Rastafarianism - Rastafariánství - Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia

      who am i?  . . .  Rasta
I am a rastaman, empowered with peace as I & I intended our being...so I give praise...
"Jah Ras Tafari,  Haile Selassie, King of Kings, Lord of the Lords, Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah" ! Jah! ...beloved saviour of the motherland!

i am a rasta- 






 A man out of captivity  voluntarily living in babylon , why? i believe that jah is ruler of all things in this world and out of it, therefore everything is in his hands always has been and always will be. 




  i know that black people don't come from europe, neither from the caribbean as some people may believe, but from africa where we lived in harmony from when jah created us all  (beginning of time) until we were brutally kidnapped, tortured  (large amounts of which died), then sold into slavery, this mainly served to break links to our true heritage which is normally handed down in original tongues from generation to generation along with our true identity cultures and historic truths necessary for spiritual and actual harmony and growth.  


rastafarian.net aims to re-address these issues of spirituality, cultural awareness and education for all showing signs of genuine interest, re-linking the community with the traceable indisputable legitimacy of the royal african heritage which is rastafari, any individual or organisation with/without experience of progressive community issues are welcome. only people with clean hearts need apply. this organisation will facilitate discussion of real issues by real people for real solutions, linking the community.


what do i know ?       


i know the time has long since come for black people to change things permanently for the future generations, by ourselves, for ourselves. although many whites refuse to allow progress in this ideal, however, we also owe it to those past generations who fought and died fighting for the partial freedom experienced by us today.  while we ought to remain grateful for the progress made by their valiant contributions to the truth and rights struggle, we must not be fooled in to complacency or we will find ourselves talking and singing once again about the days when we were almost free.  racism is still affecting most blacks even now in 2002, surely if we are not fully accepted wherever we are we should find somewhere that we can be!  in the bible it clearly intends for us to repatriate to the promised land. how is it so easy for some to forget the rapes, tortures, murders and desecration of sacred peoples, etc, etc, etc....

the real rastafarians are the ones who never forget that they are african, and so obviously belong to africa.


i know too, that it is an abomination to dig up the sacred tombs of our ancestors, never mind to have their bodies encased in glass and put on sick displays throughout the world in various museums to this day.  well apart from the blatant theft of all gold and jewels, still the western world say that 'africa is a third world country and owe billions in debt', and talk about how they are civilized and we need them, they have drawn a few lines in africa and cal it different places, even though, europe is still minute! africa is still one massive country, which alone represents the largest land in the world! africa is equal to roughly one third of the total land of the entire planet, yet some even believe that the tiny little place england is comparable in size, actually you could easily fit over 100 microscopic england's into africa.

The Tribe

we are all of a tribe.  this is determined by the time we are born.  under the order of jah we all have attributes/characteristics that work together naturally.  this is sometimes easier to overstand if  it is viewed in terms of the body parts, each part (see tribe table in menu) is necessary for a fully functioning ‘whole body’.  this is related to ‘the body of christ’ matthew 26:26.  


genesis 29:32 onwards, is a description of the births of jacob’s twelve sons who are the first born of each tribe. as descendants of these sons we make up the twelve tribes of israel.  each of the sons had very eventful lives and these are described in chapters of the lost books of the bible & the forgotten books of eden (e mail for  details of how to order your own copies).


to be able to overstand your own and other peoples tribe you can relate the narrative to what you already know of yourself i.e. look at the experiences of the son of jacob of your tribe and see if you think you would have made similar decisions to them in there situations.  


when thinking about this you need to remember that everyone has a positive and negative side, any of which can be at play depending on our state of mind (in unification with jah’s will or not).  this also has to be put together with the experience of the individual. 

The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a monotheistic, new religious movement that arose in a Christian culture in Jamaica in the 1930s.Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, former Emperor of Ethiopia (1930–1936 and 1941–1974), as God incarnate, the Second Advent, and are known as Rastafarians, or Rastas. The movement is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by some Rastas, who dislike being labelled as an "ism".

The Rastafari movement encompasses themes such as the spiritual use of cannabis,and the rejection of western society, called Babylon (from the metaphorical Babylon of the Christian New Testament.) It proclaims Africa (also "Zion") as the original birthplace of mankind, and embraces various Afrocentric social and political aspirations, such as the sociopolitical views and teachings of Jamaican publicist, organizer, and black nationalist Marcus Garvey (also often regarded as a prophet).

