RASTAFARIAN ENCOUNTER
"TITTER YE NOT"
******************
A Rastafarian walks
into a bank with a 25kg bag of marijuana and hands it over to the cashier... Shocked, the cashier asks..
'What's this for?'
The Rastafarian replies..
'Me here to open a joint account'
*****************
A Rastaman and his Empress was in court getting a divorce. The problem was who should get custody of the child.
The Empress jumped up and said “Your honour, I brought the child into this world
with pain and labour. She should be in my custody.”
The judge turned to the Rastaman and said “What do you have to
say in the matter?”
The Rastaman sat down for a while contemplating. Then slowly he rose and said,
“Yow…yuh honor, if I and I put a dollar in a vending machine and a Pepsi come out,
who is da Pepsi…I and I or the machine?”
******************
When the police
arrived on the scene, a Rastaman was
complaining bitterly
about the damage to his precious 318is BMW.
"Hafficer, look wah the ed'iat do to mi bombo claat Bimma", he whined.
"You Rastafarians are so materialistic and show off, you make me sick! "retorted the
officer. " You're so worried about your stupid BMW, that
you didn't even notice that your left arm is ripped off!"
"Rahtid...", replied the Jamaican, finally noticing the bloody left shoulder where the arm once was,
"Mi ras claat Rolex has gone!!!
*******************
Rastafari is an Abrahamic belief which developed in Jamaica
in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie I as
Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930. Its adherents worship him in
much the same way as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as
God the Father. Members of the Rastafari way of life are
known as Rastafari, Rastas, Rastafarians, or simply Ras.
Rastafari are also known by their official church titles, such as
Elder or High Priest. The way of life is sometimes referred to
as "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered offensive by
most Rastafari, who, being critical of "isms" (which they see
as a typical part of "Babylon" culture), dislike being labelled
as an "ism" themselves.
The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the title (Ras)
and first name (Tafari Makonnen) of Haile Selassie I before
his coronation. In Amharic, Ras, literally "head", is an
Ethiopian title equivalent to prince or chief, while the personal
given name Täfäri (teferi) means one who is revered. Jah (יה
in Hebrew) is a Biblical name of God, from a shortened form
of Jahweh or Jehovah found in Psalms 68:4 in the King
James Version of the Bible and many other places in the
Bible. Most adherents see Haile Selassie I as Jah or Jah
Rastafari, an incarnation of God the Father, the Second
Advent of Christ "the Anointed One", i.e. the second coming
of Jesus Christ the King to Earth.
Many elements of Rastafari reflect its origins in Jamaica along
with Ethiopian culture. Ethiopian Christianity traces its roots
to the Church of Alexandria, founded by St Mark, and its 5th-
century continuation in the Coptic Church of Alexandria.
Rastafari holds many Christian beliefs like the existence of a
triune God ("Jah"), who had sent his divine incarnate son to
Earth in the form of Jesus (Yeshua) and made himself
manifest as the divine person of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari
accept much of the Bible, although they believe that its
message and interpretation have been corrupted.
The Rastafari way of life encompasses the spiritual use of
cannabis and the rejection of the degenerate society of
materialism, oppression, and sensual pleasures, called
Babylon. It proclaims Zion, in reference to Ethiopia, as the
original birthplace of humankind, and from the beginning of
the way of life calls for repatriation to Zion, the Promised
Land and Heaven on Earth. This can mean literally moving to
Ethiopia but also refers to mentally and emotionally
repatriating before the physical. Some Rastafari also
embrace various Afrocentric and Pan-African social and
political aspirations. Some Rastafari 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. By 1997 there were, according to one estimate, around one
million Rastafari worldwide . In the 2011 Jamaican census, 29,026 individuals identified
themselves as Rastafari. Other sources estimated that in the 2000s they formed "about
5% of the population" of Jamaica, or conjectured that "there are perhaps as many as
100,000 Rastafari in Jamaica".
Rastafari are monotheists, worshiping a singular God whom they call Jah . Jah is the
term in the King James Bible, Psalms 68:4. Rastas view Jah in the form of the Holy
Trinity–Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Rastas say that Jah in the form of the Holy
Spirit (incarnate) lives within the human. For this reason, they often refer to themselves
as "I and I". "I and I" is used instead of "We" to emphasize the equality
between all people, in the belief that the Holy Spirit within all people makes
them essentially one and the same.
Rastafari doctrines concerning the Trinity include stressing the significance of
the name "Haile Selassie," meaning power of the Trinity, might of the Trinity,
powerful trinity in Ge'ez or also Haile Selassie I (qedamawi Haile Selassie)
meaning the (first power of the Trinity) name given to Ras Tafari upon his
baptism and later assumed as part of his regnal name at his November 2,
1930 coronation by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, then known
as just the Ethiopian Tewahedo Church .
