The Rastafari movement -- is a religion with origins in Judaism. Rastafaris believe that Jesus Christ wasn't the savior, but instead another guy: Haile Selassie I, the ex-emperor of Ethiopia. Basically, Sellassie is a black African alternative to the white European Jesus.
The Rastafari religion arose among the poorest communities of Jamaica in the 1930s. Rastafari is VERY much about black pride, seeing the value of African heritage rather than the sub-human status that whites traditionally ascribed to descendants of African slaves. Rastafaris see themselves and others with slave ancestry as the genuine descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, and that the Bible was incomplete when written, plus written with an unfair white bias and distorted perspective of history.
If white Christians find the idea of Jesus being usurped unpleasant, they have nobody to blame but their racist forebearers.
Rastafaris have a long list of other idiosyncratic beliefs, drawing on the Abrahamic religions, but with their own interpretations and ideas. They view marijuana as a holy herb, for instance. There's too much more to list, but suggest these reading materials:
BBC summary.
Wiki entry.
The Afro-centric Experience.
.
The Rastafari religion arose among the poorest communities of Jamaica in the 1930s. Rastafari is VERY much about black pride, seeing the value of African heritage rather than the sub-human status that whites traditionally ascribed to descendants of African slaves. Rastafaris see themselves and others with slave ancestry as the genuine descendants of the lost tribes of Israel, and that the Bible was incomplete when written, plus written with an unfair white bias and distorted perspective of history.
If white Christians find the idea of Jesus being usurped unpleasant, they have nobody to blame but their racist forebearers.
Rastafaris have a long list of other idiosyncratic beliefs, drawing on the Abrahamic religions, but with their own interpretations and ideas. They view marijuana as a holy herb, for instance. There's too much more to list, but suggest these reading materials:
BBC summary.
Wiki entry.
The Afro-centric Experience.
.
