I have questions regarding Rasta, and his political ideas. I've only read a tiny bit about the guy, so please help me out. 1) It seems Rasta's big idea was that black Africans should move back to Africa. That's it. Is this correct? 2) If the bit in question 1 is correct, do Rastas also support Vladimior Zhirinovsky? 3) Why do people say "Rastafarian", when the appropriate term would be "Rastan"? The guy was not called "Rastafar".
There is no such person as "Rasta". Ras Tafari Markonnen was the original name for the ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, who was believed to rule through divine mandate somewhat like an Egytpian Pharaoh. Rastafarianism deifies Selassie.
It should also be noted that Rastafarianism is about more than returning to Africa, as it believes that through voodoo ritual "Babylon" can be brought down. Babylon is, of course, the United States in specific and the white man in general. Read Chanting Down Babylon for more info.
Rastafari Haile Selassie I and I Positive Vibration, yeah I and I vibration, yeah Northwind, I always heard Haile Selassie was a prophet? Never heard he was a god...
its interesting to note that an offshoot of islamists also borrowed ideas from ja ras takfiri and called themselves takfiris - basic ideal was to kick the bootie of all westerners out of their "occupied" lands ... takfiris are the more extreme version on the brotherhood
Depends on who you talk to. As in many religious movements, the prophet often becomes deified later as sectarianism creeps in. It should be noted that most Rastas do not advocate violently trying to destroy the white man. Rather, they believe mystic ritual and smoking lots of ganja will cause the white man's society to devour itself from within. Frighteningly, this actually seems to be happening.
Hmm. I've been reading some on this Tafari guy. So the "ras" is a title. Wouldn't calling yourself "ras-tafarian" be like calling yourself a "mister-tafarian"? Seems very... well, silly. Let's see. Bad human rights record. A prick of a ruler. Overthrown by the people because he was so bad. He visited Jamaica in April 1966 and refused to get off the plane because he wanted nothing to do with the dreadlocked people there who supposedly followed him. What exactly is it that all those Jamaicans liked about the guy? Is it just this idea that he was a second-coming as advertised in some prophecy?
I am sorry but this seems foolish to me. Bring down babylon to raise another. The one difference is who controls it. To my perspective African imperialisme seems little different then Western Imperialisme. This seems like nothing more then a fundamentalist view. White man, black man, orange man, blue man? What is the difference. Mystic ritual to cause suffering( Sorry that is just a pet peave of mine). I have no respect for that sentiment at all. Why attempt to enginer the fall of a people when you could enlighten those who will listen. Thus making it better for all? Thought there may be many factor that I cannot comprehend. The exploitation of those regions are truely a shamfull disgrace to humnaity. Sorry for the rant. Using mystic tradition with for malice bothers me.