Haile Selassie I (1892–1975) was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to
1974. Rastafari say that he will lead the righteous into creating a perfect
world called Zion. The future capital city of Zion is sometimes put forward
as the New Jerusalem (Lalibela, Ethiopia) and the very Habitation of the
Godhead (Trinity) creator, Ras Tafari. Prophetic verses of the Hebrew Bible
(such as Zephaniah 3:10 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers,
the daughter of My dispersed ones, shall bring my offering") have been
interpreted as subtly hinting that the messianic king will be in Ethiopia and
the people will come from all over world beyond its rivers.
Rastas may say that Haile Selassie I's coming was prophesied from Genesis
to the Book of Revelation. Genesis, Chapter 1:
"God made man in His own
image."
Psalm 2:
"Yet I set my Holy king on My Holy hill of Zion." Psalm 87:
4–6 i
interpreted as predicting the coronation of Haile Selassie I. During his
coronation, Haile Selassie I was given 38 titles and anointments taken from the
Bible:
"King of Kings," "Elect of God," "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of
Judah the Author of Mankind," "the Power of Authority," etc. He also received
acclaim from various Christian and Muslim leaders and clergy for the work he
performed towards establishing world peace and the brotherhood of mankind — this
being one of the primary reasons his followers hold him as a God incarnate. Rastas
also refer to Haile Selassie I as "His Imperial Majesty" (or the acronym HIM) and
" Jah Rastafari ."
According to tradition, Haile Selassie I was the 225th in an unbroken line of Ethiopian
monarchs of the Solomonic dynasty . This dynasty is said to have been founded in the 10th century BC by Menelik I. Menelik I was son of the Biblical King Solomon and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, who had visited Solomon in Israel. 1 Kings 10:13 claims "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. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants." On the basis of the Ethiopian national epic, the Kebra Negast, Rastas interpret this verse as meaning she conceived his child.
The death of Haile Selassie I is a topic of some debate among Rastafari. Some Rastas consider it a partial fulfillment of prophecy of the " Temporary Messianic Kingdom " found in the apocalyptic 2 Esdras 7:28. Others believe that Haile Selassie's 1975 reported death was a hoax. It has also been claimed that he entered a monastery and is now known by many as Abba Keddus (Amharic for Holy Father) and will return to liberate his followers and vanquish all evil, restoring his creation. One Rastafari reaction to Haile Selassie's supposed death was contained in Bob Marley's song Jah Live, which declares emphatically "God cannot die." Many Rastafari claim to have met Haile Selassie after his reported death and know him also by his claimed new name Abba Keddus or Abba Keddus Keddus Keddus.
For some Rastafari, Haile Selassie I remains their God and King . They see Haile Selassie I as being worthy of worship for having stood with great dignity in front of the world's press and the representatives of many of the world's powerful nations, especially during his appeal to the League of Nations 1936 when he was still the only independent non-European monarch in Africa. Other followers of the Rastafari tradition do not worship him outright but hail him as an African prophet who spoke to the world on behalf of his brethren. He spoke to the plight of disenfranchised peoples throughout his life.
BOB MARLEY ONE LOVE
In a 1967 interview when a Canadian interviewer mentioned the Rastafari belief that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, he responded by saying:
"I have heard of this idea. I also met certain
Rastafarians. I told them clearly that I am a man, that I am mortal, and that I will be replaced by the oncoming generation, and that they should never make a mistake in assuming or pretending that a human being is emanated from a deity."
His grandson Ermias Sahle Selassie has said that there is “no doubt that Haile Selassie did not encourage the Rastafari movement.” This encouragement included his meetings with Mortimer Planno and other movement leaders who journeyed to Addis Ababa in 1961, again in 1966 on his visit to Jamaica, and many times at Shashamane in the later years of his reign.
Acceptance of the Jesus-incarnate status of Qedamawi Haile Selassie is Rastafari doctrine, as is the notion of the corruption of his teachings by secular, Western society, figuratively referred to as Babylon. For the reason, they believe, it was prophesied in the Book of Revelation—"And I heard the number of them which were sealed:
and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." that Jesus would return with a new name that would be inscribed on the foreheads of 144,000 of his most devoted servants. Rastas hold that they represent this fulfilment based on their experience in the light of Haile Selassie I's return and coronation as the King of Kings on November 2,1930, whom they see as the second coming of Jesus or the coming of the holy spirit, and therefore Jah, onto the Earth Rastas assert that Zion (i.e., Ethiopia) is a land that Jah promised to them. To achieve this, they reject modern western society, calling it "Babylon", which they see as entirely corrupt due to materialism and greed. "Babylon" is considered to have been in rebellion against "Earth's Rightful Ruler" (Jah) ever since the days of the Biblical king Nimrod .
