The Rastafarian Belief System Essay -- essays research papers

The Rastafarian Belief system The belief system of the Rastafarians is that Haile Selassie is the living God for the black race. Selassie, whose previous name was Ras Tafari, was the black Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians live a peaceful life, needing little material possessions and devote much time to contemplating the scriptures. They reject the white man's world, as the new age Babylon of greed and dishonesty. Proud and confident "Rastas" even though they are humble will stand up for their rights. Rastas let their hair grow naturally into dreadlocks, in the image of the lion of Judah. The total following is believed to be over a million worldwide. Also the belief system of Rastafarianism is somewhat based on six fundamental principles. These included Hatred for the white race, the complete superiority of the black race, Revenge on whites for their wickedness, the negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica, Preparation to go back to Africa and Acknowledging E mperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of black people. However there are several other key concepts to belief system of Rastafarianism. These include Babylon, I and I, Jah, Colours, Ganja, Lion, Diet and Dreadlocks. Babylon is the Rastafarian term for the white political power structure that has been holding the black race down for centuries. Through the past, Rastafarian people claim that blacks were held down physically by the shackles of slave...