Could Rastas and Christians Really Unite? (Jesus Christ, ritual, rejecting, Messiah)

[CanuckRasta]

Interesting question. I doubt it.

One Love
CanuckRasta

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/132/31.0.html

There's more in common than you might think, but some factors keep adherents wary of one another.
Hundreds of Rastafarians came together last month in Jamaica, the birthplace of the movement, for the weeklong Rastafari Global Reasoning 2003. The official motto for the worldwide meeting, which centered on planning for the future and calling for greater respect, was "Rastafari Family United for Progress and Development."
While Rastafari certainly maintains a sense of family, it is not a unified bloc. Several subgroups and varying beliefs vie for the soul of Rastafari. These differences in theology, lifestyle, and behaviours all fit within the broad umbrella of Rastafari because, at its heart, it is an Afro-Caribbean identity movement—not primarily a religion with clearly defined, universally accepted dogma and doctrines. However, a growing movement within Rastafari is calling Rastas away from their New Age beliefs and idolization of Haile Selassie I—and to a Trinitarian, orthodox Christian faith.

As Caribbean churches have recently become more welcoming of Rastafarians, reggae music, and Afrocentrism, a greater rapprochement between Rastas and Christians has developed. Growing numbers of Rastas have entered Christian churches and taken Jesus as their Saviour while continuing a dreadlocked Rasta lifestyle. But if more Rastas are going to follow this path, their significant belief changes will have to be met with attitude changes in the Christian churches.



Rastas and Christians have much in common
Like Christians, Rastafarians honour Yeshua, the Christ, as worthy of worship. In fact, most Rastas consider themselves uncorrupted Christian people. A large percentage of Rastafarians follow the lead of seminal preacher, Leonard Howell, who referred to Yeshua as "Our Lord" in his foundational book, The Promised Key.

Both movements are fiercely monotheistic. Rastas, like Christians, look to the Bible for divine counsel, keying off the Ten Commandments and Golden Rule to teach respect for God and God's creation, preservation of life, mercy toward opponents, and moderation and holiness toward money, sex, power.

Two significant figures in Rastafari were Christians. Marcus Garvey, an outspokenly Trinitarian Christian from a Free Methodist background, is deemed a prophet in Rastafari. In the early 1900s, Garvey led a movement to create an Africa homeland for blacks. This encouraged the strong sense of Afrocentrism in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

More significant to Rastafari is Haile Selassie I, a devout Ethiopian Orthodox monarch. Formerly named Ras Tafari Makonnen, before his coronation as the emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie was thought by early Rastafarian preachers to be the Messiah—or God himself. The Oriental Orthodox Churches have declared Haile Selassie a defender of the Christian faith. In 1997 members of one branch of Rasta, The Twelve Tribes of Israel, declared their faith in Christ alone, but still maintain a place for Haile Selassie in biblical prophecy.

While a common bond between Rastas and Christians, Selassie is also the largest barrier. What separates the two groups the most is the treatment by many Rastas of Haile Selassie as divine. For Christians to reconcile the reverence that Rastas give him is extremely hard. Such reverence is due only to God.

Christians can, however, respect Haile Selassie as a devout Christian emperor, friend of Billy Graham, and outspoken follower of Christ. If desiring a dialogue with Rastas, Christians need to respect the Rastafari position that the emperor is the Davidic king of prophecy, though Christians certainly need not agree with it.

All Rastas need to accept the emperor's own self-denial of deity, as the Twelve Tribes of Israel have done, and follow his lead to full faith in Christ alone for salvation.



Blocks to Unity
Other Rastafarian attitudes and beliefs are blocking more Rastas from embracing orthodox Christianity as their own—but these too are being challenged.

Rastas object strongly to the name Jesus, preferring Yesus, Yeshua, or Kristos because the first ship commissioned to begin the British slave trade was the S.S. Jesus of Lubbock. Rastas suspect the conciliatory motives of Christian churches that historically permitted the conquest of the Americas and black slavery. Christians need to separate Yeshua from the oppression done in his name.

Christian Reggae songs like Carlene Davis and Papa San's "Wish I Knew Then (what I know now / how sweet the name of Jesus sounds)" reach out to Rastas with a new understanding of the name above all names. But caution when using the name of Jesus among Rastas is still recommended.

