The Rastafari movement is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that has arisen from Judaism and Christianity. It emerged in the 20th century, predominantly in Jamaica. Its adherents are known as Rastafarians, or Rastas for short. The movement is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by some Rastas, who dislike being labelled as an "ism".
Rastafari is not a highly organized rel...
more
The Rastafari movement is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement that has arisen from Judaism and Christianity. It emerged in the 20th century, predominantly in Jamaica. Its adherents are known as Rastafarians, or Rastas for short. The movement is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by some Rastas, who dislike being labelled as an "ism".
Rastafari is not a highly organized religion; it is a movement and an ideology. Many Rastas say that it is not a "religion" at all, but a "Way of Life". Most Rastas do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do identify strongly with one of the "mansions of Rastafari" — the three most prominent of these being the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the pre-regnal title of Haile Selassie I, composed of Amharic Ras (literally...
less
