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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari_movement
The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation of God, called Jah or Jah Rastafari. Haile Selassie is also seen as part of the Holy Trinity and as the returned messiah promised in the Bible.
Other characteristics of Rastafari include the spiritual use of cannabis, rejection of western society (called "Babylon"), and various Afrocentric social and political aspirations, such as the teachings of Jamaican publicist, organizer, and black separatist Marcus Garvey (also often regarded as a prophet), whose political and cultural vision helped inspire Leonard Howell to develop the foundations of this new world view. The Rastafari movement predominantly emerged in Jamaica in the 20th century, and it proclaims Africa (also "Zion") as the original place where the body of the first man was found, which established independency among blacks.
The name Rastafari comes from Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Tafari Makonnen, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari is commonly called "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by Rastas themselves.
World-views and doctrines
Jah
Rastafari are monotheists, worshiping one, singular, God whom they call Jah. Rastas see Jah as being in the form of the Holy Trinity, that is, God being the God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Rastas say that Jah, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives within the human, and for this reason they often refer to themselves as "I and I".
Rastas usually accept the Christian doctrine that God incarnated onto the Earth in the form of Jesus Christ, to give his teachings to humanity. However, they often feel his teachings were corrupted by Babylon. Many Rastas, in accordance with their assertion that "word, sound is power", also object specifically to the English pronunciation of his name (/dʒi:zəs/) as impure, preferring instead to use the forms in Hebrew (Yehoshuah) or Amharic ('Iyesus).
Integral to the basic Rastafari world-view is that Jah, as the Messiah or Christ, was incarnated again, this time as the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari). A few Rastas also claim that Melchizedek, an Old Testament figure, was a previous incarnation of Jah.
Jesus Christ
Most Rastas agree, as do the majority of Christians, that Jesus Christ is an incarnation of God on Earth. They consider that Jesus gave Jah's teachings to humanity, but they were distorted by Babylon. For this reason, it was prophesied in the Book of Revelation that Jesus would return. Rastas hold that this was fulfilled when Haile Selassie was born, whom they see as a reincarnation of Jesus, and therefore Jah, onto the Earth.
Rastas say that Jesus was black, and that white society (or Babylon) has commonly depicted him as white for centuries in order to suppress the truth and gain dominion over all peoples.
The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation of God, called Jah or Jah Rastafari. Haile Selassie is also seen as part of the Holy Trinity and as the returned messiah promised in the Bible.
Other characteristics of Rastafari include the spiritual use of cannabis, rejection of western society (called "Babylon"), and various Afrocentric social and political aspirations, such as the teachings of Jamaican publicist, organizer, and black separatist Marcus Garvey (also often regarded as a prophet), whose political and cultural vision helped inspire Leonard Howell to develop the foundations of this new world view. The Rastafari movement predominantly emerged in Jamaica in the 20th century, and it proclaims Africa (also "Zion") as the original place where the body of the first man was found, which established independency among blacks.
The name Rastafari comes from Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Tafari Makonnen, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari is commonly called "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by Rastas themselves.
World-views and doctrines
Jah
Rastafari are monotheists, worshiping one, singular, God whom they call Jah. Rastas see Jah as being in the form of the Holy Trinity, that is, God being the God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Rastas say that Jah, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives within the human, and for this reason they often refer to themselves as "I and I".
Rastas usually accept the Christian doctrine that God incarnated onto the Earth in the form of Jesus Christ, to give his teachings to humanity. However, they often feel his teachings were corrupted by Babylon. Many Rastas, in accordance with their assertion that "word, sound is power", also object specifically to the English pronunciation of his name (/dʒi:zəs/) as impure, preferring instead to use the forms in Hebrew (Yehoshuah) or Amharic ('Iyesus).
Integral to the basic Rastafari world-view is that Jah, as the Messiah or Christ, was incarnated again, this time as the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari). A few Rastas also claim that Melchizedek, an Old Testament figure, was a previous incarnation of Jah.
Jesus Christ
Most Rastas agree, as do the majority of Christians, that Jesus Christ is an incarnation of God on Earth. They consider that Jesus gave Jah's teachings to humanity, but they were distorted by Babylon. For this reason, it was prophesied in the Book of Revelation that Jesus would return. Rastas hold that this was fulfilled when Haile Selassie was born, whom they see as a reincarnation of Jesus, and therefore Jah, onto the Earth.
Rastas say that Jesus was black, and that white society (or Babylon) has commonly depicted him as white for centuries in order to suppress the truth and gain dominion over all peoples.
