(sigh) I have . . . thoughts. First, setting aside that nearly every Christian author I know regularly gives work away for free (blogging, podcasting, social media, excerpts, etc.), there are several problems with this kind of thinking . . .
The number of Christian authors able to make a sustainable living off book sales is incredibly small. It's one of the biggest misconceptions about publishing those who don't publish usually have. There's a reason most Christian authors you're aware of have day jobs.
But in any event, writing a book takes time. Lots of time. For many, lots of research. Anyone who wants to is welcome to offer the fruit of that labor for free. God bless 'em. Most of us, however, have the same responsibilities and obligations as everybody else.
It's not a matter of selfishness or faithlessness. It's simply a matter of stewardship and provision. No one should be ashamed of using the gifts, talent, and education they possess to provide for their families and, in many cases, help others do the same.
What sounds "spiritual" in these kinds of critiques/requests is really a deficient theology of vocation (for one) and (secondly) an arbitrary distinction between the sacred and the "secular." I notice there aren't a lot of calls for Christian plumbers to forego payment.
We don't usually expect believers in non-religious vocations to work for free. It's totally fine if they want to do that. It's anybody's option to rely totally on the charity of others. But it's nobody's mandate. Not even God's.
"A workman is worthy of his wage." Purchasing a book is a totally elective procedure of a non-necessary consumer good. It oppresses or exploits nobody to offer a book for sale. If you think someone's literary work isn't worth paying for, don't buy it. (Don't steal it either.)
But implying it is unspiritual or greedy or any other nefarious thing for writers to seek compensation for their work is silly and dishonest. It *might* make more sense if book work provided income that was regular and guaranteed, but it doesn't.
And until you're willing to give it a go working long hours every day at your occupation going only off a Donate button on a website, it's hypocritical to shame others who opt not to do it either.
I'm a huge Keith Green fan, fwiw, but at least he was wiling to put his own lack of money where his mouth was. /end
