Hi Jennifer,
Reiki = Universal life force energy and it is not necessary to have any particular faith or belief in God to be able to access it. There are Reiki practitioners from all walks of life, some religious and some not. Many practitioners have invested their time and money in training to become a Reiki practitioner. There are often room hire fees to pay. Many practitioners also feel that if Reiki is given for free then it is not valued and as such there should be some kind of 'energy exchange'; money or otherwise. I understand your point of view, but I think that it is personal to each Reiki Practitioner to decide whether to charge or not. I guess that it all comes down to the intention behind the charge :)
Gentle Blessings
Helen
