Rastafarianism (Jesus Christ, priests, ritual, Moses, Earth)

[michel]

Welcome Canuk Rasta,
For those who won't bother to look at your links, I hope you won't mind my adding this little insight.

Rastafarians acknowledge that their religion is the blending of the purest forms of both Judaism and Christianity; they also accept the Egyptian origins of both these religions. In affirming the divinity of Haile Selassie, Rastafari rejects the Babylonian hypocrisy of the modern church. The church of Rome, and even the council of Rome, are considered to be particularly Babylonian: was it not from this city that Mussolini invaded the holy land of Ethiopia in 1935? Religions always reflect the social and geographical environment out of which they emerge, and Jamaican Rastafari is no exception: for example, the use of marijuana as a sacrament and aid to meditation is logical in a country where a particularly potent strain of 'herb' grows freely.

Marijuana: The Weed of Wisdom
In fact, the herb "ganja" (marijuana) was regarded as "wisdomweed," and Rasta leaders urged that it be smoked as a religious rite, alleging that it was found growing on the grave of King Solomon and citing biblical passages, such as Psalms 104:14, to attest to its sacramental properties: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth."

"Ital" Diet and Dreadlocks
A set of dietary and hygienic laws were formulated to accompany the religion's doctrine. They urged their flocks to shun the ingestion of alcohol, tobacco, all meat (especially pork), as well as shellfish, scaleless fish, snails, predatory and scavenger species of marine life, and many common seasonings like salt. In short, anything that was not "ital," a Rasta term meaning pure, natural or clean, was forbidden.

They also outlawed was the combing or cutting of hair, citing the holy directive in Leviticus 21:5: "They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh." Their nappy tresses were allowed to mat and twine themselves into ropy dreadlocks, so called to mock non-believers' aversion to their appearance. (The noun "dread" has also since evolved into a word of praise.)

Babylon Will Fall
The Rastas deny allegations by other relgious groups that they were antiwhite or antibrown (mulatto) and invited all to repent and accept Jah (a shortened form of Jehovah). They vowed that at a secret hour known only to a devout few, converts would return to Ethiopia by an undisclosed means, leaving behind the tropical steambath of Jamaica, which they considered to be literally Hell on Earth. Until that time, Rastas would refuse to take part in the machinations of daily life and commerce in "Babylon," the sphere of temporal captivity of the spirit.

The poor flocked to the Rastas' call, since the cult's creed lent a certain nobility to their alienated status. As Rastas, they could now await with dignity the Judgment Day, when the last shall be first and the first shall be last.

P.s In Celebration, I am now listening to :-I can see clearly, Don't worry, be happy, get up stand up. I shot the sherrif, Buffalo soldier, Jammin, no woman no cry, Red red wine and one love.

[CanuckRasta]

You are welcome Prima.

Michel, thanks for the info. Could I ask what is your source, it reminds me of something off Jamaicans.com??

A couple of comments if I may.
First, regarding the origin of the word Jah. The most common theory is that it is derived from Jahovah, or Hebrew YVH. However, I have not seen definitive proof that this is the case. The Nyahbinghi cite a Biblical verse using the exact word Jah, my version has that verse worded differently:
"Sing unto God... extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH" - Psalm 68:4.

Also, regarding this sentence: "They vowed that at a secret hour known only to a devout few, converts would return to Ethiopia by an undisclosed means..."

Sounds to me like some radical Rastas I know would say something like this. I'm not saying its false or correct, just only few really believe that (many academic articles on Rasta tend to generalise).

By the way, glad you are listening to reggae. Some irie vibes a gwaan'! My favourite on that list is Get Up, Stand Up. Yeah, life is our right, we can't give up the fight!

One Love
CanuckRasta

[CanuckRasta]

