I can only speak on my part.

I do not have a problem with Egypt. What I do have a problem with it is attempts to portray it as static- one big Golden Age.

I have a problem with attempts to trash the Bible and suggest that the Book of the Coming Forth by Day should replace it as a Rastafarian text when it is patent that there are no references to His Imperial Majesty or His lineage.

I note that some of the people who are determined to argue this one- people who make a lot of noise about freedom for Black people yet are determined to become the thought-police to the rest of us- are not even worshippers of Emperor Haile Selassie. This is absurd, you cannot talk of African unity, then start chopping off huge sections of the African population.

I deplore this misguided attempt to characterize all Judaic, Christian and Islamic African people as somehow incapable of independent thought and free choice.

It would be impossible for a Rastafarian to be anti-Egypt. Egypt was a world power at a time when our father Abraham was a nomadic pastoralist. he did not even have a book to read, while Egypt boasted many libraries. Yet, the Pharaoh was humble enough to recognise him as a man of God, and offered him his own daughter, Hagar, telling her " Go with this man, it is better for you to be a servant in his household, than a Princess in mine".

Egypt provided the skills without which Moses could have organised the Exodus. We are told that he knew all the wisdom of the Egyptians, meaning he was acquainted with the various religions etc. But he did not write about how to change yourself in to a crocdile in the afterworld, did he? Or getting your heart measured. THose who are in to that sort of thing are free to pursue it, but they should recognise that many Black people are happy to be something else. That is the path to unity- recognition of our differences and dwelling on what is more important. I would gladly call a brother/sister any person who recognises that I am Rastafarian and just as much as they would resent me labelling them ignorant or confused or in denial, they would refrain from pre-judgements based on what someone else wrote and see me for what I am. Look at that chap, who until I mentioned it had no idea that we had a name "Fura", now called "Mt Darwin" which links to the Biblical "Ophir", now he is accusing me of denying my heritage because I use the Biblical form. He is so desperate to paint a label on me ( to then hang me, perhaps, like the Ku Klux Klan does after deciding that certain people are to be removed from society?)

So, when I come to your Egyptian temple, I believe that as a Rastafarian, I should respect it. Likewise, when you come in to the Maqdas and you see the Matsafe Qiddus being passed around by the Priest and the worshippers kissing it reverently, it is not your place to judge.