that has hate toward any particular group of people.

Using the pound sign (number sign , hashtag) as the first thing in a new line makes your font huge, like you are yelling. Try putting a word or two before that, please.

You kind of remind me of the Masterpiece Bakery in Denver. We don’t like them.

I am being kind by having this conversation with you. You seem really unaware of what’s going on in the greater context of our society if you’re actually asking those questions in good faith. There’s a scary problem with religious intolerance right now, most people up here aren’t in for it. You guys are hanging your hat on a hook that has Marjorie Taylor Green as a figurehead, for one.

Really? Because I possess empathy? Buddha isn’t currently banning books and calling me a groomer there buddy.

I don’t really eat donuts I just wanted to make sure the owners knew they were scaring off customers before they even opened the doors

No one’s trying to tear down your business. Quite the opposite actually.

I think that is constructive advice. You are selling products to the least religious state in the US. If you want to support religion personally, more power to you. But when you put in out there in your business plan, you are making people uncomfortable and turning away customers. Having great tasting donuts is only part of the equation for a successful business.

That goddamn chicken looks amazing by the way.

Facts

Yeah I fuckin love donuts and want to support this store, but just can’t the way this conversation is going. Maybe Jesus will bail them out.

Atheist here. I don’t mind these folks stating this in their mission. My understanding is the owners have been a positive presence for their community at large and through the pandemic. I don’t mind that they wear their faith on their sleeve. Sounds like they use their faith as a guide to spread kindness in the world. I’m alright with that. Now I’m scheming to find a way to saint A to get some delish donuts. FWIW Black owned business in VT is something I would like to encourage.

I read that wrong and I apologize. I am sorry.

I wish I could support this business with money... but the best I can do is give my "thoughts and prayers".

Their motto could be: ‘Doughnuts’ without god is ‘uh…nuts’

I am rather excited about trying these as I drive through St Albans quite often but I have to say the whole "god is in our donuts" thing is kind of a turn off, might reconsider

What if they hate bigots?

“Why does it matter to anyone else?”

Because millions of Christians actively spread anti-LGBT beliefs. Not saying that you do, but at the very least you should understand that association.

I understand what you are saying, and that’s why I have to be a representation of what God wants me to be. I’m not following religion, I am following Jesus and He is love. I love everyone and really truly don’t concern myself with someone else’s life in that way, because I have my own life to worry about. I’m just trying to use my platform to show the world that we need more love, and less hate. We need to try and help each other as best as we can, and as I grow we will do that. We will help underprivileged people, the average working person, anyone we can. And to me, doing that is glorifying God and I stand behind that. I treat people with love and kindness, and can only speak and stand behind what I do and not what others do.

Will you have any vegan donut options?

That all sounds good - I wish all Christians felt that way instead of being hateful bigoted hypocrites

Why does it matter? Because you put it in your business plan.

Blissfully ignores hard truths.

Do you sell any unreligious donuts?

Hangry isn’t an appealing name, like, at all.

And if I went in The Donut Bar, I’d be hoping for some Bailey’s in my coffee.

Please stop with the huge font.

And, ugh, the proselytizing.

You need some marketing help. STAT. And a focus group outside your friend circle.

Does that mean you'll cater to a gay wedding?

> Do you cater or do weddings?
>
>Yes we do! You can fill out the form under “contact us” with details about your event and we will be happy to assist you with a quote and more information.

I'd like to gently suggest you look up "welcoming and affirming" churches. Not all christians are bigots. I understand your stance, and I get that there's a lot of toxicity in christianity these days, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Obviously it's your choice to avoid any and all businesses that refer to religion if that's your preference. But you're painting with a broad brush and it might not be appropriate all the time.

My husband and I have been sooo excited for you guys to open up. That said, I think you're running into a couple of issues here as others have mentioned - VT is not a religious state, and you're getting kind of defensive in the comments (which I don't blame you for at all, it's reddit, and it's via text which is hard to convey tone and is often defaulted to aggressive). However, if you want to be a good part of the St. Albans community, you need to be aware of a few things.

