Babylonian Thinking

[iyah360]

The re-interpretation of Original African religion. This re-interpretation confuses what was originally not evil with evil. The original human(dark) and woman are equated with negative forces in the world in Babylonian thinking. Those who practiced an older religion which held the mother to be sacred were the older, darker races of the continents. As these original inhabitants were displaced by different populations, a re-interpretation occured of the original mythologies. I refer to this as Babylonian re-interpretation as this is a process which indeed took place in the area of ancient Babylon as the semites co-opted the original mythologies of the older and darker populations. The story is similar in India with the Aryan invasion.

The question is . . . how much have we come away from Babylonian thinking if we do not examine the ORIGINS of this way of approaching our spiritual/religious trod. Judaism sprang out of the Babylonian way of re-interpretation and this way was carried over into Christianity. As Rasta is diametrically OPPOSED to Babylonian thinking, IandI must overstand the roots and seperate these ways from within IandI gates. Indeed we cannot exactly RETURN to the ancient ways as life is change, flux and adaptation . .. but IandI can make a CONSCIOUS effort to OVERSTAND and make those changes in our perspective and thinking necessary to manifest a beneficial trod. This is crucial to whomoever sites Rasta . .. black AND white.

"
. . .
White collar criminal
Blue collar Krishna
All your decimation inclination
You tek cali out a India
The feminine emblem
Send the best cultivator
Steel metal paper worker
Giving up your culture for cancer

Well I don’t think you know
Bout none of the two Ithiopia
Run go go King James your version
What’s the first verse in a Esther

Try neva to witness a people
Disappear transaction in action yeah
Hail when the boardroom hit order come down
Silence is the usual chain reaction
All them searching for them bigger power
Ova occupation rejection racial
Every corporate capo on foot in retreat
Who’s the next sacrificial
. . .
"

- Midnite "White Collar Criminal"

[kristine]

"As Rasta is diametrically OPPOSED to Babylonian thinking,"

diametrically OPPOSED to

di·a·met·ri·cal
adj.
Of, relating to, or along a diameter.
Exactly opposite; contrary.

op·pose
To be in contention or conflict with: oppose the enemy force.
To be resistant to: opposes new ideas.
To place opposite in contrast or counterbalance.
To place so as to be opposite something else.

Is it possible to diametrically oppose something?

[iyah360]

What would be a more proper way of expressing this? I may of used the word incorrectly, please correct.

[Ras_Legacy]

how about:

"intensely opposes"?

"strongly opposes"?

"strongly rejects"?

[iyah360]

Thanks. I will take note of that. I know that 'diametrically opposed' is a common phrase, so I used it.

Anyway . . . besides that, what are your thoughts on this topic besides the vocabulary?

[kristine]

I will tell you what I know now...Babylonia was a highly cultivated,florishing civilization...and is mentioned in the Bible as the example of evil...hence the standard..

Babylon From a Rastafari perspective, Babylon is the historically white-European colonial and imperialist power structure which has oppressed Blacks and other peoples of color....Make the circle..

While I am one who can read and absorb ancient history I do not feel qualified to interpret it..especially as it  relates to RASTA...MY few attempts come off sounding vacuous..Others do a much better job...

The best way I know to approach RASTAFARI is to realize it has and is being defined by Black People..and the white attempts are becoming detrimental...in some places...


Vocabulary is important...

[Kristian]

Greetings and blessings. Mystery Babylon is wicked to to all colors, and all things. It is not in the way of life, it is in the way of death. Babylon in these times is run by the white man. Whatever happened to the ideal that the color of a mans skin is of no more importance than the color of his eyes. Selah. I overstand the role of race and racism in history as well as these times; however, I hear and see much talk about mans color, and less about individual deeds. Babylon thinking knows no color. Mystery Babylon will use many tricks to keep men from the Lord. Perhaps dividing Rasta by race is just another attempt by the wicked to divide and conquer. Not seeing past a mans skin color is Babylon thinking.Jah bless, morelove.
                                             Kristian

[hailiniemperor]

wuz up, I checked the article and I dig it. One thing about these very first cultures is that to my knowledge (please dont hesitate to correct) were paganistic. It is known that Rastafari dont accept no paganism. Paganism has been used to pollute our thinking for a long time. Including the roman catholic church with its falsified Sunday law. To anyone that doesnt know, Saturday is the Sabbath! Now when comes to worshipping a woman or a man I dont check with that. Both Man and Woman were created equal in every aspect. Its just that Man gives, woman recieves, and thus creation goes through the womb. All I know is that I praise Selassie I. And Selassie I denounces the heathen pagan. Bless.

[Tyehimba]

Hailiniemperor: What is your understanding of the word 'pagan'??

[scootah]

Diametrically opposed is a term used in mathematics meaning,two points directly opposite each other on a circle or sphere. More formally, two points are diametrically opposed if they are on opposite ends of a diameter.

[Oshun_Auset]

A pagan is anyone that doesn't follow 'your' belief system.(For Christians anyone outside of Christianity, or how the established 'order' defines Christianity, non-Jews to Jews, non-Muslims'infedels' to ect., ect. )

The problem I have with people of one faith or spirituality labeling ancient traditions as 'pagan' is that the newer religions/spiritual systems always borrow/plagerize the elder system's knowledge, symbolism, themes, and concepts. No spiritual system sprung up out of a vacuum. To label spirituality as pagan is writing it off(as well as the people who created it). It is convenient to do for those threatened by knowledge(or their lack of it), or differences...but remember pictures of Salassie are everywhere in Rastafari circles...that can be construed as "pagan" idol worship by others....

None are in a possitin to judge unless oppressionis at hand, that would DEFINATELY be Babylon thinking to do so.

[Ayinde]

Pagan

Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin paganus, from Latin, civilian, country dweller, from pagus country district.

[Tracey]

HUH??....

How did the etymology/origins of the word pagan go from "country dweller from pagus district" to...1.One who is not a Christian, Moslem, or Jew 2. One who has no religion 3. A non-Christian. 4. Hedonist?

...perhaps this pagus district was full of country dwelling heathens!

[Ayinde]

By my reasoning the meaning of the word Pagan took on a negative value based on who was telling the stories. The practice of considering people who grew up in the countryside as old-fashioned or backwards continues today.

People who live in the countryside do not change as rapidly as the people in the town areas where most social changes spin. In that regard the town folks who felt they were modern may have referred to the people in the countryside as backward or old-fashioned people.

Given that it is usually the town folks who write the history or at least make their version popular, then it is easy to see how the views of the people in the country areas were not properly highlighted when the history of the region is popularly told.

In the countryside the people would retain more of the older practices of the region as the pace of their lifestyle is slower, they live closer to nature, and communication between the towns and the countryside is slower.

So it stands to reason if you want to get a better idea of the history of a region, then the lifestyle of the people in the countryside would demonstrate this.