Rastafari is not a highly organized religion; it is a movement and an ideology. Many Rastas say that it is not a "religion" at all, but a "Way of Life". Most Rastas do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do identify strongly with one of the "mansions of Rastafari" — the three most prominent of these being the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel.  The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the pre-regnal title of Haile Selassie I, composed of Amharic Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Haile Selassie's pre-regnal given name, Tafari. Rastafari are generally distinguished for asserting the doctrine that Haile Selassie I, the former and final Emperor of Ethiopia, is another incarnation of the Christian God, called Jah. They see Haile Selassie I as Jah or Jah Rastafari, who is the second coming of Jesus Christ onto the Earth.

Today, awareness of the Rastafari movement has spread throughout much of the world, largely through interest generated by reggae music. The most notable example is Jamaican singer/songwriter Bob Marley (died 1981). By 1997, there were around one million Rastafari faithful worldwide. In the 2001 Jamaican census, 24,020 individuals (less than 1 percent of the population) identified themselves as Rastafarians.Other sources have estimated that, in the 2000s, they formed "about 5 percent of the population" of Jamaica, or have conjectured that "there are perhaps as many as 100,000 Rastafarians in Jamaica"

Rastafarianism - Part I

Rastafarianism - Part II

Tthe Marcus Garvey Perspective:

- Rastafarianism -

This religion traces its inception to Marcus Garvey (born in 1887), whose philosophical ideologies were the catalyst that would eventually grow into the Rastafarian movement in 1930. Rastafarianism is often associated with the black impoverished population of Jamaica. It is not just a religion to them but a way of life, a struggle for their rights and freedom.

In the early 1920's, Garvey an influential black spokesman was founder of the "back-to-Africa" movement. He spoke of the redemption of the black people through a future black African king .

"No race has the last word on culture and on civilization. You do not know what the black man is capable of; you do not know what he is thinking and therefore you do not know what the oppressed and suppressed Negro, by virtue of his condition and circumstance, may give to the world as a surprise."( Speech, June 6, 1928, Royal Albert Hall, London. Quoted in Adolph Edwards, Marcus Garvey) While Garvey tried to give blacks their rightful place he reversed the roles of the  races. Garvey called the white religion a rejection of black culture, insisting that blacks must leave "Babylon" (the Western world) and return to their homeland of Africa. The first Universal Negro Improvement Association international convention (UNIA) opened at Liberty Hall in New York’s Harlem under the leadership of Marcus Garvey . 25,000 delegates from 25 nations attended. Garvey began to exalt African beauty and promote a "back to Africa" campaign with a plan for resettlement in Liberia (Liberia was first African colony to gain independence) He promoted a steamship company that would provide transportation for blacks to return to Africa. In 1920 Liberia rejected Marcus Garvey’s plan for resettlement of U.S. blacks, fearing that his motive was to foment revolution. Garvey was convicted the next year of fraudulent dealings in the now-bankrupt Black Star Steamship Co. he had founded, President Coolidge commuted his 5-year sentence. Garvey was then deported back to Jamaica in 1927.(reference used: The People chronology.)

Rastas believe that all people of the world are equal, bound together by one god, Jah. They also believe their ancestors offended Jah in some way, which brought them into an exile of slavery in Jamaica. To them blacks are still suppressed through poverty and illiteracy and deceived by the white man's system, which is Babylon.

In 1927 Garvey proclaimed, "Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black King, he shall be the Redeemer" (The Rastafarians, p. 67). A few years later his prediction was considered fulfilled by Ethiopia's new king, Haile Selassie.

Hale Selassie seems to have been very educated and was not a Rastafarian, and some claim there is some evidence that he was a devout Christian (Coptic Christian).

There is no statement of what he thought of the whole Rastafarian movement.However he did say: "Today man sees all his hopes and aspirations crumble before him. He is perplexed and knows not whither he is drifting. But he must realize that the solution of his present difficulties and guidance for his future action is the Bible. Unless he accepts with clear conscience the Bible and its great message, he cannot hope for salvation. For myself, I glory in the Bible." (Selassie I)

On November 2, 1930, Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned king of Ethiopia, king of kings at Addis Ababa. Upon his coronation, he claimed for himself the titles of "Emperor Haile Selassie I (Power of the holy Trinity), Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the Kings of Ethiopia."(The Lion of Judah represents Haile Selassie, the Conqueror, the King of Kings as a lion, the king of all beasts; some apply it to the dominant movement). Some Rastafarians believe the Bible teaches that God is a spirit which was manifested in and represented by the King, H.I.M. (Emperor Haile Selassie I). Many claim he is the messiah (the son) in psalm 2; it is he the nations of Babylon conspire against. To those awaiting deliverance, they saw the new Emperor as the fulfillment of Garvey's proclamation.(specifically Joseph Hibbert, Archibald Dunkley, Leanord Howell and Robert Hind believed this).

