I want to join the rasta movement

[Smelldadirt41]

Hi, my name is Matt. I have fallen love with reggae music so last summer I visited jamica and I love the people and he culture there so I decided that I would read uP about their religion. I have jut scratched the surface but it kinda speeks to me about the wars need to stop along with racism and violence and it really motivates me and I would like to become a rasta if that is possible. Any help is appraceated, bless!

 

[SageTree]

Rasta action around here is slow/nearly non-existent.

It's a way of Life I see parts of myself in...

My word of advice, go find a more specific Rastafari board and post there.

:namaste
SageTree

 

[D-MITCH777]

If I was you I would look into it more for a bit longer to see what you think. It seems that reggae music is one of the main reasons you want to join the faith.

Anyone from anywhere can become a Rasta if they wont too. There is no conversion ritual or anything. You just take on the way of life. You can join a group, but you don't have to if you don't want too.

I am a Ex Rasta so if you have any questions Ill answer them best I can.

 

[kaknelson]

I believe TrodtoZion made several posts regarding this, Look into the speeches of Haile Selassie I, African history.Read the bible etc.

 

[JacobEzra.]

The religion was made out of racism against blacks in Jamaica and seems to be geared against Whites.

Is it any different then Nation of Islam or Black Hebrew Israelites?

 

[SageTree]

The religion was made out of racism against blacks in Jamaica and seems to be geared against Whites.

Is it any different then Nation of Islam or Black Hebrew Israelites?

I feel your first statement is not entirely accurate.
The reaction to racism was to 'deconstruct' and stop using 'Babylon' systems...
That is what 'white' infers to more purely in this tradition, imo.

But I don't want to speak for others.

I just don't think that saying it's a racism to counter-racism is true.

 

[Breathe]

I feel your first statement is not entirely accurate.
The reaction to racism was to 'deconstruct' and stop using 'Babylon' systems...
That is what 'white' infers to more purely in this tradition, imo.

This is how Rastafari has been explained to me.

Sadly we don't have many active Rastafari here.

 

[D-MITCH777]

Rastafari is not meant to be racist to white people o though some rasta's might be. Rastafari was created because of Racism against Black People. If you read or watch any Rasta's talking about Rasta a lot of them mention how they saw Haile Selassie as the Black King which shows it's roots in Colonel Jamaica when they was taught that their Monarch was the one from England.

 

[kaknelson]

Rastafari is not meant to be racist to white people o though some rasta's might be. Rastafari was created because of Racism against Black People. If you read or watch any Rasta's talking about Rasta a lot of them mention how they saw Haile Selassie as the Black King which shows it's roots in Colonel Jamaica when they was taught that their Monarch was the one from England.

I have been to jamaica, i don't see any evidence or racism among many rastas, i saw white, black, chinese and indian ras's all equal, smoking herb and reasoning together.

 

[D-MITCH777]

I know. I'm just saying because I have saw some Rastas who was. Although the majority of Rasta are not, and will accept any as Rasta as long as they accept Haile Selassie's teachings.

 

[Biblestudent_007]

Is Rastafarianism associated in any way with the characters/actors in the movie Belly? . . Jamaica is an island I can find on a map. <>< Peace Rastafariansim

 

[Breathe]

Is Rastafarianism associated in any way with the characters/actors in the movie Belly?

Wha...?
Uhm. No, it isn't. Not that I know of.

What made you think it was?

 

[SageTree]

Is Rastafarianism associated in any way with the characters/actors in the movie Belly? . . Jamaica is an island I can find on a map. <>< Peace Rastafariansim

LOL.... nah man.


And FYI, in terms of etiquette it's Rastafari. It's meant, as I understand it, to over come 'isms' of Babylon-system. It's about freedom, not just another classification.

Not complaining, but feel it's a useful and respectful thing to know.

:namaste
SageTree

 

[DreadFish]

Its my understanding that at the very beginning, the Rastafari movement was about African unity and hatred of the white race. The man Leonard Howell is credited with starting the movement, and proscribed hatred for the white race. But this changed at one point and now most Rastas would accept any race and its about all unity and love.

