The Rastafarian Movement | World Views | Haile Selassie | Culture and Rastafarians' Way of Life The Rastafarian Movement The Rastafarian movement is a religion or ideology that started out in Jamaica in the 1930s. It developed among the poor people in Jamaica who were oppressed and felt bad. Its followers worship Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia, whom they think of as the second coming of Jesus Christ on Earth. The name comes from Ras, which is like the title Prince, and Tafari, his name at birth. Rastas regard Haile Selassie as a God, not only because he was king of Ethiopia, the only country to be free of foreign influence, but he was also a leader who was widely accepted by the governments of Europe. When Selassie was crowned emperor in 1930, Jamaicans soon started worshipping him. The Rastafarian movement is against western society and looks towards Africa as the centre of mankind. Many Rastas, as they are called, do not think of their movement as a religion but as a way of life. Today the Rastafarian movement has about one million followers all over the world.

In Jamaica about 5 % of the population are Rastafarians. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia World Views of Rastafarians Rastafarians worship a single god, called Jah, who lives inside the human being. They claim that Haile Selassie will lead Rastafarians into their paradise, called Zion. When the emperor died in 1975 many Rastafarians did not believe it and thought it was a hoax. But for most believers he still remains their god and king. Rastas view western society as Babylon, an entirely corrupt part of the world. They also think that Africa is a central part of the world, a place where paradise will be created. Rastafarians despise white people who are aggressive and have enslaved Blacks over the centuries. They believe that Blacks are the chosen people of God. Culture and Ways of Life Rastafarians have no real place to go and worship because they believe God lives in them anyway. They do not believe in an afterlife but think they will eventually live in Africa . Few Rastas are believed to be immortal, a situation which they call everliving.

Rastafarians believe in smoking cannabis, a sacrament that cleans the mind, brings them pleasure and closer to their god Jah. This has led to conflicts between Rastas and governments in many countries, where growing and smoking marijuana is illegal. Rastas, however, claim that it is part of the African culture. Most Rastas are vegetarians, or vegans. They eat raw food, mostly fruit and vegetables. They avoid eating meat and drinking alcohol, coffee and milk. Rastafarians consider their food as I-tal , which means pure and clean. Wearing dreadlocks is strongly associated with the Rastafarian way of life. They view it as something spiritual because the Bible forbids cutting your hair. Dreadlocks also symbolize a lion’s mane. The animal represents strength and power. Green, gold and red are important colors in the Rastafarian movement. They are the colors of the Ethiopian flag and show loyalty to King Haile Selassie. Red is a symbol of the blood of the blacks who were killed throughout history, green represents Ethiopia’s beauty and vegetation and gold symbolizes the richness of Ethiopia.

Rastafarian with dreadlocks - Photo by Jonathan Stephens, JRS Film Website Music Early Rastafarian music began with hymns and drumming. They used their own texts as the lyrics of their hymns. Reggae is a music genre that developed in Jamaica in the 1960s. It is closely associated with the names of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and others. These musicians spread Rastafarianism throughout the world. It was Bob Marley, who wanted to make people aware of Rastafarianism through his lyrics. He spoke out against discrimination and the inequality towards Blacks. Marcus Garvey Marcus Garvey is thought to be a prophet of the Rastafarian movement. He is often seen as a second John the Baptist. In the early 20th century he promoted Black nationalism and claimed that all blacks should get together and help throw the imperialists out of Africa. He was an activist who wanted to improve the situation of blacks. Garvey appealed especially to the poorer blacks of Jamaica.

accept = thought to be right by many activist = someone who works hard to get things down or who protests against something afterlife = life after death appeal to = to be attractive and interesting associate = link to avoid = keep away from aware = think about Baptist = a person who touches or covers a person with water in order to welcome them to the Christian religion birth = when a baby comes out of its mother’s body cannabis = an illegal drug that is usually smoked; marijuana century = a period of a hundred years chosen = selected claim = to say that something is true closely = very much coming = arrival consider = think, believe, look at corrupt = if you use your power in a bad way or if you do something illegally in order to get what you want despise = look down on, hate develop = grow discrimination = inequality; an unfair way of treating someone or a group of people dreadlocks = a way that you arrange your hair so that it hangs down in thick pieces that look like a rope; it is the way Rastafarians wear their hair emperor = the man who is a ruler of a big country or group of countries enslaved = to make slaves follower = someone who believes in an idea and supports the leader of this idea forbid = not allow government = the

