Rastafarian
The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as God incarnate, called Jah or Jah Rastafari. He is also seen as part of the Holy Trinity as the messiah promised in the Bible to return.
Other characteristics of Rastafari include the spiritual use of cannabis, and various Afrocentric social and political aspirations, such as the teachings of Jamaican publicist, organiser, and black separatist Marcus Garvey (also often regarded as a prophet), whose political and cultural vision helped inspire a new world view.
The name Rastafari comes from Ras (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke), and Tafari Makonnen, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari is commonly called "Rastafarianism," by some academics, but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by Rastafarians themselves.
Rastafari developed among Jamaicans of African descent who felt they were oppressed and that society was apathetic to their problems. Rastas may regard themselves as conforming to certain visions of how Africans should live, reclaiming what they see as a culture stolen from them when their ancestors were brought on slave ships to Jamaica, the movement's birthplace. The messages expounded by the Rastafari promote love and respect for all living things and emphasize the paramount importance of human dignity and self-respect. Above all else, they speak of freedom from spiritual, psychological as well as physical slavery and oppression. In their attempts to heal the wounds inflicted upon African people by colonialism, Rastafari extol the virtue and superiority of African cultures past and present.
Rastafari stress loyalty to their vision of Zion, and rejection of modern society, calling it Babylon, which they see as corrupt. "Babylon" in this case is considered to have been in rebellion against "Earth's Rightful Ruler" (JAH) ever since the days of the biblical king Nimrod. The movement is difficult to categorize, because Rastafari is not a centralized organization. Individual Rastafari work out their religion for themselves, resulting in a wide variety of doctrines.