Rastas also need to drop their idea that the Pope is the Antichrist. The idea originated with the Pope's blessing of Mussolini's troops on their way to conquer Ethiopia, Rastafari's spiritual homeland. A sincere apology and some act of penance from the Roman Catholic Church is definitely in order.

Conservative Rastas, like the Bobo Dreads, need to reexamine their subjugation of women to the extent that menstruating women can be enclosed in-house and fed through a small aperture for a 21-day period each month. The Rasta male propensity for polygyny (serial unmarried mates) must also cease. Rastas insist that promiscuity, child abuse, and homosexuality in Christian churches must also end if Rastafarians are to take Christians seriously.

The Rastafarian use of cannabis (called ganja) is also a great barrier for Christians. Some Rastas, like the outspoken Mutabaruka in his poem "Dispel the Lie," are already critiquing this addictive blight. As Marcus Garvey campaigned against ganja and Haile Selassie outlawed its use in Ethiopia, the Church at large rejects it.

The demonic structures of "Babylon," the world's ungodly systems, are the real enemy of the Rasta camp and the church—not each other. The Rev. Clinton Chisholm, a Jamaican Christian apologist, observes:

Rather than rejecting [Rastas] as we used to … people are beginning to open up with them. I think the increasing sensitivity of the churches in general to things cultural and things ethnic could also catalyze a dialogue. They've added quite a strong corrective to the almost anti-black sentiments of some of the churches in Jamaica and in the region.
They've made us generally more culturally aware, more accepting of ourselves, more at ease with our need to be involved in the cultural expressions of the country. To their credit they've been leaders in the field. People could live with the issue of seeing Ethiopia as the new Zion. They might not agree with them, but they could live with that. But the major doctrinal barrier would be the view of Selassie as God and the view of ganja as a sacrament.

[Scott1]

Great article... thanks for posting it!

Scott

[CanuckRasta]

You are welcome, for posting it. However, the article contains several things I would like to address for discussion. Initially, I must say that there is no way I could personally accept any form of unification if it required a major change in Rasta doctrine, such as that described by the article.

First, I must take issue with this statement: “Growing numbers of Rastas have entered Christian churches and taken Jesus as their Savior while continuing a dreadlocked Rasta lifestyle.” It makes it seem like the Rastas in question did not follow Christ or Christian teachings previous to their entrance into a Christian church. That is false. Their decision was merely a result of them following in the steps of Haile Selassie. That choice does not make them less Rasta or more Christian.

Next, “In 1997 members of one branch of Rasta, The Twelve Tribes of Israel, declared their faith in Christ alone, but still maintain a place for Haile Selassie in biblical prophecy.” Let’s clarify. In 1997, Prophet Gad, the leader of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, spoke on a Jamaican radio station, saying that he believed Jesus Christ alone. Considering the TToI have always been very close to Christianity in their teachings, this statement is neither unexpected nor unusual. How this statement became a statement on the divinity of Haile Selassie, I do not know. It could very well be that Prophet Gad assumed that when he said Jesus Christ it was understood that he included and meant Haile Selassie. Either way, not all members of the Tribes accepted this statement. Luciano, a reggae artist and TToI member, was still praising Haile Selassie as “God and King” two years after the above statement. It also must be noted, that unless mainstream Christianity recognizes Gad as a prophet (an occurrence for which I wouldn’t hold my breath!), the statement is nothing more than a personal statement of belief.

“Such reverence is due only to God.” Well, I could have told them that. I guess there might be a reason why Rastas venerate HIM so after all.

“All Rastas need to accept the emperor's own self-denial of deity, as the Twelve Tribes of Israel have done, and follow his lead to full faith in Christ alone for salvation.” Addressing Selassie’s “self-denial of deity” opens a whole can of worms. Suffice it to say it will never really be decided what he meant by those words.

“Rastas also need to drop their idea that the Pope is the Antichrist. The idea originated with the Pope's blessing of Mussolini's troops on their way to conquer Ethiopia, Rastafari's spiritual homeland. A sincere apology and some act of penance from the Roman Catholic Church is definitely in order.” He did a little more than bless soldiers. He blessed bombs destined to fall on Ethiopia and he also encouraged the use of chemical warfare on innocent Ethiopians. The view of any Pope as the Antichrist is personal.

