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Rastafarianism

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Introduction
There are many misconceptions people have (myself included) when the topic of Rastafarianism enters into the conversation. Most non-Rastafarians do not hold the religion in high regard, and consider it just an excuse to get high and listen to reggae music all day. Surprisingly, while growing up I witnessed more white suburban teens embracing Rastafarianism than I ever saw blacks of any age embracing it; even more confusing is the fact that Rastafarians are rumored to be anti-white. Talk about conflicting information. When you witness one thing but hear another, how do you determine the truth? Being guilty of said misconceptions myself, I set out on my quest to get to the truth. I felt that the best way to uncover the truth would be to speak to a real Rastafarian. I caught up with a gentleman by the name of Ras Kamau who agreed to answer a few questions on Rastafarian beliefs, history, as well as shed some light on a few of the myths and misconceptions that other people including myself have regarding his religion.

Haile Selassie I
The Rastafarian religion plants its roots in Africa, and is frequently associated with the underprivileged black population of Jamaica. The followers of Rastafari consider it to be more of a way of life, and not just a religion. Rastafarians consider themselves to be advocates of global issues and often speak out against social injustices such as inequality, oppression and poverty. The foundation of the Rastafarian religion is rooted in the Holy Bible, which is believed to be the word of God. “Our primary belief is that Jesus Christ returned to Earth as Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia”. (R. Kamau, personal communication, December 1, 2011)
Selassie, born as Lij Tafari Makonnen, later changed his name to Ras Tafari, was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarian scriptures prophesized him to be the Second Advent, the

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