Extra Credit: Is Rasta a Religion
At first glance, Rastafarianism isn’t anywhere near a religion. While traditional Christian conservatives call for moderate dress, the absence of substances, and an end time prophesy, Rastafarianism is a radical opposite with dreadlocks, wisdom ganja, and an earthly heaven or hell. However, Rastafarianism is a religion by Ninian Smart’s seven dimensions and deserves more than a global head nod.
As a previously ignorant removed bystander of Rastafarianism, I must preface this with saying that the easiest way for me to wrap my head around the ideas and theologies of the religion require me to compare the religion to Christianity. This is not to say that Rastafarianism is not as equally important, but more rather that they have parallel and incongruent themes.
First, Rastafarianism places significance on Ethiopia for a multitude of reasons that include the independence of the nation from colonial power to divine appointment as stated in the Bible. For example, Exodus 3:1 states that an angel of the Lord appears to Moses on Mount Sinai and tells him to take his people out of Egypt. Upon doing so, references throughout the rest of the book have a greater African connotation than our traditional views of Mount Sinai being located in the Middle East. Exodus 4:18 references to going to see brothers in Egypt and in Exodus 18: 1-12 the Israelites rejoice from deliverance from the Egyptians. Could these references mean that the Israelites were meant to travel to Ethiopia rather than the Middle East? Ethiopia is referenced in the scholastically deemed Wisdom Literature in Isaiah 43:3 when it states, “I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.” There is an obvious importance of Ethiopia and Rastafarians connect this to their Jah, or Haile Selassie as the living God.
Next, Rastafarians see God as black man and justifiably so with Song of Solomon 1: 5-6:
“ I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sun has gazed on me. My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!”
The text is interpreted on many levels as a love-song between God and his people; therefore, God would be black and have suffered slavery. Jah is said to be the cosmic supremacy although in modern times Ghanaian Rastafarians and Diaspora Rastafarians dispute it. The solution to this dispute may be they mysterious nature of Jah or it may be the result of “sins” even though that term does not seem to exist in the religion.
Finally, Reggae represents Rastafarianism as an intense and popularly invasive form of worship. Non-believers are exposed through the melodies of Bob Marley or the poet Benjamin Zephania. The Dub Poetry and genre serve the same purpose as Chris Tomlin lyrics or the preaching’s of Billy Graham. They are a connection and symbol of the faith and tolerant nature of pop culture of the religion. The use of ganja may appear to be questionable, but to the followers it serves as a way to the wisdom of Jah and a experiential dimension of the practice.
There are many aspects of Rastafarianism not covered here, but the main idea that this religion deserves its place in the world has definitely been established. The 700,000 to 1 million followers internationally are not the hippies, irresponsible hooligans they are stereotyped to be. Their religion teaches love, peace, and discipline. They strive for the recognition of the black family and equal rights among all people, hardly the whimsical and careless image. While I still do not understand all of the teachings of, I have definitely began to understand the teachings much better than I ever thought I could. I admire their ability to saturate the world with their music, even if somewhat unconsciously through Reggae. If we do not recognize these people, we are doing a disservice to their beliefs and rich history that affects us all.
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