Business Morality

[Deogratias]

Any comments on the morality of owning a liquor store in a college area when you know many of your customers will be abusing the liquor?  Or what about a bar?

[mississippicatholic]

i'd say that it (owning/operating a bar or liquor)would be immoral.  both would be "placing tempation in front of the weak" for those who are/were/could become alchoholic.  also, in the case of the bar, what if they left drunk and got in a car crash and killed themselves or someone else?  in the case of a liquor store, you don't know what they'll do with it.  anyway, that's my two cents.

[Deogratias]

Not to be defensive, just talking; would that mean that bars and liquor stores in general are immoral businesses?

 

What about a smoke shop, a place that sells cigarettes?

[Spooky7272]

Well, since drinking isn't immoral I don't see how serving it would be. It's the abuse of alcohol that is sinful. I guess you could ask is owning a restuarant immoral since people might commit the sin of gluttony...A lot more people kill themselves with food than alcohol. But mississippi has a point, the owner of a bar can be held liable if it serves alcohol to someone intoxicated and they drive and kill someone in an accident. But what might also be considered immoral in owning a bar is encouraging the "bar scene" where people meet to "hook up" (at least that's how it is in America, there are very few "pubs" where one can just go and have a pint).

[DominusTecum]

We are Catholics. As such, we recognize that God has given us the fruit of the vine for our enjoyment and benefit. While there might be moral issues with opening a liquor store conspicuously close to a college where one knows that students will be "drinking to get drunk" (always a mortal sin) there is nothing wrong, in principle, with owning a bar or liquor store.

[HMiS]

Owning, opening and running a bar or a pub is not immoral at all. Why then are there all those pubs near Catholic churches throughout Europe?

 

The only thing is of course the abuse of alcohol. And there you have the duty as a barkeeper to say "no", when a customer drinks 'n drinks 'n drinks, and still wants to drive home afterwards.

 

It is not that serving alcohol is wrong. That's nonsense.

 

And college students "abusing" alcohol, well, that ain't your problem. They can buy it at a liquor store, and might use it for a nice party at their parents'. Then you could not open up an arms' store, because some crazy head would commit suicide with it. And a Catholic might as well close his household applications' store, because the knifes sold might be used by desperate housewives to cut their husband's throat.

 

During the work, one should warn customers if they are acting dangerously. But there is no obligation to "prevent" abuse when you sell legal products.