RASTAFARIANISM

RASTAFARIANISM

Jamaica is the home of Rastafarianism, a religious movement spurred by the beliefs of famous Jamaican Marcus Garvey and inspired by an Ethiopianist reading of the King James Bible. Rastafarian beliefs are Christian, with a Jamaican twist.
Ethiopian Prince (Ras) Tafari is at the center of the religion; Rastafarians believe him to be the messiah. In 1932 Tafari was crowned emperor Haile Selassie. Selassie himself claimed lineage from the biblical Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
Garvey's followers proclaimed him to be a prophet, as he had spoken of an Ethiopian leader who would take control and who would be the messiah. Selassie became their messiah, having ascended to the throne as Garvey predicted.
Ethiopia is associated with heaven on earth, and souls are said to return there after death. Rastafarianism also includes beliefs about the worlds of the living and the dead associating; these stem particularly from beliefs of the now-creolized Obeah and Myal religions on Jamaica.


Conversion Process: There is no centralized body of Rastafarianism, and therefore no strictly agreed upon rules of conversion exist. Becoming a Rastafarian is as simple as following the teachings of the late Emporer Haile Selassie. And no, you are not required to grow dreads or smoke grass to become a Rastafarian … but why the hell wouldn't you?

Judgment Day: Unfortunately, if you are white, you are probably a part of Babylon -- the white political power structure that has been holding down blacks for centuries -- and are probably not eligible for much forgiveness at any time. For everyone else, the question is if you really want to pass judgment day -- see below.

Afterlife: A disappointment. Rastas consider Ethiopia to be "Heaven on Earth" and don't believe in any eternal heaven or hell. For those of us who sang "We are the World" during elementary school graduation: we're not fooled.

Bells and Whistles: Did we mention the skunk weed?

Overall: 3. Although it combines the ease of Christianity with the fun of trying to speak in a Jamaican accent -- some-ting I and I jus' kyan resist! -- Rastafarianism's overall score was ultimately dragged down by the whole Ethiopia rip-off.