Raster and Religion

Raster and religion
Religion
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural
systems, and world views that relate humanity to an
order of existence. Many religions have narratives, ...
Types
The different types of religion include Christianity, Hindu,
Universalism, Buddhist, Islam, Judaism, Jain, Shinto, Cao
Dai and Juche. Other religions include ...
RASTA
Rastafari is an Abrahamic new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the Ethiopian
emperor from 1930 to 1974 as God incarnate and the Messiah who will deliver believers to the
Promised Land, identified by Rastas as Ethiopia. It has its roots in black-empowerment and
back-to-Africa movements. It originated in Jamaica and its followers continue to be concentrated
there, although smaller populations of Rastas can be found in many countries today.
Rastafari holds to many Jewish and Christian beliefs. Rastas accept the existence of a single
triune god, called Jah, who has incarnated on earth several times, including in the form of Jesus.
They accept much of the Bible, although they believe that its message has been corrupted over
time by Babylon, which is commonly identified with Western, white culture. Specifically, they
accept the prophesies in the Book of Revelations concerning the second coming of the Messiah,
which they believe has already occurred in the form of Selassie. Before his coronation, Selassie
was known as Ras Tafari Makonnen, from which the movement takes its name.
Origins
Marcus Garvey, an Afrocentric, black political activist, prophesied in 1927 that the black race
would be liberated soon after a black king was crowned in Africa. Selassie was crowned in 1930,
and four Jamaican ministers independently declared the Emperor their savior.
Basic Beliefs
Selassie I
As an incarnation of Jah, Selassie I is both god and king to Rastas. While Selassie officially died
in 1975, many Rastas do not believe that Jah can die and thus that his death was a hoax. Others
believe that he still lives in spirit although not within any physical form.
Selassies role within Rastafari stems from several facts and beliefs, including:
His many traditional coronation titles, including King of Kings, Lord of Lords, His
Imperial Majestic the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, which
correlates to Revelation 19:16: He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
King of kings and Lord of lords.
Garveys view of Ethiopia being the origin of the black race
Selassie was the only independent black ruler in all of Africa at the time
The Ethiopian belief that Selassie is part of an unbroken line of succession descending
directly from the Biblical King Solomon the Queen of Sheba, thus connecting him to the
tribes of Israel.
Unlike Jesus, who taught his followers about his own divine nature, Selassies divinity was
declared by the Rastas. Selassie himself stated that he was fully human, but he also strove to
respect Rastas and their beliefs.
Connections with Judaism

Rastas commonly hold the black race as one of the tribes of Israel. As such, Biblical promises to
the chosen people are applicable to them. The also accept many of the Old Testament
injunctions, such as the forbiddance of cutting ones hair (which leads to the dreadlocks
commonly associated with the movement) and eating of pork and shellfish. Many also believe
that the Ark of the Covenant is located somewhere in Ethiopia.
Babylon
The term Babylon is associated with oppressive and unjust society. It originates in the Biblical
stories of the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews, but Rastas commonly use it in reference to
Western and white society, which exploited Africans and their descendants for centuries.
Babylon is blamed for a great many spiritual ills, including the corrupting of Jahs message
originally transmitted through Jesus and the Bible. As such, Rastas commonly reject many
aspects of Western society and culture.
Zion
Ethiopia is held by many to be the Biblical Promised Land. As such, many Rastas strive to return
there, as encouraged by Marcus Garvey and others.
Black Pride
Rastafaris origins are strongly rooted in black empowerment movements. Some Rastas are
separatists, but many believe in encouraging mutual cooperation among all races. While the vast
majority of Rastas are black, there is no formal injunction against practice by non-blacks, and
many Rastas welcome a multi-ethnic Rastafari movement. Rastas also strongly favor self-
determination, based on the fact that both Jamaica and much of Africa were European colonies at
the time of the religions formation. Selassie himself stated that Rastas should liberate their
people in Jamaica before returning to Ethiopia, a policy commonly described as liberation
before repatriation.
Ganja
Ganja is a strain of marijuana viewed by Rastas as a spiritual purifier, and it is smoked to cleanse
the body and open the mind. Smoking ganja is common but not required.
Read more: Is Ganja Legal for Rastas in the United States?
Ital Cooking
Many Rastas limit their diets to what they consider "pure" food. Additives such as artificial
flavorings, artificial colors, and preservatives are avoided. Alcohol, coffee, drugs (other than
ganja) and cigarettes are shunned as tools of Babylon that pollute and confuse. Many Rastas are
vegetarians, although some eat certain kinds of fish.
Holidays and Celebrations
Rastas celebrate several specific days in the year including Selassies coronation day (November
2), Selassies birthday (July 23), Garveys birthday (August 17), Grounation Day, which
celebrates Selassies visit to Jamaica in 1966 (April 21), the Ethiopian New Year (September 11),
and Orthodox Christmas, as celebrated by Selassie (January 7).
Notable Rastas
Musician Bob Marley is the most well known Rasta, and many of his songs have Rastafari
themes. Reggae music, for which Bob Marley is famous for playing, originated among blacks in
Jamaica, and thus is unsurprisingly deeply interwoven with Rastafari culture.

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Raster and Religion

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Raster and religion

Garveys view of Ethiopia being the origin of the black race

Connections with Judaism

Read more: Is Ganja Legal for Rastas in the United States?

Holidays and Celebrations

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