Rastafari

Rastafari, also known as Rastafarianism, is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s.

Quotes

  • The Rastas, more than any other group, have elevated ganja to a central place in their religious practice and have developed a well-articulated ideology justifying its use and explaining its significance. ... Rastas regard the proscription of ganja use by Babylon's government as part of its strategy of social control.
  • As a source of illumination, ganja has become an instrument in the war against Babylon and Babylonian consciousness. Its use, therefore, plays a major role in the de-alienation and decolonization of the African mind.
  • [asked about the influence of Rastafarianism on her] LG: Huge influence. Huge in every way, except that I have real problems with the state of women in Rastafari. That aside, we owe Rastafarians a great debt, certainly Jamaicans, certainly New World people, our generation, owe them, because in a way they were a bridge for us. Coming out of slavery and colonialism, where you were taught that everything about you was ugly, and the way you spoke was unacceptable and you couldn't possibly be anything else but inferior... a lot of people spent their lives trying to become something that they couldn't possibly be. Along come these people, and they say to us, 'Fire for that!' They are so defiant. They spoke like violent Old Testament prophets in that early phase. And their message was, 'Self hatred is the way to madness. Babylon's way is the way of destruction! Forget about it!' They were the bridge to a better place of self-understanding and self-acceptance, even self-glorification. They have to be credited for pulling us away from the abyss which is what you would fall into if you couldn't accept yourself, accept the way you're made.

See also

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