white and rasta (please write back)

[siger]

Anyway, with regards to skin colours, Jah is our creator, and we all Jah children.

GREAT! I agree 1,000,000%.....BUT...The rest of the world don't see us that way, the powers that be, the "white supremist" or "white elites" don't see us that way. Until then that statement(although true!) means absolutely nothing to me, zero, zilch, nada. Also you don't like the black and white thing but until the system is changed it's unavoidable.

The lad came here for support, and all we are giving him is this......

......the powers that be, the "white elitists" dont see "us" that way...... to generalize and throw a man whose racial-tendencies we dont know <we dont even know the lad's name!> makes us no better than those same white elitists, in my view.

I respect yo passion on the matter, do not mistake me. But i think where we induce the name of Jah, the faults of the world should step aside, lest we incur his wrath.

You ask why he doesn't respond; i think after this display, he isn't thinking rasta right now.

My thoughts,
Siger

[wanderingshaman]

Greetings all,

I just happened to be reading up on these postings and, since I'm curious about Rastafari, I thought I'd offer up my own thoughts. I think, for many whites, that the first thing that seduces them to Rastafari is the music of either Marley, Tosh, & others. But then, they go into it without much of a real understanding of it, besides the message of peace & love to all peoples. I also think young white people become drawn to it because they see it as a way they can justify abusing their bodies by profaning g-ds herb. That is to say, if there even is a devine... but then that's another concept I don't wanna get into. I'm curious, because, if in the course of my studies I find myself beginning to awaken my own rastafari awareness/acceptance how will the world greet me then? will I be faced with misunderstanding and hate from those of my own faith? and then, with my taking up of the lifestyle, will I be misunderstood by my white freinds? A
All these are obstacles I think every young covert faces when deciding to follow a spiritual path, be it Buddhist, Islam, etc. I'm curious as to what the brethren and sistren have to say...

An in relation to your question for these two young men, I think white people, when embracing a spiritual path that is afro-centric, either don't understand it fully or, if they do, they can't handle fully seperating themselves from White privilege. The social construct of race is hard to break away from, When I address a man, I think of him first as a man, not as black, red, or yellow, but as a man and brother of the worlds people...

curiuos to kknow what you all think

peace & Jah-bless

Bud Andrews

[Ben]

hey hey im 16yr old white rasta, but ask me what i am an il say rasta not white rasta. iv seen alot of topics like this and it confuses me why there is even discusion surely if he's a black mans god he must be mine unless we have our own white version .

Also some people say white people chant peace one love and believe there journey to oneness is over, for me i believe that the journey to 'oneness' is always ongoing. i am always learning things and trying to improve mmyself to be a better person and live clean and by no means is my journey remotely close to over.

to some of the questions,
yes i do benefit from white priviledge most likely, geographically it would be hard not to in britain as a white male but i dont think i be staying here my whole life . Would you say this makes me a bad person? (not a retorical question btw ) an if it does how could i stop benefiting from my white priviledge?

to end white supremacy im  not to sure what would you do? i know i would give black people priorty in all matters jobs, education, housing EVERYTHING. As a man starting a race 400 years behind cant catch up if there were racial equality in jobs education etc


Thanks
 Ben

[Kobe26]

Hotep ,

The first thing to do , is to ask ourselves what the term Rasta means , is it a fashion effect or an outlet for oppressed black folks , to center themselves on their inner spiritualities ?
In the beginning , Rastafarism was made for oppressed Black folks ( Kamites ) , because they were ...oppresed , and too , because they needed a image of God made for them by them , and over all who look like them .
During the slavery times , white slavemasters made them pray their white gods and forced them to forget all about their ancient African religion , it distroy their sens of pride , love for themselves , even love for other Kamites ( Blacks ) ect , still today you can see it ..

A white rasta is like a black christian or a black muslim , it is not normal , because you can't be affiliate to a religion that promote kamite-rebirth , when your people were slave owners , slave masters and still today keep on hating Us .
If you are white and wanna waste for time to smoke weed all day long (because you think it's the way it is when you are a rasta ) you've choose the wrong path , get back to your mysogyne , racist and bloody christian religion !