Many Rastafari are physical immortalists who maintain that the chosen few will continue to live forever in their current bodies. This is commonly called "Life Everliving". Everliving in Iyaric replaces the term "everlasting" to avoid the "negative word sound" of last implying an end. Rastas say their life will never have an end, but will be everliving, with Jah as king and Amharic the official language. Rastas strongly reject the idea that heaven is in the sky, or is a place where dead people go and instead see heaven as being a place on Earth, specifically Ethiopia.
First and foremost, Rastas assert that their own bodies are the true church or temple of God. However, in international communities with large Rastafari populations, Rastafari have created tabernacles, churches, headquarters, and temples as spiritual meeting centres.
There are three main Mansions (sects or orders) of Rastafari:
the Nyahbinghi Order, Bobo Ashanti , and the Twelve Tribes of Israel. All agree on the basic principles of the divine status of Haile Selassie. Many Rastafari do not belong to any sect.
The Nyahbinghi Order (also known as Haile Selassie I Theocratical Order of the Nyahbinghi Reign) is the oldest of all the Rastafari mansions and was named after Queen Nyahbinghi of Uganda, who fought against colonialists in the 19th century. The Nyahbinghi Order holds steadfast to ancient biblical values. It focuses mainly on Haile Selassie I, Ethiopia, and the eventual return to Africa. It is overseen by an Assembly of Elders. Nyahbinghi brethren also accept the Bible according to the teachings of Haile Selassie I. Nyahbingi as a Rastafarian lifestyle -> For Rastas, Nyahbingi is the mystical power of the Most High to mete justice throughout the universe. Although the genuine origin of the word means “Black Victory” and is Ugandan, as a concept and theology. "Niya" meaning "black" and "binghi" meaning "Victory." Therefore, it is through prayer, music and biblical reasonings that the Rastaman chants bingi, calling on the forces of nature to destroy the powers of racial oppression.
Nyabinghi was a legendary Ugandan/Rwandan tribe queen, who was said to have possessed a Ugandan woman named Muhumusa in the 19th century. Muhumusa inspired a movement, rebelling against African colonial authorities. Although she was captured in 1913, alleged possessions by Nyabinghi continued (mostly afflicting women). Bloodline of the true Nyabinghi warriors rightfully settled in the heart of Dzimba dze Mabwe now known as Zimbabwe.
The Twelve Tribes of Israel sect was founded in 1968 by Dr. Vernon "Prophet Gad" Carrington . It is the most liberal of the Rastafarian orders and members are free to worship in a church of their choosing. Each member of this sect belongs to one of the 12 Tribes (or Houses), which is determined by Gregorian birth month and is represented by a colour, a part of the body and a character trait often called a faculty. The Standard Israelite calendar begins in April, the 12 tribes being Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin. Although the 12 representations apply to male and female alike, Dinah, although not considered a tribe, is representative of the feminine. Members of this order are not required to be turbaned.
The Howellites were the followers of The Rastafari Movement/Ethiopian Salvation Society that was established by Leonard Percival Howell (the Founding Father of the Rastafari Movement) in 1932. Many Howellites travelled with their parents from the settlement of Trinity Ville in St. Thomas, Jamaica to Pinnacle, or they were born in Pinnacle; Pinnacle was the "First Industrial Mission" and was the most thriving society in the Caribbean at the time.
The Lion of Judah is an important symbol to Rastas, for several
reasons. The lion appears on the Imperial Ethiopian flag, used in
Haile Selassie I's Ethiopia. In addition, the Ge'ez title
Mo'aAnbesaZe' imnegede Yihuda ("Conquering Lion of the Tribe of
Judah") has been applied to Ethiopian Emperors, in their tradition
beginning with Menelik I, said to be the son of king Solomon
(c. 980 BC).
For Rastas, smoking cannabis, commonly referred to as herb,
weed, kaya, sinsemilla (Spanish for "without seeds"), or ganja
(from the Sanskrit word ganjika, used in ancient Nepal and India),
is a spiritual act, often accompanied by Bible study; they consider
it a sacrament that cleans the body and mind, heals the soul,
exalts the consciousness, facilitates peacefulness, brings pleasure,
and brings them closer to Jah. They often burn the herb when in
need of insight from Jah. Sacramental use of Cannabis in
celebration of the Rastafari faith became legal in Jamaica on April
15, 2015. By the 8th century, cannabis had been introduced by
Arab traders to Central and Southern Africa, where it is known as
"dagga" and many Rastas say it is a part of their African culture
that they are reclaiming. It is sometimes also referred to as "the
healing of the nation", a phrase adapted from Revelation 22:2.
