Rastafari Essay - 1605 Words

Rastafari is, before it is anything else, a way of life. It offers approaches and answers to real problems black people face in daily living; it promotes spiritual resilience in the face of oppressive poverty and underdevelopment. It produces art, music and cultural forms, which can be universally recognized and appreciated. More important, Rastafari provides a positive self-image, an alternative to people who need and cannot find or accept one elsewhere. Even with its black foundation and orientation, Rastafarianism is open to anyone, of any race, who chooses to discover and is able to accept it. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;My research focuses on the history of Rastafarians and the birth of Rastafarianism. I will reflect our†¦show more content†¦Rastas believe that Selassie the I is the Jesus that Christianity speaks of with his â€Å"hair of wool, whose feet were like unto burning brass†. Rastas worship Jah and we participate in rituals and chanting as well as following the laws of Divine Power throughout our daily life. Rasta believe in the power of doing good and being blessed and so forth, we believe in power of doing evil and being punished. As the Rastas say, â€Å"Life is everliving† is the reward for following the word of the bible. Rasta say that blacks are to blame for their own shortcomings because they strayed away from the holy and divine way of living that was given to them in the Bible. Their enslavement and life ever since has been a punishment from Jah for their sins. â€Å"The scriptures are fundamental to Rasta world view. We do not loo k on the Bible as the ‘the good book’ ---everything has good and evil in it. Over time, the bible has been altered from its original state. For political and economical reasons, things have been edited out and different concepts and explanations patched in –especially by the translators of the Kings James I of England. Therefore, the Rasta is particularly selective about what they believe from the scriptures. Generally, Rastas point to the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Isiah, Ezekiel, Timothy, Corinthians, Hebrews and Revelation toShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Rastafari On The Culture Through The Voices Of The Rastafari2537 Words   |  11 PagesChaneil Hall Professor Edmondson Independent Study: The Impact of Rastafari May 13, 2015 Reggae as a Means of Social Transformation Through The Voices of the Rastafari Jamaica, the third largest Caribbean island is not only home to tropical weather and picturesque landscapes, but also to social unrest and perhaps some of the most rebellious people. 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But what is uniting members across the world is the messiahshipRead MoreThe Effects Of Reggae Music On The Music1216 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the music is the part of the Rastafari subculture and it led me to do more research about the Rastafari subculture. Although many people do not recognize the positive outcomes that was brought by Rastafari, the Rastafari subculture is doubly valuable because it benefits both the people in this subculture society and the outsiders. The belief of Rastafari introduced a new life style, brought freedom, happiness, and enjoymen t of life to both believers of Rastafari and people whose outside of this