- Jan 25, 2009
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Shalom!!!
For anyone interested, I was writing due to some unique experiences I've been able to go through......as concerning my own West-Indian cultural background, I was blessed to go on a mission trip to the homeland of Jamaica. Been there numerous times before..... but its always a blessing to visit. The last time I went was about 7 years ago.
One of the things that often happens is that one inevitably encounters those who are known as Rastafarians----and though I knew of them/saw them before, I never go to interact much with them. When it came to going down there, I made it a point to study up on the cultural dynamics of Rastafariniasm so I'd be caught up/able to witness. When I came down, our mission trip team worked with an organization known as YWAM Jamaica". We also did extensive work with an organization known as [URL="https://www.facebook.com/FaithLiftersMinistryInternational"]The Faith Lifters Ministry [/URL].. under the leadership of Pastor Peter Dawkins....and it was amazing to see how many times I was called "Rasta" ---both by the believers in Christ we worked with and with the locals as well whom we were seeking to aid. I initially assumed it was due to how I've chosen to grow locks over the past 3 years...but as it turns out, it seems that the term "RASTA" was something used to denote one who is spiritual...wise/godly...and though I used to be oppossed the term, there are many things I'm open to now.
Studying up on Rastafarianism, it was amazing to see not only the differences---but also the commonality between Christians and the Rasta group...and hearing out those who used to be in it/where they come from was a blessing. Some Rastafari choose to classify their movement as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity, or Judaism..and of those, the ties to the Ethiopian Church are the most widespread, although this is controversial to many Ethiopian clergy. For discussions have raged for ages on those who're Rastafarian and Christian...as many had the Biblical Belief that Jesus was the Messiah...but many in the more "extreme" aspects of camp mistakenly held that Hali Salessi was Christ come back. I was amazed to learn that Haile Selassie, the King of Ethopia, was himself a devout believer in Christ......and one who was intimately connected with the Ethopian Orthodox Church. Whenever it came to others wondering why it was that people said was the Messiah, he'd always reply "I'm a mere man. I will be replaced by the oncoming generation and a human being should not be emulated for a deity.'"
Many who used to be Rastafarians worshipping Hali recognized that instead of worshipping him, they should've been worshipping who he was worshipping. And for the many who claim to be Rastafarians, and as I learned, the term "Rasta" can be used as a means of endearment since the name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the pre-regnal title of Haile Selassie I, composed of Amharic Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Haile Selassie's pre-regnal given name. Being called "Rasta" is many times a way of saying one's spiritual like the Christian Emperor of Ethopia...where the focus is simply upon the lifestyle (i.e. maintaining locks/dreads as a spiritual symbolization like the Nazarite Vows, vegetarian lifestyles, Afrocentrism, Addressing the ways in which European Expansionism/Colonialsim and Imperialism has utilized Christianity as a means of continuning itself/suppressing others, Reggae, etc). .....as opposed to choosing to worship a man who's not Christ.
Even more interesting is the reality of how intimately aspects of Rasta Lifestyles/views are connected with Messianic Judaism---and it has been wild to discover the intriacies of them more so over time. Many of those who are Jews of Color have noted how much it seemed that in being involved with Judaism, the Afro-Centric side of things became more clear....seeing how many in Jewish culture were Black---even though its not acknowleged by many in our own times. Other notable musicians within the Jewish world have noted the same---such as folks like Matisyahu, if anyone has ever heard of his music.
For more info, one can consider going online and looking up articles under the following names:
And there are many others similar to him in experience ..all of it showing connections with Rasta culture and Jewish culture (as well as early Christianity) in more ways than one
If anyone has any thoughts on the issue, I'd love to hear sometime. What are your thoughts on the issue of Rastafarianism and Judaism? Do you agree or disagree that they are connected/can co-exist? Is it wrong to be considered a "Christian Rasta" or "Jewish Rasta"? Would love to hear sometime...
Shalom
For anyone interested, I was writing due to some unique experiences I've been able to go through......as concerning my own West-Indian cultural background, I was blessed to go on a mission trip to the homeland of Jamaica. Been there numerous times before..... but its always a blessing to visit. The last time I went was about 7 years ago.