 people who rule a country hoax = trick, joke, something that is not true however = but imperialist = people who like to rule other countries influence = power, control lyrics = the text of a song mane = long hair around the neck of an animal mankind = all people as a group mind = the thoughts you have and how you think movement = idea nationalism = when people who have the same religion or language want to have their own country oppress = keep down, dominate, treat badly pleasure = happiness population = the people who live in a country promote = to make popular or famous prophet = a man who people believe has been sent by God to lead them pure = not mixed spread = move from one place to another strength = power throughout = in all of towards = in the direction of vegan = someone who does not eat any animal product, like meat, fish, milk, cheese, butter etc..

vegetarian = someone who does not eat meat or fish vegetation = plant life 10 Things To Know About Rastafari Beliefs - Listverse 10 Things To Know About Rastafari Beliefs Gregory Myers January 6, 2014 When most people hear the word “Rastafari,” they think of men with dreadlocks, of smoking ganja, and of men with dreadlocks smoking ganja. Basically, they think of Bob Marley. In fact, Rastafari is a very serious philosophy that takes much direction from the Bible. While there are some people who claim to be Rastafari just as an excuse to do drugs, there are many true believers, and the public idea of them is often quite inaccurate. 10 Not All Rastafari Smoke Weed Many people are attracted to the idea of being a Rastafari because it means they have a religious excuse to smoke ganja. Some of them may be surprised then that smoking ganja is not only optional for Rastafarians but isn’t really all that central to their faith. Some Rastafari simply choose not to smoke weed at all.

Recently, Snoop Dog decided to change his name to “Snoop Lion” to show his adherence to Rastafari after he spent some time in Jamaica. However, many Rastafari have raised an outcry claiming that they see little actual faith in his behavior and think it is only an excuse for Snoop’s love of weed . Of course while Snoop Dog (or Snoop “Lion” if you will) may actually be sincere, that really isn’t the true point of their ire. Rastafari already have trouble getting people to take them seriously due to the stereotypes, they likely fear a well-known stoner like Snoop Dog representing them will only spread that misperception more widely. Learn more about Rastafari beliefs with Rastafari: Roots and Ideology at Amazon.com! 9 They Call Halie Selassie The Second Coming Of Christ This belief, which is a core part of the Rastafari philosophy, was taken up at the inception of the religion. In the early 1900s, Marcus Garvey prophesied that a new black king would soon come to Africa and that man would be the messiah .

Not too long after this, in Ethiopia, a new king was crowned and his name was Haile Selassie I. Seeing this as a sign of what was prophesied, the burgeoning Rastafari movement took this man as the second coming of Jesus. However, while most people would not believe in a second coming of the messiah solely based on prophecy, the Rastafarians wouldn’t either. They point to other evidence as well, particularly the claim that Haile Selassie is related to King Solomon, giving him a connection to Jesus. If Haile Selassie I was the messiah. he kept it very quiet. He himself always denied being a reincarnation of Jesus. 8 Ital Diet Photo credit: Christina Xu Rastafari have a specific diet called Ital, a word that stems from vital. Many people confuse Ital with vegetarianism or veganism. It’s actually a diet of its own and may change somewhat based on the denomination of Rastafari or the individual. The Rastafari don’t wish to take part in the system as they deem it oppressive. For this reason they refuse any processed foods . They also won’t eat red meat, believing that it rots inside your body.

Many will still eat fish because they believe that it is supported as being all right by the Bible. However, some refuse to eat fish, and others will remove dairy from their diet and go closer to full-vegan. The main idea of course is simply to eat natural foods that are good for you. 7Your Body Is A Temple In Rastafari, your body is considered your temple, so you need to really take good care of yourself. Part of this can be seen in the philosophy of the Ital diet. However, it goes much further than just eating good food to take care of your health. Rastafari believe that they should let their hair grow long and not taint it with anything unnatural. This all comes down to respecting your body and what it is. You don’t cut your hair, tattoo your skin, or eat bad food. In fact some Rastafari have cited this as the reason they don’t smoke ganja. Some feel that for them personally it’s not good for their health, so they quit smoking. Buy an awesome Rastafari Lion Blacklight Poster at Amazon.com!

