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We see, how the whole "Gospel Reggae Industry" is patterned after
the Reggae Industry. And in that industry, we have artists and sound systems
who make deals together about using Dub Plates. A Dub Plate is a special track,
wherein the artist sings about the sound system or something else. And only the
sound system who bought the Dub plate has the rights to play it.
500 pounds may be a lot of money, but within the Reggae Industry this is not
an unusual price. After all, you have specials for your sound system to make
your sound system special, too. And when you have a special sound system, you
will be invited to play at dances and concerts, which can than make you some
money too.
It's an industry. And there's nothing wrong with that Reggae Industry. For
it is an industry where Reggae Music is the product. That's why it's called the
Reggae Industry.
It's the same, and yet very different too, in the "Christian
Industry". This industry has made the Christian faith and the Christian
faithful into their product. That's why it's called the "Christian
Industry".
All of this can easily be discerned by asking the question: "on what
basis does the Christian Industry claim it's right to existence?" You
could also ask any artist or worker in the Christian Industry, what makes them
work in that Industry. They will all tell you, that it is on the basis of their
(in many cases: alleged) "Christian faith".
But there are only a view who are able to see, that this is a very principal
issue. Reggae Music is a product, even though the producers and artists put
their heart and soul in. A Reggae Artist is someone whose work it is to make
Reggae Music. And an industry is built around it, so that the artists and
others can actually do their work and get some money so that they can afford
food clothes and shelter.
There's not a whole lot of difference between a Reggae Artist and a Grocer,
in that respect. And sure, Reggae Artists can be Christians, just like grocers
can be Christians. And sure, they have to express their Christian faith in
their entire lifes so that would include their jobs or labour.
But a Christian who is a Reggae artist should not confuse his job as his
"ministry". Just like a Christian grocer shouldn't concern his
grocery store as his "ministry". They might both be able to perform
their ministry while they are working on their job, but their job would still
not be their ministry.
The reason for this is, because money is involved. We all must live, have
some money to provide food clothes and shelter for ourselves and our families.
And we must do things in order to make a little money.
It's a principal, and we call it "work"....
But these very same arguments are used by the self-proclaimed
"ministers" who are working in the Christian Industry. They say:
"but we have to live", and that is the reason why they want money for
their so-called "ministries".
But because they work in the Christian Industry, they think that they could
look to their work as a "ministry" as well. And they think,
that they can sell their products because they "have to live". So,
the same arguments why one needs money for his product, is applied to the self
proclaimed "ministers".
That's why you have "ministries" telling you that they will send
you a book for a certain amount of money. But don't you call it
"merchandize", for it is "ministry".
But is that so?
The apostle Paul worked as a maker of tents. The apostle Peter worked as a
fisherman. They had their ministries, too. We can read all about it in the
Bible. Some even did not work for a living because they received financial
support so that they could buy food clothes and shelter while practicing their
ministry.
Nowhere do you read, that an apostle charged money for his ministry.
When people gave him money, it was because Jah told them to donate money. So we
see, that the principal "work-money-trade" which we apply to our
lives and jobs, does not fly in the Kingdom of Jah.
Yes, it is a principal. A principal that says: I make a product, and I sell
that product because I need food clothes and shelter". This principal is
usually called "work", or "job". It is not our
"ministry"!
But we seen this very same principal applied in what is called the Christian
Industry. "Christian" artists make "Christian" products
which are then bought and sold in the Christian Industry where the faithful
have become the "market".
How obvious is this all? How obvious is it, that we are speaking about
spiritual slavery? Jah people on the market place!
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