Franklin County, and St. Albans in particular, has had some really gross stuff occur lately - see electing a sheriff who is facing charges for kicking a handcuffed guy in the balls repeatedly. The community can be very welcoming and very unsafe at the same time for queer individuals. There are church organizations that acknowledge that and work to combat it, like St. Paul's Methodist Church right by Taylor Park. I'm not at all religious, but I regularly host and take part in events there because they acknowledge the force of good they should be and work to address the harm that other religious organizations have cause (from what I've seen, anyway). They did a Pride/Juneteenth event over the summer, the first time it was held in our community, and they actively support queer communities.

So it doesn't bother me that you believe in god and want to use funds from your business to support that belief and associated tenets. What concerns me is that you have said

>Someone’s religion has nothing to do with me or how I live my life, and honestly why does it matter to anyone else? If someone isn’t personally doing anything to you, why do you care? Do you visit other establishments and refuse to go there or eat there when they have Hindu or budda things displayed in their restaurant or establishment? No, because why would anyone personally care? Live your life the way you choose, and vice versa.

To me, that is you sticking your head in the sand about the abject harm that your religion, whether or not it's your specific denomination, has caused to the queer community and others. It's similar to saying "I don't see race" - and I realize the issues with me saying that to a BIPOC business, apologies, but it's the best metaphor I can think of - just because you are not taking part directly in causing harm to queer communities that comes as a result of religious organizations, you are indirectly and silently supporting those actions by not saying anything against them. If you believe god to be love and there needs to be more of that, you need to also acknowledge where people are not bringing that love to the world.

You can't say "glorify god" publicly and then get upset when people say how harmful religion has been. And honestly, if you don't acknowledge and support those communities, I'm going to have a hard time going to get your donuts, as much as I want them and want to support diverse businesses.

​

Edit for clarification on the Pride/Juneteenth event

I personally think that the only thing that should be judged here are the donuts 🍩 not someone's Religion color or sexual orientation 🤔

Way too much focus on the God stuff. Who cares? Im an atheist...doesnt stop me in supporting local business with good values. If the food is good, and they don't force religion on you, let them believe what they want. A lot of posters in this thread sound like they could use a little more love in their life.

I like the name, and am anxious to try to chicken and donuts.

Good luck OP!

Solid points. The assumption people are making (including myself in other comments) is that the primary goal of this business is to generate profit. That may not be true and there is nothing wrong with that.

This is not sarcasm. Many entities, especially nonprofits, exist for reasons other than increased revenue.

Order #00141 checking in!

Thank you so much for your order! Make sure you mention yourself tomorrow because I want to meet you! I appreciate your business sincerely ❤️❤️

Good on you for doing what you love, including your personality in your business and having the balls to open a shop in the first place (no small thing)!

The Doughnuts looks amazing. Next time I'm in Saint Albans I'm stopping in for sure.

Good luck!

Agnostic here. I don't see the issue with religious people or their products as long as I'm not directly being preached at as a precondition of partaking in their services (Fuck you, Salvation Army) or that there's not a subtext for hating others in the community.

And the glorifying god thing? Bach wrote his music soli deo gloria ("Glory to god alone), but that doesn't mean it has no value to me. I'm not saying these guys are the Bach's of donuts, but I'll wait until I taste them to decide if it's worth another trip.

Two hours, OP and no answer to this question yet.

I read through their post history. I don't know why you would market your business using your personal reddit account. There were a few comments in particular that stood out to me that instantly were off putting.

Then fact they are actively avoiding the answers to questions people have revolving around LGBTQ+ is also disheartening.

Would you rather they help Satan?

Yea I glanced through it as well and stopped after the comments in r/Christians or whatever because nothing good is going to come of me reading that. I agree - make a separate account for your business if you’re going to make a lot of divisive comments elsewhere.

I have a difficult time disassociating negativity with religion as it often does more harm than good, and the fact they included it in their business plan is a huge red flag for me. I also just find their responses too cringeworthy and there’s a serious lack of self awareness. Maybe I’m overly negative, maybe not, but regardless, I like to know where my money is spent and I’m not going to support them based on their reactionary responses and affiliation with something I myself cannot generally tolerate.