6Don’t Call Them “Rastafarians” Photo credit: Empres843/Wikimedia You might notice this entire article doesn’t refer to “Rastafarians,” except in the title above. You see, Rastafari actually don’t like being referenced that way at all. The reason for this stems from their philosophy. Rastas believe that “ians” and “isms” represent the corrupt “Babylonian” system that oppresses people all over the world. Considering themselves a religion or an ism of any sort is seen as accepting a system that is anathema to what they believe. This means that some Rastafari will actually be quite unhappy with you if you call them a Rastafarian or say that they practice Rastafarianism. Of course this hasn’t stopped scholars who still refer to Rastafari as an “ism” and also classify them as a religion. This latter part has also caused annoyance as some Rastafari don’t like the term “religion” either and prefer to consider their movement a philosophy. 5Down With Babylon The Rastafari movement began in Jamaica, where most of the black population had originally been slaves forced from Africa to work.

The movement was started as a means of empowerment. As such, it may not be too surprising that Rastafari as a belief system completely rejects the standards and structure of western society. For a people who had been oppressed by Western society and colonialism, the Rastafari movement was a way to claim back their own way of life. By rejecting the “Babylonian” system that was deemed corrupt and oppressive , Rastafari are able to take back their own culture and connect to their roots. You see, the movement was shaped very much in the beginning by the words of Marcus Garvey who would later on be considered a prophet in Rastafari beliefs. Garvey may never have identified as a Rastafari but he was very vocal when it came to black empowerment and inspired a great many people. 4 The Return To Africa Rastafari often rely heavily on the Bible when it comes to their religious beliefs and yet have their own idea of a paradise. Members of the Rastafari movement feel that they are in a sort of hell or purgatory as their ancestors were removed from their homeland against their will. Africa is their version of Zion. It is a paradise on Earth , and the goal of many Rastafari is to move back to Africa.

This is more of a cultural yearning than it is a solely religious belief and makes perfect sense after the colonialist oppression that so many black people faced. For this reason, it is about more than just returning to Africa for most Rasta. It is actually very much about building Africa into something even better, preserving African culture, and celebrating a way of life that many feel the Babylonian society tried to take away from them. 3Their Own Lyaric Dialect Photo credit: Changalanga/Wikimedia The early Rastafari in Jamaica created a dialect that is an offshoot of Jamaican Creole. Jamaican Creole was originally derived from English by African slaves who had been brought to the island of Jamaica. The Rastafari as an empowerment movement took the language and modified it both in dialect and philosophy to meet their needs, forming a new dialect known as Lyaric. One of the most important concepts is the use of pronouns. Most of the time, “I” is used instead of “me,” “you,” or just about any pronoun. Rastafari do this to express the connection between all people and to acknowledge everyone’s humanity. Rastafari also prefer positive expressions whenever possible.

Instead of someone saying they are “dedicated,” they might say livicated to show vitality. And “oppressed,” would be downpressed, to indicate the direction that the oppression is coming from. Someone also might overstand something because it sounds more upbeat than “understanding.” 2 Grounation Day For stoners, April 20 is a very important day, but for Rastafari, the next day is the truly important one. As we mentioned earlier, Rastafari believe that Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia was the second coming of Jesus Christ, and thus they are pretty big fans of the guy. During his life back in the 1960s, he decided to visit Jamaica. The official line was that it was a diplomatic visit, but some people believed he wanted to meet the Rastafari and learn about the people who worshiped him as another coming of the messiah. The crowds were enormous and made an incredible amount of noise, and this delayed him coming off his plane for quite a while, likely due to safety concerns. During his time there, he did meet with some of the leading members of the Rastafari movement.

While there isn’t much record of what was said, some believe he told them that they should try to fix things at home in Jamaica before they returned to Africa. Since his visit, April 21 has been known to Rastafari as Grounation Day and is observed as one of the most important holy days. 1 The Rastafari Colors The red, yellow, and green colors of Rastafari are pretty ubiquitous, although most people probably associate them more with Bob Marley and ganja than they do any spiritual movement. However, many people don’t realize there are actual four Rasta colors. The movement took much influence from Marcus Garvey, and the colors of his own movement were red, green, and black . The Rastafari later saw Haile Selassie I as Jesus, and the colors of the Ethiopian flag were red, green, and yellow, so another addition was made, with four colors in total. These colors all have symbolic significance in Rastafari beliefs. The yellow color is said by some to refer to the wealth of their homeland in Africa. The red is perhaps unsurprisingly symbolic of blood and the martyrdom of past Rastafari.