Alternatively, the migration of many thousands of Hindus and
Muslims from British India to the Caribbean in the 20th century may
have brought this culture to Jamaica. Many academics point to
Indo-Caribbean origins for the ganja sacrament resulting from the
importation of Indian migrant workers in a post-abolition Jamaican
landscape. " Large scale use of ganja in Jamaica... dated from the
importation of indentured Indians...". Dreadlocked mystics Jata,
often ascetic known as sadhus or Sufi Qalandars and Dervishes , have smoked cannabis from both chillums and coconut shell hookahs in South Asia since the ancient times. Also, the reference of "chalice" may be a transliteration of jah me qalandar (a term used by Sufi ascetics meaning 'bowl or cup of qalandar'). In South Asia, in addition to smoking, cannabis is often consumed as a drink known as bhang and most qalandars carry a large wooden pestle for that reason.
According to many Rastas, the illegality of cannabis in many nations is evidence of persecution of Rastafari. They are not surprised that it is illegal, seeing it as a powerful substance that opens people's minds to the truth – something the Babylon system, they reason, clearly does not want. They contrast it to alcohol and other drugs, which they feel destroy the mind.
According to some Rastafari, the etymology of the word "cannabis" and
similar terms in all the languages of the Near East may be traced to the
Hebrew " kaneh bosm " קנה-בשם as one of the herbs that God
commanded Moses to include in his preparation of sacred anointing
perfume in Exodus 30:23; the Hebrew term also appears in Isaiah
43:24; Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel 27:19; and Song of Songs 4:14. Deutero-
canonical and canonical references to the patriarchs Adam, Noah,
Abraham, and Moses "burning incense before the Lord" are also
applied, and many Rastas today refer to cannabis by the term "is
hence"—a slightly changed form of the English word incense. Some
Rastas claim that cannabis was the first plant to grow on King
Solomon's grave.
In 1998, Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno gave a legal
opinion that Rastafari do not have the religious right to smoke
marijuana in violation of the United States' drug laws. The position is
the same in the United Kingdom, where, in the Court of Appeal case of
R. v. Taylor 2002 10 million. App. R. 37, it was held that the UK's
prohibition on cannabis use did not contravene the right to freedom of
religion conferred under the Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Rastafari culture does not encourage mainstream political involvement.
In fact, in the early stages of the movement most Rastas did not vote,
out of principle. Ras Sam Brown formed the Suffering People's Party
for the Jamaican elections of 1962 and received fewer than 100 votes.
In the election campaign of 1972, People's National Party leader
Michael Manley used a prop, a walking stick given to him by Haile
Selassie, which was called the "Rod of Correction", in a direct appeal to
Rastafari values.
In the famous free One Love Peace Concert on April 22, 1978,
Peter Tosh lambasted the audience, including attending dignitaries, with
political demands that included decriminalising cannabis. He did this while smoking a spliff, a criminal act in Jamaica. At this same concert, Bob Marley led both then-Prime Minister Michael Manley and opposition leader Edward Seaga onto the stage; and a famous picture was taken with all three of them holding their hands together above their heads in a symbolic gesture of peace during what had been a very violent election campaign.
"He the Almighty taught us that all human beings are equal regardless of sex, national origin and tribe. And He also taught us all who seek Him shall find Him." – Haile Selassie I, Dec. 1968 interview with Dr. Oswald Hoffman on 'The Lutheran Hour'.
Per the Rastas' perception of what Haile Selassie's consistent lifelong message was, Rastafari tend to be firm adherents to the proposition that in the eyes of Jah, all men and women deserve equal and just rights, treatment and respect. With both King Alpha and his Queen Omega as examples, Rastafari bredren and sistren (collectively idren) seek to emulate kings and queens according mutual respect and dignity. According to them, all people are equal, regardless of race, because all
However, in terms of sexual behavior, there are many in the Rastafari movement (like most other biblical religions) who consider homosexual acts to be a Babylon-promoted sin against the Creator, and therefore may not support LGBT rights movements. The Bobo Ashanti mansion has been noted for this; with other mansions it tends to vary.
Rastas assert that their original African languages were stolen from them when they were taken into captivity as part of the slave trade, and that English is an imposed colonial language. Their remedy has been the creation of a modified vocabulary and dialect known as " Iyaric ", reflecting their desire to take language forward and to confront the society they call Babylon.
