Well I don't see how liking Carribean music means you have to believe in an obviously false religion and I quote:
"Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie I, (know as Ras [Prince] Tafari) former emperor of Ethiopia, considering him to have been the Messiah and the champion of the black race. Although he has physically ''disappeared'', followers still claim to access his presence as Jah. Rastas believe that black people are the Israelites reincarnated and have been persecuted by the white race in divine punishment for their sins. They will eventually be redeemed by exodus to Africa, their true home and heaven on earth.
As Cashmore has observed, "The belief system of Ras Tafari was so vague and loosely defined, even at its inception, due to its lack of a single authoritative voice, that what was to be acceptable doctrine was largely a matter of individual interpretation" (Rastaman, p. 7).
Early in the history of the movement, Leonard Howell gave the Rastafarians six principles. "(1) hatred for the White race; (2) the complete superiority of the Black race; (3) revenge on Whites for their wickedness; (4) the negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica; (5) preparation to go back to Africa; and (6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of Black people" (The Rastafarians, p. 85). As Barrett notes, "This first glimpse of the new doctrine that launched the Rastafarian movement has not changed significantly over the years" (Ibid).
Aside from these six principles are two overriding concepts that are key to the Rastafarian system.
First is the idea or teaching about Babylon which refers to the Jamaican government, the establishment or the white oppressors in general (Ibid, pp. xiii, 3, 89).
The second concept is that of I and I which has "become arguably the most important theoretical tool apart from the Babylonian conspiracy in the Rastafarian repertoire" (Rastaman, p. 66). Cashmore explains, "I and I is an expression to totalize the concept of oneness. `I and I' as being the oneness of two persons. So God is within all of us and we're one people in fact. `I and I means that God is in all men. The bond of Ras Tafari is the bond of God, of man. But man itself needs a head and the head of man is His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie of Ethiopia'" (Ibid, p. 67).
Other doctrines which are more loosely taught and believed by the Rastafarians are the following:
1) Rastafarians have a doctrine of avatar which is very similar to Hinduism. They believe, "God revealed himself in the person of Moses, who was the first avatar or savior. The second avatar was Elijah. The Third avatar was Jesus Christ. Now the advent of Ras Tafari is the climax of God's revelation" (The Rastafarians, p. 112). They even teach that Jesus predicted the coming of Haile Selassie (Ibid, p. 106).
2) The devil is actually the god of the White man (Ibid, p. 108).
3) As with many new religious movements, the Rastafarians only accept the Bible conditionally preferring those passages that can be forced to harmonize with their unique doctrines. "Rastas accept the Bible as their central text with the proviso that much of its original material had been deliberately distorted during its translation into English. It is necessary, therefore, to interpret the Bible as critically as possible and recognize the aspects of it which might have been flushed out, included or altered in meaning." Further, they prefer an allegorical approach to Bible interpretation claiming that the pages of Scripture should be searched for "hidden meanings and directives" (Rastaman, p. 74).
4) Women's role in the Rastafarian movement is at best a subordinate one (Ibid, p. 78).
5) A physical feature that sets the Rastafarians apart from all other groups is the wearing of their hair in dreadlocks. "Dreadlocks were inspired by a biblical injunction against the cutting of one's hair" (Magical Blend, June/July 1994, p. 76).
6) Another commonly held belief among the Rastafarians is their emphasis on the smoking of marijuana. "Likewise, ganga or marijuana is considered to be the `holy herb' mentioned in the Bible and its smoking is a holy sacrament to many" (Ibid, June/July 1994, p. 76). As Barrett explains, through the use of ganga, the Rastafarian reaches an altered state of consciousness. In this altered state, "the revelation that Haile Selassie is God and that Ethiopia is the home of the Black" is realized. "The herb is the key to new understanding of the self, the universe, and God. It is the vehicle to cosmic consciousness" (The Rastafarians, pp. 254-255).
7) In line with their idea of being the supreme race, the Rastafarians also believe that they "1/4were the reincarnations of the ancient tribes of Israel who had been enslaved and kept in exile by their white oppressors, the agents of Babylon" (Rastaman, p. 129)
True Rastafarians are also vegetarians (The Rastafarians, p. 126).
BIBLICAL RESPONSE
As with many other groups which selectively acknowledge biblical passages, the Rastafarians will only accept those parts of the Bible which appear to agree with their unique theological perspectives. However, the following verses may be of some help.
1) Haile Selassie is not the latest avatar of God, for Jesus was the fullness of God. John 1:16; Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 1:19, 2:9.
2) No race is superior to any other race. Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11.
3) While it is true that the Bible does have meanings on various levels of interpretation, it is not a concealed book. Also, it is not a book that can be selectively believed. Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20.
4) The Rastafarian's view of Jesus being only one of several "avatars" depreciates Christ's unique claims to deity and His role as sole mediator between God and man. John 8:58; Acts 4:12; 1Tim. 2:5. "
by MiChuhSuh » April 19th, 2006, 5:01 pm 
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