The color black is an obvious reference to the black people who originally started the Rastafari movement in order to return to their roots, and the green is related to the abundant plant life of their native homeland. In case you were still curious—no, the Rastafari colors really don’t have anything to do with smoking ganja. You can follow Gregory Myers on Twitter . More Great Lists Rastafari Religion - Basic Beliefs and Practices By Catherine Beyer Updated July 24, 2016. 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.

Selassie’s 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.” Garvey’s 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, Selassie’s 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 one’s 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 Jah’s 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 Rastafari’s 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 religion’s 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. 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 Selassie’s coronation day (November 2), Selassie’s birthday (July 23), Garvey’s birthday (August 17), Grounation Day, which celebrates Selassie’s 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. Haile Selassie I - Might of The Trinity - Christ His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I One of the objectives of Rastafarianism is to preach the divinity of Rastafari = Haile Selassie I as the 225th rebirth of King Solomon, son of David as "The Christ" , "The Messiah", "The Anointed One".

Representing Yahweh Elohim Sabboath; The God of all ages; Greater David Greater Son. The Anointment of David by the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16 v13): "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of Elohim came upon David from that day forward.". The spirit that came upon David represents the "Word", the indwelling speech identified by St. John 1 v14, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.". The Ancient Rites of Anointment represents the Divine entry point of the indwelling speech. "The Word: Sound: Energy invisible to man made visible through the Son of man, 'David'". The Anointment of King Solomon by Zadok the High Priest (1 King 1 v39): "And Zadok the Priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle and Anointed Solomon; and they blew the trumpet and all the people said 'God save King Solomon'.

(1 Chronicles 29 v22) "...And they made Solomon the son of King David, King the second time and Anointed him unto the Elohim to be the Chief Governor and Zadok to be the Priest." "The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst man. Solomon becoming "The Christ", "The Messiah", "The Anointed One", the Visible representative of Yahweh Elohim Sabboath through the Ancient Rites of Anointment (Baptism). King Solomon meeting the Queen of Sheba as identified by (1 King 10 v1-2 & 13): "... and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart." "And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty." This union produced a son who's name was Prince Menelik, before the advent of Jesus The Christ.

When Prince Menelik reached the age of twenty-one (21) he was sent to Jerusalem by his mother Queen of Sheba to his Father, Solomon, "The Christ" to receive the Ancient Rites of Anointment so as to allow the Christ Lineage to be established in Ethiopia, fulfilling (Psalm 87 v3-4). Behold the future Godhead which would fulfill (Amos 9 v11), "In that day will I raise up The Tabernacle of David that is fallen...". This fulfillment allowed Prince Menelik to fulfill the New Covenant (Hebrew 8 v8), "...Behold, the days come, said the Elohim, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." The Ancient rites of Anointment performed on Jesus The Christ when his mother Mary took him to the Temple to present Him, Jesus, to the Elohim (St. Luke 2 v23, 25, 28, 34). Simeon the prophet and Anna the prophetess identified Jesus as the "Christ" through the Ancient Rites of Anointment, which was performed on him in the Temple by the High Priest.

The Ancient Rites of Baptism and anointment performed on the Eunuch by Philip established the Eunuch as "The Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed One". Visible representative of Yahweh Elohim Sabboath. The Ethiopian Eunuch met the Prophet Philip on the road to Gaza (Acts 8 v38), "...and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch; and he Baptized (Anointed) him.". The Ancient Rites of Anointment performed by Abuna Krilos (The Prophet Samuel returned) 2nd November 1930 on the person of Rastafari. Transfigurated the person to the Eternal Godhead Haile Selassie I "'Might of the Trinity'; The Christ; The Messiah; The Anointed One", who has returned to reign as The Lion of the Tribe of Judah; The Root and offspring of King David", fulfilling Revelation 5 v5.

"The Lion of Judah has prevailed to open the book and read therein" (Jeremiah 23 v5-6): "Behold, the days come, said the Elohim that I will raise unto David a Righteous Branch, and a King will reign and prosper, and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the earth." (Zechariah 12 v8), "...at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Elohim before them.". The fulfillment of (Isaiah 43 v14), "Thus said the Elohim, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon and brought down all their nobles...". Haile Selassie I, 1936 leaving Ethiopia for Europe and Geneva, and the League of Nations, fulfilled this prophecy of Isaiah, when the King prophecy against the democracy of Europe and predicted the 2nd World War. This fulfillment established Emperor Haile Selassie I as the Prophet.