He was reported to be the 225th descendant and restorer of the Solomon's Dynasty, deriving his lineage from the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. His throne represented the throne of God on earth, established by the covenant between God and King David as recorded in the Old Testament (2 Samuel 7). God had promised that through the seed of David, the tribe of Judah, He would set up His promised Kingdom on earth, which would be a light to the world. His people would be returned to their land and no more would they suffer.

Unfortunately these titles already belong to one who alone deserves them and has proved himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Isa.9:6 the child born is of a virgin Isa.7:14, Mic.5:2 and he is from eternity, God himself, the creator. It is this son, the only begotten Son of God, who would have a everlasting kingdom. He would die for the sins of the world and be resurrected (Acts.2:22-36) The scripture makes it clear it would be the messiah, Jesus Christ, who would sit on David's throne not a man but the God/ man.

As the Rastafarian movement grew it identified the Hebrews as black. God became identified with blacks, and the Christian faith was no longer the monopoly of white missionaries. Any reference to Ethiopia in the bible took on great significance for the movement. Rastas believe that Selassie was the true Jesus  found in Christianity. That the white man tricked the world into believing that he was not a black man. Leonard Howell taught the Rastafarians hatred for the white race, and that the whites are inferior. This was an overreaction to oppression. Teaching included the idea that the devil is actually the god of the White man and that the black race was superior. Emperor Haile Selassie was to be recognized as the Supreme Being and only ruler of Black people. ( similarities to the Nation of Islam are striking in some areas.)

The Hebrews are not of the black race but Semitic. Abraham came from Mesopotamia: he was not black. And the bible points out that Moses married Zipporah, who was a Ethiopian woman. Acts 17:26 tells us God has made from one blood every nation of man. In Christ there is no black, white, brown, or red. Rev.5:9 tells us God has redeemed us by the blood of his son from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. The bible teaches that  no race is superior to any other race( Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). To teach otherwise is to go against the scriptures and the teachings of Jesus Christ. He gathers all people to be one in himself, both Jews and gentiles, black, white, red, and yellow etc.

Haile Selassie visited Jamaica on April 21, 1966. This became an important historical event in the Rastafarian movement. Selassie persuaded the Rastafarian brothers that they "should not seek to immigrate to Ethiopia until they had liberated the people of Jamaica." (The Rastafarians, pp. 158, 160). Rastafarians continue to celebrate April 21 as a special holy day because of his visit . One of the key doctrines of Rastafarians had been their expectation that they would one day return to Africa, "the Zion which would be restored to them after centuries in the Diaspora." Many Rastas believe that Ethiopia is their promised land, a heaven on earth.

Rastafarians believe, "God revealed himself in the person of Moses, who was the first avatar or savior. The second avatar was Elijah. The third avatar was Jesus Christ. Now the advent of Ras Tafari is the climax of God's revelation." (The Rastafarians, p. 112) Some Rastas believe Haile Selasie is Almighty god, (a god who died not for sin but because of sin!) They worship him as the living God. Some believe he is the second coming of Christ prophesied in the Bible.(no kingdom is set up, nor will he be the one to vanquish evil and judge the nations.) 

Some believe he is Christ-like, tracing his lineage to Christ . They even teach that Jesus predicted the coming of Haile Selassie (The Rastafarians, p. 106).  Rastafarians point to the scriptures, saying it prophesied of him as the one "the hair of whose head was like wool (this is the matted hair of I black man) whose feet were like unto burning brass ( black skin),"(Rev. 1:14-15). His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire, His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters." Is a reference to the ancient of days in Daniel. Dan. 7:9:  "I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; his garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire."This is a vision of God the creator in heaven, Selassie hardly qualifies since it says this person is the ancient of days, an idiom for saying he is the eternal one.

