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Can You Be Faithful And Own A Business That Serves Alcohol?


rockpond

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Here's a story on the Sutherland Institute criticizing an LDS restaurant owner in Provo because he chooses to serve alcohol in his restaurant...

http://www.cityweekly.net/utah/blog-25-9371-group-questions-faith-of-lds-restaurant-owners-who-sell-booze.html

I happen to disagree with the Sutherland Institute on this one but they raise interesting points... As a faithful member of the church is it "okay" to:

Own a business that is open on Sunday?

Serve coffee/tea in your business?

Serve alcohol in your business?

Own a gambling establishment?

And, own from my home state (where it is legal), own a business that provides medical marijuana to patients?

Is there a line to be drawn somewhere? Personal revelation for each individual's situation?

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I know members that own such businesses so from the church's standpoint, doing so doesn't keep anyone from having a temple recommend. As to what Christ thinks about it, well, I guess that's up to each person to decide.

I personally would not be comfortable with such a business, but that doesn't mean they are sinful to operate.

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I think it is ok to sell alcohol and cigarettes as a member. I think dealing with medical marijuana is different because it is still a federal offense. Also the medical marijuana business suffers from a legal limbo. Banks won't lend money and you can't buy insurance because the federal government can come down on them for providing services to illegal businesses.

I think businesses that are open on sunday are ok. Where would all of the conference goers eat at if all of the restaurants in Utah were closed on sunday? Snicker.

I think personal revelation is a great way to go but that is up to each business owner. Parkers hamburger stand went out of business in American Fork and it was closed on sunday.

A family member owns a restaurant in St. George and they close on Sunday. Good thing or they wouldn't have a day off. I also think that closing a business on Sunday behind the zion curtain is different verses closing one in a state like California where Sunday is just another day. The Sutherland Institute is just blowing hot air in an attempt to garner publicity.

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To paraphrase a movie quote "Drinking alcohol is against our religion. Selling it is an act of charity."

I dont think it's against the faith per se. But Im not going to start doing it. i didnt even like when I had to sell coffee and ciggerettes when i worked in a convenience store. I dont think I could actually own a place that sold it.

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I don't see alcohol being a sin for anyone who hasn't covenanted not to drink it anymore than eating pork is for me. I haven't covenanted not to sell it, just not to drink it myself. Same with everything else.

Having said that, I would be uncomfortable selling alcohol and tobacco knowing the harm they can do....but not uncomfortable for religious purposes. Same thing with gambling. I understand that some see it as entertainment...it seems too costly a form for me to feel good about promoting, especially as I make more money the less control others have.

Perhaps there is a religious aspect after all..."love thy neighbour...."

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I think dealing with medical marijuana is different because it is still a federal offense. Also the medical marijuana business suffers from a legal limbo. Banks won't lend money and you can't buy insurance because the federal government can come down on them for providing services to illegal businesses

I agree with the "legal limbo" assessment but, even so, it hasn't seemed to slow down the MM business here in CO. But, our state just took it one step further and legalized recreational use as well. We'll see how that goes.

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I don't see alcohol being a sin for anyone who hasn't covenanted not to drink it anymore than eating pork is for me. I haven't covenanted not to sell it, just not to drink it myself. Same with everything else.

Having said that, I would be uncomfortable selling alcohol and tobacco knowing the harm they can do....but not uncomfortable for religious purposes. Same thing with gambling. I understand that some see it as entertainment...it seems too costly a form for me to feel good about promoting, especially as I make more money the less control others have.

Perhaps there is a religious aspect after all..."love thy neighbour...."

Amen.

I agree with your sentiments, Calmoriah. I think that Sutherland Institute overstepped in suggesting that faithful members can't sell alcohol.

I was also fascinated reading about the alcohol laws in Utah... "Zion's Walls" and only serving alcohol with food. I didn't know about those regulations. That might seem funny considering I lived in Utah for 5 years but, I don't drink and I lived in the "BYU bubble".

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I think God would wink at some circumstances, perhaps for a time. But ultimately no, one cannot be faithful and own such a business. One scripture in particular that deals with this is Romans 1:32. Make no mistake, I would certainly include a hotel chain that offers porn to it's customers in this category.

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I had a bishop who owned a store. He said that he was told by a GA that selling things like alcohol was ok. They were more concerned about stores that stayed open on Sunday. Understandable. Breaking the Sabbath has got be viewed as more destructive of one's spirituality than breaking the Word of Wisdom. (That should garner some comments. :) )

Anyway, my understanding is that Marriott was one of the largest liquor distributors in the world, partly because they provided the airline concessions. Don't know if that ever was or is still true. I agree that selling pornography is more of problem than selling a six pack of beer.

