TODAY, THE RELIGION HAS OVER 100,000 FOLLOWERS. THE FAITH IS STRONGEST IN JAMAICA BUT HAS SPREAD TO OTHER AFRO-CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE USA AND EUROPE.
"HISTORICAL BACKGROUND"
A JAMAICAN, NAMED MARCUS GARVEY, FORETOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE A BLACK MESSIAH IN AFRICA. WHEN RAS )PRINCE) TAFARI CAME TO THE THRONE OF ETHIOPIA IN 1930 AS EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE, HE WAS HAILED AS THIS MESSIAH.
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RASTAFARIANS OFTEN WEAR ITEMS OF CLOTHING WITH THE GREEN, YELLOW AND RED STRIPES OF THE ETHIOPIAN FLAG.
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MANY RAFASTARIANS WEAR THEIR HAIR IN LONG DREADLOCKS, SIMILAR TO THE HAIRSTYLE OF ANCIENT AFRICAN PRIESTS.
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MUSIC IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WORSHIP AND THE RHYTHMIC REGGAE STYLE WAS DEVELOPED BY RASTAFARIAN MUSICIANS SUCH AS BOB MARLEY.
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ETHIOPIA SHALL SOON STRETCH OUT HER HANDS UNTO GOD.
BIBLE, PSALM 68
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THE ENDS YOU SERVE THAT ARE SELFISH WILL TAKE YOU NO FURTHER THAN YOURSELF; BUT THE ENDS YOU SERVE THAT ARE FOR ALL, IN COMMON, WILL TAKE YOU EVEN INTO ETERNITY.
MARCUS GARVEY
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RASTAFARIAN BELIEFS
RASTAFARIANS, OFTEN CALLED RASTAS, ACCEPT SOME OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE BECAUSE THAT IS THE TRADITION OF ETHIOPIA. THEY BELIEVE THAT JAH (GOD) TOOK HUMAN FORM, AS MOSES, ELIJAH, JESUS, AND FINALLY AS RAS TAFARI.
AS A RESULT OF THEIR HISTORY OF SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION, RASTAS LIKEN THE FATE OF ALL BLACK PEOPLE IN THE WEST TO THAT OF THE ISRAELITES, WHO WERE ENSLAVED IN EGYPT AND BABYLON. THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE FREE UNTIL THEY RETURN TO AFRICA. FOR MANY RASTAS, AFRICA IS A SPIRITUAL STATE RATHER THAN A GEOGRAPHICAL PLACE. THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE, SO AFRICA, AND SPECIFICALLY ETHIOPIA, IS SEEN AS HEAVEN ON EARTH AND IS OFTEN CALLED ZION.
RASTAS TRY TO LIVE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO NATURE. IDEALLY, THEY GROW THEIR OWN FOOD AND MANY ARE VEGETARIAN, DON'T SMOKE TOBACCO, OR DRINK ALCOHOL, OR COFFEE. IN SOME COUNTRIES, RASTAS HAVE COME INTO CONFLICT WITH THE LAW FOR THEIR USE OF THE DRUG CANNABIS. THEY SEE THIS AS A HOLY HERB, AND MANY SMOKE IT AS PART OF THEIR WORSHIP.
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RASTAFARIANS BELIEVE THAT THE ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR, HAILE SELASSIE, IS THE BLACK MESSIAH.
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THE GREEN, YELLOW AND RED PATTERNS ON RASTAFARIAN'S ROBES ECHO THE STRIPES OF THE ETHIOPIAN FLAG. THE WORDS "FREEDOM" AND "REDEMPTION" ON THE STAFF REFLECT TWO GOALS OF RASTAFARIANS.
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INTERNET LINKS - FOR LINKS TO WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT RAFATARIANS BELIEVE AND HOW THEY LIVE, AND LISTEN TO SOME REGGAE MUSIC, GO TO www.usborne-quicklinks.com
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INFORMATION FROM THE BOOK "THE USBORNE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD RELIGIONS"
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