In 1974 Selassie was deposed by an army coup, and ( according to the Concise Columbia Encyclopedia) on August 27, 1975, Haile Selassie died under mysterious circumstances. When Selassie died, many Rastas could not accept it at first. His death prompted rationalization from Rastafarians. some believed it was a media trick; some looked at his death as a fabrication. Some Rastas believe that true Rastas are immortal, and Selassie's divinity did not die with him. To explain  his death some said that his atoms were spread through out the world and became part of newborn babies, so his life was never ending. Current belief is that Ras Tafari lives on through individual Rastafarians. 

Groups which claim allegiance to Ras Tafari are the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church and the Ethiopian World Federation (not in the Ethiopian Coptic church). Within this movement they have their own vocabulary. I and I refers to God in all or the brotherhood of mankind. Since all people are totally equal and are bound together by the one god, Jah, we should not use you and I. There seems to be a conflict between their music message of oneness of mankind, and others that hold to the original message of Garvey and the black people. Essentially the movement stands for equal rights and justice.

There are reportedly 250,000 Rastafarians in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Their current membership is over 700,000 (as of 1988), although many more experiment with its lifestyle and are influenced by it more than those who actually join. T-shirts, and bumper stickers continue to promote a movement that has its Reggae music carry its message to the world.

     Čeština                                                                                                     RASTAFARIÁNSTVÍ

   Rastafariánství je filozofický směr čisté víry stojící na základech nejčistších forem křesťanství a judaismu. Třetí pilíř tvoří kultura starého Egypta, konkrétně staroegyptský mysticismus. Nejhlubší kořeny, které se utvářely pro pozdější nastoupení samotné víry se datují k Biblické historii do dob, kdy v Jeruzalému vládl bohatý a velmi moudrý král Šalamoun. V této době zavítala na dlouho plánovanou návštěvu do Jeruzaléma Makeba, královna ze Sáby. Během jejího pobytu jí Šalamoun  konvertoval na víru Abrahamovu z jejího dosavadního uctívání slunce v osobě boha Ra. Když se pak Makeba vrátila zpět do své říše, která zahrnovala Egypt, Etiopii a část Persie, zavedla tam Judaismus. Během návštěvy u krále Šalamouna otěhotněla, a tak když se vracela zpět, slíbila mu, že pokud porodí syna, pošle jej k jeho otci pro získání vědomostí. Narodil se princ Menelik a podle slibu putoval do Jeruzaléma, aby se setkal se svým otcem. Když pak Menelik odjížděl zpět, byl doprovázen syny Šalamounova kněze, který tak chtěl zajistit, že víra Abrahamova bude v Etiopii dále vzkvétat a bude udržena. Výsledkem bylo, že Judaismus tu existoval v nezředěné formě. 

        V srdci Rastafariánství leží základy Judaismu, které přímo vychází z Egyptských mystérií, obsažených v Egyptské knize mrtvých. Zdrojem Judaismu bylo učení Mojžíše, který byl zasvěcen do principů egyptských božstev a pro své finální vysvěcení cestoval do Etiopie. Toto učení je obsaženo v prvních pěti knihách Bible. Šestá a sedmá kniha jsou považovány za příliš složité, než aby jejich autorem mohl být Mojžíš sám. 

        V časech  křesťanství však apoštol Pavel obrátil  jednoho z etiopských eunuchů, vysoce postaveného rabína ortodoxní víry judejské na víru křesťanskou, čímž došlo k postupnému převedení celé Etiopie ke Křesťanství. Následkem toho vzniká Etiopská ortodoxní církev, čistá  forma Křesťanství, které si uchovává své spojení s Judaismem a egyptskou minulostí - tedy všechny složky obsažené v Rastafariánství. Nejvýznamnějším představitelem tohoto duchovního uspořádání byl Ras Tafari Makonen, člen etiopského císařského rodu, který po svém nástupu na trůn v roce 1930 přijal jméno Haile Selassie I. a titul Negusa Negast, neboli Král Králů. Jeho zrození bylo očekáváno i mnohým černým obyvatelstvem, žijícím v otroctví, poté co jej předpověděl jamajský myslitel Marcus Mosiah Garvey, jakožto příchod krále, který osvobodí všechny černé od bezpráví a otroctví. 