1. We accept the Holy Bible, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, as the inspired Word of The Most High, The Father of the Universe.
2. We accept that God is a Spirit, the Creative Word, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, for the Father seeketh such to Worship Him. (John4vs23-24)
3. We accept that man’s body is the Temple of the living God, and therefore is His Chief instrument. (1Corinthians3v16, 6v19)
4. We accept and proclaim with all our heart, soul, mind and strength that Jesus, (known in our Hebrew tongue as Yeshua) who trod the earth 2000 years ago, is The Messiah, The Christ, The only begotten Son of The Father and The Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind. That He lived the perfect life and paid for our redemption from the curse of the Law, by His innocent blood (Hebrew9vs11-15, 22) And because no sin was found in Him, in that He was obedient to the Father even unto death, it was impossible for Death, the curse of the Law, to have dominion over Him. He therefore died for our sins and rose for our justification, laying down mortality and putting on immortality. And as such, being the first fruits of them that slept (Romans5v19) and restored to the original form that Adam was created, (i.e. immortal) it is Him Jesus who has fulfilled the seed that would come (Genesis3vs15) to bruise the head of the serpent, the devil, and will restore mankind to immortality and the Creation to perfection, in the Age to come. When he returns to overthrow the existing social, political, economic, and religious disorder and establish Gods Righteous Kingdom here on the earth (Daniel 2 vs44, Isiah54vs21-2). He will reign from the throne of David, from a New Jerusalem, and the resurrected Saints and the living Faithful will reign with Him as Kings and Priests upon the earth (Rev5 vs10).
5. We accept that Until then, as the Scripture teaches, The Kingdom of God will remain in the hands of the Sons of David, (2nd Chronicles 13vs5,8) to whom it was given by an everlasting Covenant, (Davidic Covenant, 2nd Samuel 7) as long as the Sun and Moon endure. This throne of God, established in the Royal House of David and King Solomon (2nd Chronicles 9 v 8) was transmitted to the Ethiopian Royal House via the Queen of Sheba who carried the Royal Seed from Solomon to Ethiopia.
6. The Kings of Ethiopia, descended from King David and King Solomon through Menelek1 are therefore of Divine origin, meaning that their throne was established by The Eternal Himself, when the children of Israel asked for a King, mainly because with their ‘fleshy’ minds they could not understand that the Eternal was their King. (1Samuel 8vs1-9Psalms10vs161Tim 1v17)
7. We as Rastafarians of the Twelve Tribes of Israel will never relinquish the Divinity of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie1. By this we mean that according to the anointing he has received, according to the Royal tradition, (1Samuel16vs12-13) the Spirit of The Most High rests upon him and His Words are in his mouth and speaks by his tongue. (2ndSamuel 23vs2-3) We accept His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie1 to be the 225th restorer of the Solomonic Dynasty. Therefore according to the Messianic Anointing he has received, His Imperial Majesty represents the Father and His Christ. We therefore hold that The Eternal Word, Manifested in Our Lord (Master) Jesus the Christ (Anointed) has been revealed to us the Rastafarian brethren and sisters of the twelve tribes of Israel through the personality of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie.
8. As we accept that God is a Spirit, in the physical absence of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie 1, the throne as promised will continue in the hands of the sons of David UNTIL Shiloh comes. Let it be noted that as His Imperial Majesty has appointed Crown Prince Zere Yacob Asfa Wossen Haile Selassie, (14th April1974) his successor to the throne of David, we accept that the throne is now in his hands. (See last two formal pronouncements of Emperor Haile Selassie in Edward Ullendorff’s Journal of Semitic Studies, Vol.22, 1977;pp209-210) And this Monarchy, wherever residing, will continue as a Light to the fact that the House of David will hold, preserve, and be custodians of this throne in the earth until Shiloh, comes.
9. We accept that the Scepter, that is, the Divine Authority to rule in God’s stead or Custodianship of God’s throne will not leave the House of Judah, Until Shiloh comes (Genesis 49vs10). Kings from this House have come and have gone, but the one whose right it is (Shiloh) will be seated upon the throne from everlasting to everlasting, not temporarily or over a temporary dispensable Kingdom (St.Luke1vs31-32). This means that He that is to come will be the immortal King ruling eternally. He is the Lamb that was slain, (Rev 5vs 9–10) 2000 years ago in Jerusalem, and rose from the grave and He whom the Heavens must retain, ((Acts3vs 20-21) UNTIL the restoration of all things spoken of by the Prophets since the world began (Acts 3vs 25-26). It is this same Jesus (Hebrew13v8, Acts1v11) the Lamb of God that was found worthy and is now seated at the right hand of the Father Until He Has put all enemies under His feet. It is He Jesus, the non-cohabited body of Christ who will inaugurate the Kingdom of God in the Age to come, the Millennium, the reign of Christ for a thousand years. His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie1 and the Royal House is the cohabited body of Christ who holds the throne until Shiloh comes.
10. We believe that what has been preached in the name of Christ and in the name of Christianity by most Churches, has too often been a doctrine about Jesus but not what Jesus taught. (Galatians1vs6-8). We believe that when the Roman and Greek mind took over the interpretation of the Scriptures, instead of the Hebrew mind, the world was deceived into believing in another Jesus, the image of a Greek god, rather than the historical Jesus, the Son of God. (Rev.12vs9) Jesus was sent by His Father to proclaim or herald the Good News about the coming Kingdom of God to earth and that we were to repent and believe in this message for the Kingdom was at hand or near. (Luke 4v43, Mark 1vs14-15). When we accept this Word, this seed, this message, we conceive and new life, a new birth occurs in us, (born again) and ‘quickens’ us towards immortality in the Age to come. It is in understanding and belief upon the Words that Jesus spoke that gives life, the seed of immortality. (Luke 8vs11-12). And we must also accept that it is His blood that paid the ransom to open the gates of immortality once again as it was in the beginning before the fall of Man. So shall it be in the end, when all the Saints that sleep will be awakened, or resurrected with an immortal glorious body and the creation restored to its glorious state, as it was in the beginning (Philippians3vs20-21) (Acts24vs14-15, & 26vs28-23)
11. Those who embrace this Hope, this Faith that the Twelve Tribes of Israel waited earnestly for day and night, have the Faith of Abraham and all the prophets of God. Those are therefore the seed of Abraham and therefore inheritors of the promises made to Abraham. This is the Promise of a land - grant, not in the sky but right here on earth where the Meek shall inherit the land or earth. It is promised to the Faithful, IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE, NATIONALITY, OR GENDER. These are the Israel of God, the New Israel. To them will be given the disputed land when Messiah returns. Those who have suffered for this faith in Messiah (Christ), in the regeneration, they will be given twelve thrones, Judging (administering) the 12 tribes of Israel. (Luke22v29-30)
12. Until then we believe that Ethiopia is our place of refuge, as Jacob took refuge in the tents of Ham. We accept the legitimate right of all African descendants to Repatriate to the land of our forefathers, Africa. The land given to us by our King in Shashamane should be developed to sustain ourselves during the Great tribulation. This is also part of the Holy Land.
13. We accept that as followers of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie1, (whose pre- coronation name was Ras Tafari) we MUST study and obey His teachings and follow his example and not the traditions, sayings of anyone which are contrary to his words or the Holy Bible. His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie 1, Himself a follower of Jesus, and holding the title of Defender of the Faith and leader of the most ancient Christian Nation on earth, Ethiopia, has commanded us to: “…arise with the spiritual zeal and earnestness which characterized the Apostles and early Christians and let us lead our brothers and sisters to Our Saviour Jesus, Who only give life in its fullest sense”. If we claim to love Him we should follow His example and Teachings.
14. We also declare the Prophet Gad as the Rastafarian who pointed us to the Holy Bible, The Historical Jesus, The identity of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Jerusalem; Shashamane, Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Royal Family.