My major problem with this article is the fact that it suggests Rastas are the ones that need to change everything they believe. There is no mention of Christians being encouraged to take the Nazarene Vow, or avoiding the cutting of hair. After unification, many Christians would still receive Communion. Both groups should decide to coexist peacefully, and Rastafarians should be accepted as a sub-branch of Christianity, with some basis for their beliefs.

One Love
CanuckRasta
Lij Marques Benjamin

[chuck010342]

hey remeber me from the chat room? anyway I'll discuss it with you. I debate using the way Jesus did. I always answer in the form of questions.

I do not see the two religious unifying. If you change your religious views then you are no longer a part of the same religious wouldn't you agree?

[CanuckRasta]

Originally Posted by chuck010342

hey remeber me from the chat room? anyway I'll discuss it with you. I debate using the way Jesus did. I always answer in the form of questions.

I do not see the two religious unifying. If you change your religious views then you are no longer a part of the same religious wouldn't you agree?

Yes I do agree.

One Love
CanuckRasta

[chuck010342]

It is not possible for both of them to unite, it is possible to be converted to either side, depends on how strong the argument is.

[CanuckRasta]

Chuck,

I see where you are coming from. However, I must say something regarding this. If a Rasta decides to reject the divinity of His Imperial Majesty, reject the livity, and reject African roots, they are not and never were a Rasta. The prophet Ras Berhane Selassie (Bob Marley) was clear on this. One is Rasta from creation to the end, if they are true. They may not know who they are, but that does not change their identity. Rasta is not converted to or from.

Many Rastas have turned, as the article said, to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Their baptism does not effect their status as a Rastafari. Many are encouraged to shear their locks, to break their divine connection. This, in my opinion is the greatest barrier to unity.

One Love
Lij Marques Benjamin

[chuck010342]

Originally Posted by CanuckRasta

Chuck,

I see where you are coming from. However, I must say something regarding this. If a Rasta decides to reject the divinity of His Imperial Majesty, reject the livity, and reject African roots, they are not and never were a Rasta. The prophet Ras Berhane Selassie (Bob Marley) was clear on this. One is Rasta from creation to the end, if they are true. They may not know who they are, but that does not change their identity. Rasta is not converted to or from.

Many Rastas have turned, as the article said, to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Their baptism does not effect their status as a Rastafari. Many are encouraged to shear their locks, to break their divine connection. This, in my opinion is the greatest barrier to unity.

One Love
Lij Marques Benjamin

If you were to change your views and become christian then you were never a Rasta in the first place. You would be a false Rasta then? IF that is the case how do you know you are even a Rasta in the first place?

[CanuckRasta]

Well, I guess it is a matter of definition. From our (Rasta) side, we are ancient Christians. From the mainstream Christian side, we are heretics. So yes if I was to become a mainstream Christian, I would be a false Rasta. I say this because to enter into a typical Christian church I would almost definitely be required to say His Imperial Majesty is not divine (when I know that that is false).
I know I am a Rastaman because I am an African and I know that Ethiopia is the Holy Land. This is significant, because even though many Rastas believe in His Majesty as a divine that is not what defines who they are. Until they truly see themselves as children of Mama Africa, they can praise JAH RasTafari all they want and never really know what the movement is really all about.

Now, I bet you are really confused. The reggae artist Culture said it best, “Some say I am a Rastaman, all I am is a humble African.”

One Love
Lij Marques Benjamin

“Rastafari means to live in nature, to see the Creator in the wind, sea and storm.”

[chuck010342]

[quote=CanuckRasta]Well, I guess it is a matter of definition. From our (Rasta) side, we are ancient Christians. From the mainstream Christian side, we are heretics. So yes if I was to become a mainstream Christian, I would be a false Rasta. I say this because to enter into a typical Christian church I would almost definitely be required to say His Imperial Majesty is not divine (when I know that that is false).
I know I am a Rastaman because I am an African and I know that Ethiopia is the Holy Land. This is significant, because even though many Rastas believe in His Majesty as a divine that is not what defines who they are. Until they truly see themselves as children of Mama Africa, they can praise JAH RasTafari all they want and never really know what the movement is really all about.

Now, I bet you are really confused. The reggae artist Culture said it best, “Some say I am a Rastaman, all I am is a humble African.”

Yes its pretty confusing

you can go to church and not be a christian I do it sometimes