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Rastafarianism's Connection To Judaism

Rastafarianism's Connection To Judaism

The Rastafarians

Little is known about the Rastafarian religion other than that Bob Marley was a Rasta who had dreadlocks and enjoyed smoking Marijuana. During my trip to Jamaica I found that there was so much more that connected to my own personal experiences a Jew. I decided to discover more and what I found was astonishing. I began to strike up discussions with local Rastafarians. A Rastafarian cab driver that I was speaking with claimed to be from the tribe of Judah and had a Star of David on his dashboard. When I came back to the U.S. the importance to me of what I discovered had not changed. I began to look at the similarities of the two religions. I discovered that in many ways the two religions are almost, if not, identical. The two religions of Rastafarianism and Judaism embody many of the same characteristics, as well as their ancestry. Although the Rastafarians, at times, inaccurately explain the bible, their belief in the Old Testament is still prevalent. Many of the customs are almost identical, but the rationale behind the traditions and laws contrast greatly (Rastafarians).

In order to understand all the connections within the beliefs, rituals, and symbols between Rastafarianism and Judaism it is extremely important to understand the origin of Rasta. Rasta has its roots in the teachings of Jamaican black nationalist Marcus Garvey, who in 1920 said "Look to Africa when a black king shall be crowned, for the day of deliverance is at hand" (Chevannes, Rastafari 98). Many thought the prophecy was fulfilled when in 1930, Ras Tafari, was crowned emperor Haile Selassie 1 of Ethiopia and proclaimed "King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the conquering lion of the Tribe of Judah". Haile Selassie claimed to be a direct descendant of King David, the 225th ruler in an unbroken line of Ethiopian Kings from the time of Solomon and Sheba (Chevannes, Ideology 99).

It was 1930, the year of the Great Depression, and the Jamaican people were opening their hearts and minds to new possibilities. During this time of economic instability the downtrodden black Jamaican was receptive to the economic communal ideas and strong positive emphasis on being black and African. Garvey preached a message of black self-empowerment, and initiated the "Back to Africa" movement. Which called for all blacks to return to their ancestral home, and more specifically Ethiopia. He...

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