What is the RasTafari Movement?

"Without centralised organisation, any one definitive text, official buildings or a recognisable and ongoing office of leader the religion is difficult to categorise. This results in a wide variety of beliefs and practices coming under the general umbrella of Rastafarianism that often result from individual interpretations."

ok, here we go...

 

HAH. For some reason, I just imagined the pope, but with really long dreads and the Rasatafari lion on his hat. Funny.

 

vigilante can you start? i'll try to add. i know a lot about rasta

 

well, i don't like the idea of spewing out facts. i'd rather have people just ask, and anyone with (cited) information can contribute. how bout you tell me what you do know and i can add to it.

dftw, i'd pay to see that.

 

has anybody read 'promise key' ?

 

yes, i've read exerpts. that is one view that some rasta adhere to. not all.

for those who haven't it was written by Leonard Howell and it focused on the beief that the black race was supreme, that whites should be eradicated etc. etc.

 

k well. Ras Tafari stands for Head[Ras] and Tafari Makonnen[225th under King David]. there are main groups such as the Nyabanghi, Garveyites, and 12 Tribes of Israel. Main people - Jesus was a prophet, Haile Selassie I was the Ethiopian King and some people believe he is Jah incarnate, some people believe he was a prophet, some people believe he was a perfect example of livity. Bob Marley carved the nitch into international awareness of Rastafari through music. Rastas wear dreads a symbol of the Lion of Judah. Dreads are also worn because of various verses in the Ethiopian Bible. Dreads are also worn because they are a symbol of patience and growth with Jah.
That's all for now :]

 

pretty good start. i wanted to add that most rasta use a verse from the book of levitcus as reason for dreadlocks.

 

Samson had locks. when they were cut he lost his strength significantly.

 

so vig, you can just decide to become a rasta? I thought that you had to be born to it.

 

you need to be reborn to be a rasta

 

Cool! Thansk for starting hte new thread. What do you mean by reborn?

 

new spiritual life. oneness with Jah. [I and I] main concept of rastafari

 

what's your take on that vigilante?

 

I believe that Rastas are born, the same way dreads are born. You have it within you, and come to it naturally.

 

Isn't that the reason that rastas should grow natural dreads? Making dreads through backcombing seems kind of contradictory to patience. So why do many of you "rastas" backcomb?

Another question. This is taken from a site:

"There are a lot of different rules within Rastafarianism that are almost impossible to follow in the society of today. For once the Rastafarians aren't allowed to eat just any food. A true Rasta only eats I-tal food. This is food that is cooked but served as raw as possible. It never touches chicals, it's natural and it isn't canned. Many Rastas are vegetarians since it can't be nice to eat almost raw meat. Those Rastas who eat meat however don't eat pig since pigs are the scavengers of land. Fish however is common food for the Rastas though they're not allowed to eat any shellfood since lobsters, crabs, shrimps and so on are the scavengers of the sea and the fish that they eat must be no more than 12 inches long.


They are neither allowed to drink Liquor, milk, coffee and soft drinks are seen as unnatural.

Rastas are neither allowed to work or travel with aeroplane called the "Iron Bird". You wonder how Bob Marley made his money and traveled to his concerts outside of Jamaica.

Soap is forbidden for Rastafarians to use. Instead they use the ackee as soap, which is the national fruit of Jamaica.Western medicines are also forbidden according to the religion of the rastaman but it is considered a virtue to smoke the Ganjaweed (marijuana).It is considered to be the weed of wisdom and to contain all sorts of healing ingredients. There is no better natural medicine for the Rasataman than "the herb".
Read the stories told by youths who have been smoking "The weed". "


My question is, which adjustments or alternatives have you made in your personal life to meet these needs and be a rastafarian? I have also heard that woman are not allowed to show very much skin (ie arms and necks) and that all forms of body modification is prohibited. IS this true

 

its not as easy as just following a set of rules and regulations. its about a nature to constantly become more connected to jah and constanty, patiently growing oneself for reasons written within him.

 

I understand that

but I want to know if you guys actually do follow these rules

 

The Qur'an's more interesting