Is it okay for a mormon to be a bartender?

Answer 1

There is no absolute answer. It depends on the circumstances. I'd say it was different than just serving drinks. A bartender is more likely to push drinks. On the other hand, any non-drinker as a bartender is more likely to stop someone from having too many. I was once posed a similar question about a convert who was employed by a 'head' shop. If some one works in a poor environment it will rub off.

Answer 2

Wow tough question. I am Mormon and I am a student in a part of the country where there are alot of bars. I know the difficulty there can be finding a job that allows me to go to school and pay my bills. I have thought about bartending myself. This is somthing that I feel you will have to pray about. For me it is not the right choice. I have bought beer for people, and I am a designated driver. I am a cook and have used alchoal in cooking. But for me bartending was not a good choice so I didn't do it. But I had to pray and make that decision. It would have been good money. I hope you find your answer but what ever is said, get down on your knees and ask God what he thinks YOU should do.

Answer 3

If there was a better or other job it would be better to not be a bartender.
If you are a bartender you don't have to drink the drinks. You only make the drinks for others to drink.

Answer 4

Probably depends on the person. Personally, I would think it would be a bit hypocritical to be working as a bartender if one of my beliefs was that drinking alcohol was wrong...

Answer 5

While there is no specific "thou shall not be a bartender" commandment in our doctrine, as others pointed out, it would be a little hypocritical since drinking alcohol is against our beliefs. And we have been counseled to try to stay in uplifting environments as often as possible.

Answer 6

I have seen a discussion about something like that online before. The consensus for that discussion was that if a person has a family to support and no other jobs are available, then sure.

Answer 7

Probably not. Drinking is wrong, according to them - I think because drinking makes it easier to confuse your 7 wives with each other.

Answer 8

I wouldn't think so since drinking is against their beliefs.

Answer 9

as long as he knows how to mix drinks I would say yes

Answer 10

Since Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and their high priests were, then yes.

In Nauvoo Joseph Smith sold liquor.
Ordinance on the Personal Sale of Liquors.
Section 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of Nauvoo, that the Mayor of the city be and is hereby authorized to sell or give spirits of any quantity as he in his wisdom shall judge to be for the health and comfort or convenience of such travelers or other persons as shall visit his house from time to time.
Passed December 12, 1843.
Joseph Smith, Mayor.
Willard Richards, Recorder.
(History of the Church, vol. 6, p.111).

(The Saints' Herald, January 22, 1935, p.110).

Joseph Smith's "The Nauvoo Mansion" in the keeping-room of the hotel—that is to say, the main room where the guests assembled and where they were received upon arrival—a bar, with counter, shelves, bottles, glasses and other paraphernalia customary for a fully-equipped tavern bar, and Porter Rockwell in charge as tender.
She [the wife] was very much surprised and disturbed over this arrangement,... "Joseph," she asked, "What is the meaning of that bar in this house? ... How does it look," she asked, "for the spiritual head of a religious body to be keeping a hotel in which is a room fitted out as a liquor-selling establishment?"
He reminded her that all taverns had their bars at which liquor was sold or dispensed
(The Saints' Herald, January 22, 1935, p.110).

On the way to Utah, Brigham Young counseled the Mormons to "make beer as a drink"
(John D. Lee, p. 116).

Historian Hurbert Howe Bancroft says that "the first bar-room in S.L. City, and the only one for years, was in the Salt Lake House, owned by President Young and Feramorz Little"
(History of Utah, p.540, footnote 44)

(The Lion of the Lord, p.285).

On June 7, 1863, Brigham Young acknowledged publicly that he had built a distillery:
(Journal of Discourses, vol. 10, p.206).

Hubert Howe Bancroft records: "Peter K. Dotson,... came to Salt Lake City in 1851, and was first employed by Brigham as manager of a distillery
(History of Utah, p.573, footnote 2).

Josiah F. Gibbs concerning Brigham Young's distillery:
the Prophet Brigham became a distiller of whiskey and other intoxicants, and high priests were the wholesale and retail distributors.
(Lights and Shadows of Mormonism, 1909, pp.248-49).

July 26, 1890, Judge Orlando W. Powers
It will please you to know that notwithstanding the fact that the
city had gone into the whisky business on its own hook, on August 19, 1862, it granted Brigham Young a license to distill peaches into brandy.
(The Salt Lake Tribune, July 14, 1908).

According to John D. Lee, Brigham Young kept a large supply of liquor.
(A Mormon Chronicle, The Diaries of John D. Lee, vol. 2, pp.71-72).

May 2, 1843 Joseph Smith's History: "Wednesday, 3—Called at the office and drank a glass of wine with Sister Jenetta Richards, made by her mother in England"
(History of the Church, vol. 5, p.380).

January, 1836:
We then partook of some refreshments, and our hearts were made glad with the fruit of the vine
(History of the Church, vol. 2, p.369).

Elders Orson Hyde, Luke S. Johnson, and Warren Parrish, then presented the Presidency with three servers of glasses filled with wine to bless. And it fell to my lot to attend to this duty, which I cheerfully discharged. It was then passed round in order, then the cake in the same order; and suffice it to say, our hearts were made glad while partaking of the bounty of earth which was presented, until we had taken our fill
(History of the Church, vol. 2, p.378)

Carthage jail:... "The guard wanted some wine. Joseph gave Dr. Richards two dollars to give the guard; ... The guard immediately sent for a bottle of wine, pipes, and two small papers of tobacco; ... Dr. Richards uncorked the bottle, and presented a glass to Joseph, who tasted, as brother Taylor and the doctor"
(History of the Church, vol. 6, p.616).

Joseph Smith gave some of the "brethren" a "couple of dollars, with directions to replenish" their supply of "whisky." In modern editions of the History of the Church, twenty-three words have been deleted from this reference to cover up this fact.

Joseph Smith frankly admitted that he "drank a glass of beer at Moessers." These words have been omitted in recent printings of the History of the Church.
  
History of the Church: "Sometime after dinner we sent for some wine. It has been reported by some that this was taken as a sacrament. It was no such thing: our spirits were generally dull and heavy, and it was sent for to revive us.... I believe we all drank of the wine..."
(History of the Church, vol. 7, p.101)

Apostle John Taylor continued to use alcoholic beverages after Joseph Smith's death. Hosea Stout diary June 3, 1847 "...says Taylor 'Bring on the jug' says I at which they were presented with a large jug of whiskey.... they all paid due respect to the jug ..." (On The Mormon Frontier, The Diary of Hosea Stout; vol. 1, p.259)

1840 Joseph Smith's History of the Church, (vol. 4, p.120): "April 17.— This day the twelve blessed and drank a bottle of wine at Penworthan, made by Mother Moon forty years before."

July 1, 1845, Hosea Stout recorded in his diary: "This day there was a grand concert ... we had also the 12 and other authorities with us, and was also provided with as much beer, wine, cakes &c as we could eat and drink"
(On The Mormon Frontier, The Diary Of Hosea Stout, vol. 1, p.50).