        30. léta 20. století byla na Jamajce dobou sociálního převratu, který sebou nesl spoustu potyček mezi jamajskými dělníky z polí s cukrovou třtinou a policií. Několik jich bylo zabyto a další uvězněni. Tato situace dala příčinu k utvoření skupiny několika ostrovanů, kteří chtěli svou mentalitu oddělit od utiskujícího sociálního systému, který je v Rasta-terminologii nazýván "Babylonem". Začali se lokalizovat do východních oblastí Jamajky, kde byly zasazeny první semínka Rastafariánství ve spojení s knihou Holy Piby, později nazývanou svatý text Rastafariánský. Tato kniha byla napsána Robertem Athleyem Rogersem z Anquilly v letech 1913 až 1917. Její četné kopie tištěné věřícími v New Jersey putovaly do Kimberly v jižní Africe, kde sloužily k obracení dělníků z diamantových dolů na víru.  Na Jamajku jí přivezli roku 1925 Charles F. Goodridge a Grace Jankins Garrison. Ve spojení s Piby a  Garveyho filozofií se pak z již zmiňovaných odpůrců Babylonu utvořil kult Rastafari, jehož členové se shromažďovali v kopcích východní Jamajky, kde žili uzavřeným, asketickým způsobem spjati s uměním a se svým bohem Jahem Rastafarim (jedná se o božskou podobu Jeho Císařské Výsosti Haile   Selassiho I., který se pro Rastafariány stal žijícím bohem na základě Garveyho proroctví a jeho uznání stoupenci Garveyho filozofie za hrdinu). Jeden z prvních představitelů a propagátorů tohoto náboženství Leonard Howell založil centrální tábořiště Pinnacle ležící mezi Kingstonem a Spanish Townem. Howell však později začal přesvědčovat své okolí, že nikoliv Haile Selassie je Jah (Bůh), ale on sám. V roce 1954 byl tedy uvržen do domova pro duševně choré a Pinnacle byl uzavřen. Rastamani se pak přesouvali do ghett v západní části Kingstonu, kde okolo roku 1962 docházelo k četným násilným konfliktům s policií. Tyto události plnily Daily Gleaner (jamajský tisk) tučnými titulky. Tím se celý kult velmi rychle přesunul do popředí popularity jamajské kultury. 

        K životu Rastafariánů patří určité doktríny víry, stanovené svatým písmem Rastafariánským. Logické je využití marihuany, jelikož tato rostlina roste na Jamajce volně a velice, až plevelovitě rozšířena. Kult Rastafari ji pojímá jako svatou rostlinu, která je darem krále Šalamouna, protože podle starých Rastafariánských pověstí byla nalezena rostoucí na jeho hrobě. Je užívána jako léčivo, jako potravina a při meditacích, za účelem lepší koncentrace a oproštění se od rušivých elementů a tím pomáhá přiblížit se k Jahu. Často je také nazývána "rostlinou moudrosti". Jednou z dalších teorií projevující se v praxi je speciální složení stravy, která je v Rasta-terminologii označována jako "I-tal" - čistý, přírodní To znamená, že Rastafariáni jsou vesměs vegetariánsky založení zejména s výrazným vyloučením vepřového masa, jelikož toto zvíře je považováno za nečisté, živící se odpadem a požití jeho masa by způsobilo znečištění organismu a s tím spojené i znečistění duše a mysli. Dále jsou z jídelníčku vyřazeni i predátoři z vodního světa, kteří se živí mršinami. Rasta - jídelníček je zkrátka prostý, čistý a přírodní, žádné chemicky upravované pokrmy, zbytečné kořenění, solení, ani uměle upravované tekutiny (jako jsou limonády apod.) Není povoleno ani užívání psychotropních látek, které skreslují a ničí myšlení a duši, to znamená tabák, alkohol apod. Další tradicí vycházející ze svatého písma je zákaz vytvoření si na hlavě pleše a oholení si bradky, ke kterému se připojuje dodatek nečesání si a nestříhání si vlasů. S tím souvisí typická vlasová úprava Rastafariánů, tedy Natty Dreadlocks - neboli naprosto zacuchané vlasy do různě silných snopců. Ty mají i svou symboliku. Jejich nositelé se tak připodobňují ke Lvu Judejskému - Haile    Selassimu I. a zároveň tak znázorňují své kořeny.Tato úprava vlasů je sice rozšířená, ale není pravidlem. Velkým propagačním prostředkem náboženství je hudební styl Reggae, díky kterému se  tato víra začala šířit do dalších oblastí světa a získávala na popularitě. S tím bylo spojeno rozšíření se řad stoupenců i mezi bílými bratry. Velmi významným představitelem a celosvětovým králem Reggae byl Bob Marley.  








  

http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/rasta/wisdom.htm