Glory be to the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.


I would appreciate some opinions on this from Christians (ie. what you agree with or don't etc.)


One Love
CanuckRasta

[Saadon]

great guide CanuckRasta, but you forgot to mention the idea of all are equal, one love and reggae.

[CanuckRasta]

That's true, Saadon, thaanks for the input! I sort have been alluding to reggae haven't really covered it though.

One Love I can't explain. I just have to say "One Love!" to everyone. Maybe you could try.

One Love and Jah Bless
CanuckRasta

[MajorScorpion]

A question to the people who believe that His Imperial Majesty isn't Jah (God) because He said 'I am Mortal' (and it isn't sure He said that!). If HIM Haile Selassie said: I am Jah, would you believe HIM? Or laugh with HIM?

and what with this, when He came of the plane in Jamaica He said:
HOLY PRIESTS, WARRIORS AND TRAITORS BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM HE.

nothing is what you think, here in Babylon

[true blood]

really enjoyed some of the links you provided. Enjoyed them so much I put "rastafaria" as my religion profile even though I consider myself non-religious and non-denominational however my religious committment is unto the Lord Christ Jesus the Son of the One True God, not because of the things I do but because of what God had worked through Christ Jesus, reconciling me back to God. Thanks again for the info about Rastafarians. I've always held a belief that Jesus is a black man (I'm white btw) and his earthly seed traces back to Ethiopia. Kind of in disagreement with smoking Ganja, at least for myself. It seems to cloud my mind and makes me lazy.

[CanuckRasta]

True Blood, just a point, you should drop the final "a", so it is like Rastafari.

You sound to me like very TToI-oriented. I posted their beliefs in this thread but will repost as a separate thread. They are very much Christian.

One Love
CanuckRasta

[Scott1]

Originally Posted by CanuckRasta

1. We accept the Holy Bible, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, as the inspired Word of The Most High, The Father of the Universe.

Do you use the Catholic Canon of Scripture or the Jewish Canon?

Scott

[true blood]

Is "jewish cannon" the Talmud?