The Rastafaris draws their beliefs from the bible which they believe to have been incorrectly translated from the Aramaic and, for that reason, to contain some mistakes. They believe that through experience and intuition they can interpret it correctly and discern its truth. Central to their belief is the doctrine that black people are descendants of the early Israelites and that they were exiled because of their transgressions. Their salvation will come, however, through Haile Selassie I., who, they believe, is God and their saviour, the incarnation of Jah -or Jehovah, the reincarnation of Christ, the one who will bring them to the Land of freedom, to Africa. For them, Africa and, more precisely Ethiopia, is the home of Black people, the place where they can be saved.
Salvation comes through repatriation.
The meaning applied to repatriation varies among the believers. To be a rasta is to live in accordance with the laws of nature, in other words is to live in an African way. In their diet they avoid meat, and above all, pork, alcohol, and food of unknown sources. There is no obligation to attend rituals. They have, however collective reasoning sessions called nyahbinghi.