(Deuteronomy 18 v15): "The Elohim thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy Brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." Isaiah 9 v6-7: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders, his name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace." Emperor Haile Selassie I as the Prince of Peace, forgave the Italian soldiers who were prisoners of war, after the surrender the Italians May 5th, 1941 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. JAH Rastafari. Amen. The Baptism of the Rastafarians and persons who accept The Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed One in the person of Emperor Haile Selassie I. At the Baptism, the Anointment Rites, let that person become one with His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, fulfilling St.

John 17 v21, "That they all may be one; as thou Father is in I, and I in thee, that they also may be one in Us...". Amen. Amen. Amen. Joshua 1 v1-9: Joshua, "The Christ", captain over the house of Israel: neither be thou dismayed for the Elohim thy God is with thee wheresoever thou goes." 1000+ images about Ras Tafari - King of Kings on Pinterest | Different shapes, Africa and Rasta colors Forward The Rastafari movement is an African-based spiritual ideology that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica. It is sometimes described as a religion but is considered by many adherents to be a "Way of Life". Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia (ruled 1930–1974), some as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as God the Father. Members of the Rastafari way of life are known as Rastas, or The Rastafari.

The way of life is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarianism", but this term is… See More Rastafari Theology (CESNUR) "Dread Jesus": A New View of the Rastafari Movement William David Spencers Dread Jesus (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1999) is, quite simply, one of the best books by a Christian theologian about a new religious movement. Although Spencer examines primarily different views of Jesus Christ within the Rastafari community, the book is also a comprehensive history of the movement, of its sources, and of the differences between its many contemporary branches. It is also a valuable introduction to reggae music and its connections with the Rastafari community. Spencer, as many Rastafari scholars before him, traces Rastafari back to the Ethiopianist movement and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), established in 1914 in Jamaica by Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940). While Zionists preached the return of Jews to Palestine, Ethiopianists suggested that African Americans should eventually return to Africa (and particularly to the historical heart of Africa, Ethiopia).

Spencer reconstructs Ethiopianism as a Christian movement, although an unorthodox one. While Garveys image of a "black Christ" was consciously symbolic, other Ethiopianist preachers such as Robert Athyli Rogers (from the Caribbean island of Anguilla), founder of the Afro Athlican Constructive Church, regarded the "black Jesus" as one among many divine incarnations (for Rogers, the most important incarnation of God was Elijah ). Others, like Prophet Alexander Bedward in Jamaica, claimed to be the new messiah themselves. All this changed on November 2, 1930 when Ras Tafari was crowned as Emperor of Ethiopia as H.I.M. (His Imperial Majesty) Hailé Selassié I (1892-1975). World media covered the event, and most (although not all) Ethiopianists in Jamaica believed that this successor to the line of King Solomon, bearing titles such as "King of Kings" and "Lion of Judah", was indeed the Christ who was to return. Spencer insists on the role played on the foundation of Rastafari religion by three preachers: Leonard Howell, H. Archibald Dunkley, and Joseph Nathaniel Hibbert.

As far as Dunkley and Hibbert are concerned, he insists on their membership in the Great Ancient Brotherhood of Silence, or Ancient Mystic Order of Ethiopia, one of the "black" (or "Prince Hall") Masonic organizations. Spencer claims that a number of features of Rastafari religion derive from this branch of Freemasonry (including the name "Jah" for "God", coming from the Masonic form "Jah-Bul-On"). Later Rastafari leaders and authors, such as Dennis Forsythe, were in turn influenced, according to Spencer, by the Rosicrucian order AMORC. Rastafari is, thus, a syncretistic faith including elements from the Western esoteric and occult tradition, Christianity, and Jamaican and Caribbean lore (including the trademark Rastafari dreadlocks, and the use of ganja). Spencer also re-examines the well-known story of Selassiés visit to Jamaica in 1966, his denial to be God or the return of Christ, and his attempt to lead Rastafarians into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (with only moderate success).

He also examines the peculiar role of reggae singer Bob Marley (1945-1981) in the development of Rastafarian thought (an extreme fringe even believes Marley, rather than Selassié, to be the messiah). The most important part of Spencers book deals with Rastafari reactions to the Marxist revolution in Ethiopia, and the following imprisonment and eventual death of Selassié in 1975. While, in the immediate aftermath of these events , Selassiés death was explained away as yet another "big lie" by the world media, gradually most Rastafarians recognized that His Imperial Majesty will not physically reappear any time soon. What happened, according to Spencer, was the separation of elements whose coexistence within the Rastafari community had always been difficult. While only a handful of Rastafarians followed Selassiés counsel and joined the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, a significant number (whose main international organization is the Twelve Tribes of Israel) adopted a more explicitly Christian approach, recognizing Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Selassié as a mere human (if all-important) prophet.

