I think I've asked this question before, but, i'll ask again anyway.

Is it possible for a white person to be accepted into the Rastafarian religion? If possible, can you include some sources to back it up?

Rastafari is a response to racist negation of black people as it was experienced in Jamaica, where in the 1930s, black people were at the bottom of the social order, while white people and their Christian religion were at the top. Marcus Garvey's encouragement of black people to take pride in themselves and their Africanness inspired the Rastas to embrace all things African. They believe they were brainwashed while in captivity to negate all things black and African. They turned the racists' image of them as primitive and straight out of the jungle into a defiant embracing of these concepts as a part of the African culture they see as having been stolen from them when they were taken from Africa on the slaveships. To be close to nature, and to the African jungle and its lions, in spirit if not in the flesh, is central to their idea of African culture. They believe that when they were in captivity, their African cultural awareness was stolen from them, and that they must do everything within their power to reclaim this culture.

Living close to and as a part of nature is seen as African. This African approach to "naturality" is seen in the dreadlocks, ganja, ital food, and in all aspects of Rasta life. They disdain the modern (non) approach to life for being unnatural and excessively objective and rejecting of subjectivity. The Rastas say that scientists try to discover how the world is by looking from the outside in, whereas the Rasta approach is to see life from the inside, looking out. The individual is given tremendous importance in Rastafari, unlike some European-originated philosophies, and every Rasta has to figure out the truth for himself or herself.

Another important Afrocentric identification is with the colours red, gold, and green, from the Ethiopian flag. They are a symbol of the Rastafari movement, and of the loyalty Rastas feel towards Haile Selassie, Ethiopia, and Africa rather than for any other modern state where they happen to live. These colours are frequently seen on clothing and other decorations. Red stands for the blood of martyrs, green stands for the vegetation of Africa, while gold stands for the wealth and prosperity Africa has to offer. (Many Ethiopian scholars state that the colours originate from an old saying that the Virgin Mary's belt is the rainbow, and that the Red, Gold, and Green are an abbreviation of this.)

Many Rastafari attempt to learn Amharic, that they consider to be the original language, because this is the language Haile Selassie I spoke, and in order to emphasise themselves as African people - though in practice, most Rastas continue to speak either English or their native languages. There are reggae songs written in Amharic.

That was a good tidbit, however I have yet to find out if white's can become part of this religion. If you can find anything regarding the number of white rastas, please post it.

The point of that was to show you that Rastafarianism mainly revolves around Afrocentrism.

quote:

Many believe that for "Israelite" you read "Ethiopian" and so the Black people are the true 'Israel of God.' This does not automatically mean that they believe that the white race is inferior and indeed a number of white people have become Rastafarians.

I can't find any true numbers on the amount of white Rastas but I've found sources saying that the number is growing (no real polls so it's only speculation).



[This message has been edited by Paradise Lost (edited 08-31-2005).]

I knew a mexican rasta.

^Me too. http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif)

Apparently there they are able to. A friend of mine (who is white) who has dread locks visited Paris a year ago. While he was there, he met some Rastafarians who instantly assumed he was a Rastafarian because of the dreads. Apparently in France, it's not commonplace to wear dreadlocks unless you're a Rastafarian.

They told him "It don't matter what your color is mon', you're Rastafarian at heart" or something like that. The confusion was cleared up, and they were still really cool with him.

So yeah, I guess it's possible to be a white Rastafarian.

What self-respecting white person would join a Nigger religion?

seriously, that douche john kerry's wife could be a rastafarian, she's as african as you can get, and moreso then most of these people who've never even been to african.

quote:Originally posted by Twisted_Ferret:

What self-respecting white person would join a Nigger religion?

No. Bad. He would probley not be an ignorent racist asshole? I assume.

I have seen what I belived a white rastafarian, he had dreads and the rastafarian colors, but who knows.

quote:Originally posted by PinkFloyd830:

I have seen what I belived a white rastafarian, he had dreads and the rastafarian colors, but who knows.

Sorry, you just saw a pathetic & depraved pothead, I've seen them too.