On Mar 11, 2:13 am, Jaime G <nob...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> In article <1173565490.952921.167...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
> > The same with religion. It is meaningful to me
> > and has enriched my life.
>
> I'm sure your accountant concurs.
HE SURE DOES!
Why shouldn't I make money? The Christians
pay their priests and pastors a salary, the
Jews pay their rabbis. Why should I work
for free? I studied for years, I underwent the
ordeal of the kanzo, and now I work for my
community and for clients and new initiates
who come to me. Why should I not be
paid?
A Houngan or Mambo fulfills many roles. We
are clergy, sure, but we also function as
healers, as counselors, as cultural workers,
as providers of safe space to homeless
people, as song-and-dance entertainers,
the list goes on and on! We do more for
our people than any Christian pastor - we
massage them! We feed them! We love
them. I don't take money from my Haitian
congregation like a pastor, instead I bring
money from the USA and give it to them.
So why should I not be paid? In most
branches of Afro-dias****an religious tradition,
we are paid - Babalawos are paid, Santeros
are paid, and so on. Why should we not
be paid for our work?
Peace and love,
Mambo Racine
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