 

[SageTree]

Its my understanding that at the very beginning, the Rastafari movement was about African unity and hatred of the white race. The man Leonard Howell is credited with starting the movement, and proscribed hatred for the white race. But this changed at one point and now most Rastas would accept any race and its about all unity and love.

Starting the Rasta movement or starting the hateful Rasta movement?

 

[kaknelson]

Its my understanding that at the very beginning, the Rastafari movement was about African unity and hatred of the white race. The man Leonard Howell is credited with starting the movement, and proscribed hatred for the white race. But this changed at one point and now most Rastas would accept any race and its about all unity and love.

How do you explain the early Rastafari slogon "death to white And black oppressors"?. In addition "white" to the Rastafarians have a different idea what white is. Its more of a mental thing according to some elders that I have spoke with. But yeah basically eary rasta's were and still are against the Babylon system, which is predominately white in government and ideology.

 

[SageTree]

I have a hard time believing that hatred is rooted in this tradition if this is the man being looked up to and revered.

Rather, I consider hate just another human thing that happens from time to time in all walks of life.

To hate any one would seem like another bad system to get into.
Babylon divides us.
Love brings us together in equality.

Haile Selassie I
Speech to the United Nations (excerpt)
New York City, NY
October 4, 1963

"...until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained...."

[youtube]ZCFHYyErkA0[/youtube]
Bob Marley War live - YouTube

:namaste
SageTree

 

[Sylvan]

If you'd like a wealth of information about the roots of Rastafari and Leonard Howell is particular I can highly recommend a book called "The First Rasta" by Helene Lee. I think Howell is getting a harsh rap here, and I don't see him as being any more or less "anti-white" as any of his contemporaries. I think perhaps the idea that there were white people who might be accepting or supportive of this philosophy didn't even really cross their minds until a generation or two later. Howell in fact had several children with Indian women, and many aspects of Rastafari such as the use of ganja may betray a Hindu influence. Many indentured laborers and their families from the sub-continent were exported to British colonies all over the Caribbean, and brought their spiritual traditions with them.

The specific condemnation of racism by His Imperial Majesty in 1963 quoted above is sited by many Rastas as the reason they would accept those of all races. I think the way this interpreted however depends upon the Rasta. For instance a sincere white man might have a very difficult time entering the ranks of the Bobo Ashanti (if they could find any), but could easily find acceptance in The Twelve Tribes.

Listen to this for a while.

 

[D-MITCH777]

I attended the Sabbath of the Bobo shanti towards the end of my time as a Rastafarian, and they are definitely not racist. I am Mixed race and I never en counted any trouble for my European ancestry. They don't believe in Racial mixing; I was told that whatever women I chose my Child would be apart of that racial group. They have certain practices like not wearing the color white over black, and chanting things like '' Black man god, Jah Rastafari selah, but they are more symbolic of Good(black) and Bad(white). I understand that this may seem Racist to people that don't really understand ,but it really isn't. The EABIC(Bobo Shanti) have a huge following in Latin America, and have branches through out Europe and North America. King Emmanuel Charles Edwards(founder of the Bobo Shanti order) said'' It's better for a white man to have black heart, than a black man to have a white heart''. The Bobo Shanti order does call themselves Black Supremacists, but they do not use it meaning they want Black people over White people, but they say it means equality and freedom for all races, in their ancestral homelands.

Emmanuel teachings seem very similar to that of Leonard Howells. I have both Promised Key by Leonard Howell and Black Supremacy by King Emmanuel, and although they are different they seem to be saying the same things in general.

 

[Breathe]

but they are more symbolic of Good(black) and Bad(white).

That is true.

People still in Europe will associate the colour black with death: the colour of mourning, "he has a black heart", and so on.

For many African groups, and Rastafari (and probably African and Carribean as a whole), white is the colour of death. In the same way, white is the colour of death around other places in the world, too.


My wife's uncle is a Rastafari, and he's never been anything but nice to us.