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The Marriotts do it... But given their position on gay marriage I'm not sure you can call them "faithful" members. Anyone know if you still get a discounted room if you're going to the temple?

You're questioning their faithfulness? One can hold to the view that homosexuals should have a right to legally recognized marriage and still be faithful.

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They were more concerned about stores that stayed open on Sunday. Understandable.
Keeping a store open means you are going to be requiring employees to work on Sunday and if you have to work as well...either as on a regular basis or being on call in the case of emergencies, there is a chance that it can interfere with actual Sabbath activities.

And for some there might always be a worry about how the store was doing, thus interfering with one's focus on the Sabbath.

OTOH, when selling what are not covenant breaking products to others, you are leaving such completely up to the person whether or not to engage.

I see the consequences of keeping a store open on the Sabbath as being much more far reaching...at least potentially than selling certain products.

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OTOH, when selling what are not covenant breaking products to others, you are leaving such completely up to the person whether or not to engage.

I don't know that I ever made a covenant not to buy alcohol or tobacco. Never explicitly made a covenant to keep the WoW now that you mention it.

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I don't know that I ever made a covenant not to buy alcohol or tobacco. Never explicitly made a covenant to keep the WoW now that you mention it.

So are you in agreement with the Sutherland Institute then?

Do you question the faithfulness of those who own businesses that provide for the sale of alcohol? (Or was it just the gay marriage issue?)

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So are you in agreement with the Sutherland Institute then?

Do you question the faithfulness of those who own businesses that provide for the sale of alcohol? (Or was it just the gay marriage issue?)

If you read what I actually said (and not your interpretation of it) I said "Im not sure if you can call the Marriott's faithful members" Their faithfulness is between them and God. Just as it is with those who choose to serve alcohol.
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If you read what I actually said (and not your interpretation of it) I said "Im not sure if you can call the Marriott's faithful members" Their faithfulness is between them and God. Just as it is with those who choose to serve alcohol.

Fair enough. You are correct though, I do interpret "I'm not sure if you can call the Marriott's faithful members" as questioning their faithfulness. That does seem to be what those words mean.

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Here's a story on the Sutherland Institute criticizing an LDS restaurant owner in Provo because he chooses to serve alcohol in his restaurant...

http://www.cityweekl...sell-booze.html

I happen to disagree with the Sutherland Institute on this one but they raise interesting points... As a faithful member of the church is it "okay" to:

Own a business that is open on Sunday?

Serve coffee/tea in your business?

Serve alcohol in your business?

Own a gambling establishment?

And, own from my home state (where it is legal), own a business that provides medical marijuana to patients?

Is there a line to be drawn somewhere? Personal revelation for each individual's situation?

Could one still be faithful if one owns a porn site or store? While such businesses are legal are they ethical or moral. ZCMI was once criticized by H. Nibley because it was far from being Zion. I suppose one could justify any action. On this one I am a bit hard core.
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It is not a sin to drink alcohol. And there are a whole lot of people who drink it, without violating any covenant at all. And restaurants without liquor licenses fail more than restaurants with them.

I see no problem at all for a faithful member to own an establishment that serves alcohol, but if I were such a member, I would have a policy cutting off drinks before people got sloshed and drove drunk or beat their spouses, or sleep with someone to whom they aren't married (meaning I wouldn't accept irresponsible drinking, at all).

I think the same about a gambling establishment.

But I don't think faithful members can own a brothel, or a film production company making porn, or similar type establishments.

On the other hand, I have no problem with someone challenging a restaurant in their community about selling alcohol because it is outside community standards. I just have a problem with their representation that they are arbiters of member worthiness in the course of that lobbying.

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Could one still be faithful if one owns a porn site or store? While such businesses are legal are they ethical or moral. ZCMI was once criticized by H. Nibley because it was far from being Zion. I suppose one could justify any action. On this one I am a bit hard core.

There is a big difference in sselling "adult Beverages with a meal and a porn shop or a liquor store. Come on lets not get Pharisaic.

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I had a bishop who owned a store. He said that he was told by a GA that selling things like alcohol was ok. They were more concerned about stores that stayed open on Sunday. Understandable. Breaking the Sabbath has got be viewed as more destructive of one's spirituality than breaking the Word of Wisdom. (That should garner some comments. :) )

Anyway, my understanding is that Marriott was one of the largest liquor distributors in the world, partly because they provided the airline concessions. Don't know if that ever was or is still true. I agree that selling pornography is more of problem than selling a six pack of beer.

How do you equate selling alcohol or tobacco in a store with breaking the word of wisdom? Using them would be breaking the W o W not selling them.

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