Can't wait to support your business and enjoy some donuts! Glad to have you in St. Albans! Continue showing God's love through your life and business even to those who are intolerant of it.

you’ve spent so much of your time hating on this person simply trying to promote their business… all for what? because they believe in God? get over yourself

Can I just get the fried chicken without donuts? That looks like some amazing fried chicken.

...I think there's your answer. OP has responded to another thread since I posted.

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Bruh 🤣

This is exhausting. I love that we live in such a hell world that in the unofficial live and let live state, it is hip to instantly register aggression at a fairly unobtrusive statement of religious affiliation by a donut shop owner. I love that said donut shop owner also happens to be a poorly adjusted weirdo that advertises for their business on the same account they use to punch down at wage workers. What an all around ugly look. See y'all at -20.

I’m a-waitin the meteor myself. 🤷🏼‍♂️✌🏻

The church of Satan does alot more for people nowadays then we give credit for.

The only hate I see coming from them is directed at the different religions that like to sodomize children and then continuously sweep it under the rug for who knows how long...

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It’s so ridiculous someone can’t post there values in life without being shamed.. especially from people who have a fit if someone dose the same with there values.

So I’m other words you judged this business just because of there religion but nothing elts. You sound like the hicks that talk bad about a whole religion just because of a bad group of people that associate themselves with it.

There’s already the heavenly Red House Sweets in St.A too, somehow no love yet on these threads???

Well they posted their religious label or affiliation,not their actual values. If they were into satanism a lot of people here would ask them to button that up as well. This is like the one time where “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” works pretty well.

Everyone Gets What They Want- Feeding Frenzy!

Yay! I can’t wait to give it a try!

Yup. Don't put politics or religion into your business model, it's extremely off-putting.

Huh? No I didn’t judge anything, I was just responding to OP’s question about why flaunting their religion in the store’s marketing material might “matter” to people.

Unless said business person is spreading hate towards lgbtq people I don’t understand how just because she believes in god that it might matter to people.. that’s like saying if someone’s a Muslim you shouldn’t say you are at your business because there are Islamic terrorist out in the world

I think it’s time to grow some thicker skin. Not supporting a business because of their religious values?? Idk time to grow up. If they were horrible people in religion cult sure… but maybe give it a chance.

It's more that I'm wary about getting imagery and words thrown at me that I associate with abuse and toxicity. I'd rather not visit a place that I think is likely to make me hyper vigilant and anxious, or even unsafe.

I'm an LGBTQ atheist, and I don't necessarily think it's bad to have a faith forward business. However, you must realize that in choosing to do your marketing this way, you are (intentionally or not) creating a safe space for certain people and an unsafe space for certain other people. I don't think it's wrong for a business to have a target market, and in this case your target market is people who have not experienced direct or indirect abuse from the church. I would never visit a business that markets like this after repeatedly being called an abomination and a slut by my churches growing up. If you have a Christian forward business without explicitly denouncing that kind of behavior, you're complicit and very strongly pushing away people like me from your business. That's a choice that is your right to make.

>Our hours will be every Friday (7am-3pm or until sold out), Saturday (8am-3pm or until sold out), and Sunday (9am-3pm or until sold out)

Only open three days a week?

I love Red House! I am a fan of Catalyst and tried one of Hangry's donuts when they were selling them. I don't know if it was how they were stored or if they were filled while still too warm but my cream filled had no cream. It had all soaked into the donut. I've given up sugary, fried items since then so I wouldn't bother with the new location simply because of that. Instead, I'll walk over to Red House and get a loaf of rye or hit up their day-old bin and take home bread with my coffee instead. If I'm really in a mood to splurge, I'll have a croissant. They're amazing.

Last Red House items I had were the pistachio tart and Nanaimo bar. Both excellent! Would love to just live in that place.

'There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and the Dutch.'

Geez I just came here to get the scoop on some donuts

Welcome! I’m ecstatic to see a faith based business in the area. It is rare in VT, but I am so glad to see it happening.