CCLI Disgusts Me

When it comes to speeding, I was reared on a mindset that said: the law is the law and adherence was expected regardless of the threat of speed traps. That would be the first reason I understand the need for the existence of CCLI. The second reason is obviously the role it plays in funding artists who want to go full-time. What riled me right from the start was CCLI's stated claim to their reason for existence: to ensure churches could stay in line with legislation. All artists needed to do was explicitly waive the right to prevent copying and performing of their music in a church setting - legal requirements would have been fulfilled. Right at the start it appeared that the movement chose not to be upfront about the windfall their license would generate - why not be truthful? I've noticed also how the testimonials they use seem to come from the artists and publishers rather than the users. In fact, my real beef is that CCLI goes exactly against its very own motto: "encouraging the spirit of worship". The spirit of worship is one of offering and giving to the Lord, so I'm a little dumbfounded as to how they make that connection. As for me, my worship songs will be released to explicitly circumvent copyright. I'd rather receive God's ten-fold reward than the few pennies of a needy startup church in Calcutta.