The Ital vegetarian diet is one of the main tenets of the Rastafari movement. Those who adhere to it abstain from all meat and flesh whatsoever, asserting that to touch meat is to touch death, and is therefore a violation of the Nazirite law. Some Rastafari eat limited types of meat in accordance with the dietary Laws of the Old Testament but in accordance with those laws, they do not eat shellfish or pork. Some are vegetarian but make a special exception allowing fish, while abstaining from all other forms of flesh. Most Rastafari maintain a vegan or vegetarian diet all of the time. Food approved for Rastafari is called ital. The purpose of fasting (abstaining from meat and dairy) is to cleanse the body in accordance to serving in the presence of the " Ark of the Covenant ".
Usage of alcohol is also generally deemed unhealthy to the Rastafari way of life, partly because it is seen as a tool of Babylon to confuse people, and partly because placing something that is pickled and fermented within oneself is felt to be much like turning the body (the Temple) into a "cemetery".
The wearing of dreadlocks is very closely associated with the movement, though not universal among, nor exclusive to, its adherents. Rastafari maintain that locks are required by 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 the flesh.") and the Nazirite law in Numbers
6:5 ("All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head:
until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow."). The Dreadlocks represents A lion's mane and Yeshua (Jesus) in his Kingly Character. It has been suggested (e.g., Campbell 1985) that the first Rasta locks were copied from Kenya in 1953, when images of the independence struggle of the feared Mau Mau insurgents, who grew their "dreaded locks" while hiding in the mountains, appeared in newsreels and other publications that reached Jamaica. However, a more recent study by Barry Chevannes has traced the first hair locked Rastas to a subgroup first appearing in 1949, known as Youth Black Faith. In 1844, the trade of coolies was expanded to the colonies in the West Indies, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Demerara, where the Asian population was soon a major component of the island demographic. The Indian coolies brought their culture with them, which includes, prominently, the wearing of dreadlocks by holy men. This god Shiva of the Indian trinity wears dreadlocks.
Also, according to the Bible, Samson was a
Nazirite who had "seven locks". Rastafari
argue that these "seven locks" could only have
been dreadlocks, as it is unlikely to refer to
seven strands of hair. Locks have also come
to symbolize the Lion of Judah (its mane) and
rebellion against Babylon. In the United
States, several public schools and work
places have lost lawsuits as the result of banning locks. Safeway is an early example, and the victory of eight children in a suit against their Lafayette, Louisiana school was a landmark decision in favor of Rastafari rights. More recently, in 2009, a group of Rastafari settled a federal lawsuit with the Grand Central Partnership in New York City, allowing them to wear their locks in neat ponytails, rather than be forced to "painfully tuck in their long hair" in their uniform caps.
Rastafari associate dreadlocks with a spiritual journey that one takes in the process of locking their hair (growing hair locks). It is taught that patience is the key to growing locks, a journey of the mind, soul and spirituality. Its spiritual pattern is aligned with the Rastafari movement. The way to form natural dreadlocks is to allow hair to grow in its natural pattern, without cutting, combing or brushing, but simply to wash it with pure water and herbal shampoo. For Rastafari the razor, the scissors and the comb are the three Babylonian or Roman inventions. So close is the association between dreadlocks and Rastafari, that the two are sometimes used synonymously. In reggae music, a follower of Rastafari may be referred to simply as a "dreadlocks" or " natty (natural) dread ".
The Rastafari colours of green, gold and red (sometimes also including black) are very commonly sported on the Rastafari flag, icons, badges, posters etc. The green, gold, red, are the colours of the Ethiopian flag and show the loyalty Rastafari feel towards the Ethiopian state in the reign of Haile Selassie. Red is said to signify the blood of martyrs, green the vegetation and beauty of Ethiopia, and gold the wealth of Africa.
Music has long played an integral role in Rastafari, and the connection between the movement and various kinds of music has become well known, due to the international fame of reggae musicians such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Reggae was born in Trenchtown, the main ghetto of Kingston, Jamaica, amidst poor blacks who listened to radio stations from the United States. Jamaican musicians, many of them Rastas, soon blended traditional Jamaican folk music and drumming with American R&B, and jazz into ska, which later developed into reggae under the influence of soul.
The material on this site does not necessarily reflect the views of What If? Tees.
The Images and Text are not meant to offend but to Promote Positive Open Debate and Free Speech.
The material on this site does not reflect the views of What If? Tees.
The Images and Text are not meant to offend but to Promote Positive Open Debate and Free Speech.