Their Christ remains a "black Christ" within the frame of contemporary black or Africanist theology. As a reaction, an anti-Christian movement, the "bun Christ" (or "burn Christ") movement, manifested itself, particularly at certain reggae events. Rastafari has always been anti-Catholic (because it accuses the Catholic Church of having supported Mussolinis invasion of Ethiopia, seen as the ultimate sacrilege). Some contemporary Rastafarians are also anti-Christian, although many would qualify even the most extreme "burn Christ" statements by claiming that their quarrel is with the "white Christ" in whose name racist crimes have been perpetrated, not with a liberated "black Christ". There is little doubt, however, that one branch of Rastafari has followed the Eastern linings of one of the "founders", Leonard Howell, and has adopted a mystical view of Selassiés soul as an entity quite independent from the Emperors physical manifestation.

A portion of this divine spark or essence, eminently manifested in Selassié, is present in all Rastafari faithful, if not in all human beings, within the framework of a sort of gnostic pantheism true to the occult-esoteric connections of some of the "founders". Rastafari, Spencer concludes, is at a crossroad, between Selassié as God (re-interpreted after the Emperors death in a pantheistic and gnostic sense) and "the God of Selassié", i.e. Jesus Christ. In the latter sense, Rastafari, or a branch of it, may eventually become a "Selassian" Christian Church, no less Christian for its veneration of Selassié as a prophet and a saint (just, Spencer notes, as there is a "Lutheran" Church, named after Martin Luther but certainly not claiming that he was the messiah). At any rate, Spencer takes seriously Rastafari as potential (and, at least in some cases, actual) "roots Christianity" of what he calls with the politically correct name of two-thirds world.

While liberation theology has been too often a theoretical construct of Western intellectuals, movements such as Rastafari are a much more reliable indicator of the real feelings and spiritual needs of Caribbean and other two-thirds world spiritual seekers. In this perspective, Spencers book is a model of theological dialogue between traditional Christianity and a new, admittedly "bizarre", religious tradition. Similar enterprises should probably be attempted with respect to other new religious movements as well. RASTAFARI REVELATION: YESHUA (JESUS) IS LORD OF LORDS & HAILE SELASSIE IS KING OF KINGS1 - YouTube RASTAFARI REVELATION: YESHUA (JESUS) IS LORD OF LORDS & HAILE SELASSIE IS KING OF KINGS1 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Jan 12, 2013 RASTAFARI REVELATION: YESHUA (JESUS) IS LORD OF LORDS & HAILE SELASSIE IS KING OF KINGS1 Book Of Revelation (Religious Text),Rastafari Movement (Religion),Lord (Noble Rank),Roots, #LionofthetribeofJuda ,Lion of Judah,Jesus (Deity),Tewahedo,Ethiopian Orthodox,Black Messiah,Haile Selassie I (Monarch),King of Kings,Elect of God,Mystery of God,Ethiopia (Country),Kingdom of God,Jesus Christ,Iyesus Kristos,Yeshua,Shroud of Turin,Adonai,Lord of lords,Holy Trinity,Abba Keddus,Gnostics,Black Jews,Beta Israel,Hebrews (Ethnicity),Throne of David Category RasTafari Behold Christ-King Second Coming, Negus Selassie & Three Advents! Rabbi & Ras Jon @011714 - YouTube RasTafari Behold Christ-King Second Coming, Negus Selassie & Three Advents!

Rabbi & Ras Jon @011714 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 4, 2014 RT & LIKE, POST & SHARE! RasTafari Behold Christ's Second Coming, Negus Selassie I & Three Advents! Rabbi & Ras Jon @011714 WATCH [VIDEO] SUBSCRIBE, JOIN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKING, Click VISIT, For More Info, Click Here | TWEET [TWITTER] SUBSCRIBE HERE! HEAR & PREPARE: RASTAFARI EXODUS, AFRICA UNITE! WATCH & Subscribe! DOWNLOAD & Share All Videos!

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Question: And what religious movement views Haile Selassie as the Second Coming of Jesus?
Answer: Rastafarian