One of the things that often happens is that one inevitably encounters those who are known as Rastafarians----and though I knew of them/saw them before, I never go to interact much with them. When it came to going down there, I made it a point to study up on the cultural dynamics of Rastafariniasm so I'd be caught up/able to witness. When I came down, our mission trip team worked with an organization known as YWAM Jamaica". We also did extensive work with an organization known as [URL="https://www.facebook.com/FaithLiftersMinistryInternational"]The Faith Lifters Ministry [/URL].. under the leadership of Pastor Peter Dawkins....and it was amazing to see how many times I was called "Rasta" ---both by the believers in Christ we worked with and with the locals as well whom we were seeking to aid. I initially assumed it was due to how I've chosen to grow locks over the past 3 years...but as it turns out, it seems that the term "RASTA" was something used to denote one who is spiritual...wise/godly...and though I used to be oppossed the term, there are many things I'm open to now.
Studying up on Rastafarianism, it was amazing to see not only the differences---but also the commonality between Christians and the Rasta group...and hearing out those who used to be in it/where they come from was a blessing. Some Rastafari choose to classify their movement as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity, or Judaism..and of those, the ties to the Ethiopian Church are the most widespread, although this is controversial to many Ethiopian clergy. For discussions have raged for ages on those who're Rastafarian and Christian...as many had the Biblical Belief that Jesus was the Messiah...but many in the more "extreme" aspects of camp mistakenly held that Hali Salessi was Christ come back. I was amazed to learn that Haile Selassie, the King of Ethopia, was himself a devout believer in Christ......and one who was intimately connected with the Ethopian Orthodox Church. Whenever it came to others wondering why it was that people said was the Messiah, he'd always reply "I'm a mere man. I will be replaced by the oncoming generation and a human being should not be emulated for a deity.'"
Many who used to be Rastafarians worshipping Hali recognized that instead of worshipping him, they should've been worshipping who he was worshipping. And for the many who claim to be Rastafarians, and as I learned, the term "Rasta" can be used as a means of endearment since the name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the pre-regnal title of Haile Selassie I, composed of Amharic Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Haile Selassie's pre-regnal given name. Being called "Rasta" is many times a way of saying one's spiritual like the Christian Emperor of Ethopia...where the focus is simply upon the lifestyle (i.e. maintaining locks/dreads as a spiritual symbolization like the Nazarite Vows, vegetarian lifestyles, Afrocentrism, Addressing the ways in which European Expansionism/Colonialsim and Imperialism has utilized Christianity as a means of continuning itself/suppressing others, Reggae, etc). .....as opposed to choosing to worship a man who's not Christ.
Even more interesting is the reality of how intimately aspects of Rasta Lifestyles/views are connected with Messianic Judaism---and it has been wild to discover the intriacies of them more so over time. Many of those who are Jews of Color have noted how much it seemed that in being involved with Judaism, the Afro-Centric side of things became more clear....seeing how many in Jewish culture were Black---even though its not acknowleged by many in our own times. Other notable musicians within the Jewish world have noted the same---such as folks like Matisyahu, if anyone has ever heard of his music.
For more info, one can consider going online and looking up articles under the following names:
- Matisyahu: Uplifting, Idiosyncratic Reggae
- Tikkun Magazine - Zion Riddims
- The Making of Jewmaicans
- AWAKE ZION screening
- [ AWAKE ZION ]
- ReelChanges.org : AWAKE ZION
- The History of Dreadlocks | Dreadlocks.org
- Awake Zion: a Documentary about the Links ...
- "Rastafarians and Jews rock steady in 'Awake Zion'",
- Reggae's reigning Chassid | j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern ...
- Get Down, Moses: Upstart local Jewish musicians weave a coat of many colors
- Awake Zion - The Jewish Channel -- Connect With Your Culture ...
- "Black Sand Beach---The Rastafarian Christian: A Denomination and its Orthodox Doctrine"
And there are many others similar to him in experience ..all of it showing connections with Rasta culture and Jewish culture (as well as early Christianity) in more ways than one
And for one pic from a series on what happen if Yeshua came back today and how he'd probably have dreadlocks - as well as others having Yeshua with African/West Indian features, one can consider the following:
If anyone has any thoughts on the issue, I'd love to hear sometime. What are your thoughts on the issue of Rastafarianism and Judaism? Do you agree or disagree that they are connected/can co-exist? Is it wrong to be considered a "Christian Rasta" or "Jewish Rasta"? Would love to hear sometime...
Shalom
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