Personnally Iam an Afrocentric not a Rasta , but i support my Kamites brothers and Sisters in this religion , I prefer see them in there instead of let them be Muslims or Catholics , be wise and stay far from those impostors white wanna-be rastas Sons and Daugthers of Aton , defend your owns , and your own views on God.
Hotep ! 

[siger]

A question.....
              when do we draw the line between rastafarianism and afro-centrism?

I have seen many articles professing the reasons for and the birth of rasta.... i will not argue these out, but i do know this;
many things were born in the dark bellies of the slave ships, but rasta was not one of them.

I'm not putting anyone's reasoning to chagrin; but is there no difference between spiritual standing and moral aptitude?
Because most rasta are afro-centric does not make "black oppression" a foundation of rasta. A matter of contention, yes; a manifestation of chaos, yes; but not a pillar of spirituality.
Jah forbid if such a thing was............

[afrikanrebel06]

it seems to me that the people getting into rastafarism,is the new age crowd,white hippies,a friend of mine in toronto,told me that her brother was dating some white rasta girl, and then he broke up with her, the girl  was doing some mytikal work on him,that drove him to committ suicide,i ama pan afrikanist and garveyite,the thing is,when it is all said and done,when they decide to cut their locs,they will go to their educational institutions and write about us,our literature,our ways of life,our foods,why we let those cultural bandits infiltrate into our midst!? thats the big question, it always seems to me,that just because of reggae and bob marleys song,it appeals to the one love type of rasta group,and new age and white hippies are into rastafarism because of that,most of our history have been written by arabs and european alike,the map of the world was drawn by arabs and europeans,there wont be anything left of afrikan/black culture,because we keep selling it in retail price,we keep leeting people in,and saying" oh it is ok" vancouver kanada,is the hub of new age culture and white hippie activity,many of those who are"white rastas" are not aware of their whiteskin privellege,they have to learn to be good allies not detrimental allies,often times,white people subconsciously,will patronize us and downgrade us,they might not do,at conscious level,but they will do,ata subconscious level,we live in world that is based on white patriarchy and white matriarchy system,it is mostly white patriarchal system,new age people and white hippies are not willing to takea look at their behaviours and their patronizing and white patriarchal ways of dealing with us,melanated people,white patriarchal system forster kids who seeks in other cultures,a way of being and being accepted because amerikkkan culture is void of values and culture, amerikkkan culture and the foundation of amerikkka was based and built by pedophiles,murderers and robbers,pederasts,the amerikkkan judicial system is based ob lies and deceits and i dont think,any new age,white hippie wants to give their skin privellege and challenge this white patriarchal system and its faternalistic,patronizing ways towards us,afrikan peoples.in order to change the world we have to change ourselves first.

[Kebo]

there are natural laws and there is a natural way of things - same goes for human society - rastafari is at the forefront of restoring the natural order - the restoration starts with Africa and the dissolution of racism. Any white person can claim they are rastafarian - many might have a surface understanding of rasta through 'one love' - but them, regardless of skin color, who understand the intent of the rastafari movement - bringing down the barriers of racism, respect for Africans and the healing of Africa to a dignified state, can only be considered allies to blacks and Rastafari.

Ultimately I believe its a joint effort, a human effort - in order for momentum to build EDUCATION will have to take place among both whites and blacks. When it comes to the uplifting of the black race even black americans are hard of hearing.

[Boogieman]

 First of all I'd like to say InI have found this forum and this internet site particularly , recently. InI have been readin for couple of weeks now. InI can say InI learned a lot on both history and racism ,witch InI think is the main things discussed on this form. Because present is a reflection of the past and history of the future... And RACISM is keeping the original man and woman from his/her history. Since I'm white eastern european and consider InI not rasta but tryin to live rasta livity, not because InI like ganja or reggae (InI like both those things ,both a them contributed to my acquaintance of Ras way of life) , but because it's the true livity ,the only way ,as InI see it. As for the whole white rasta thing I can see how white thinks, I read one of Rootsies articles how she broght her white privilege in to Rasta with her at first. Dem are doin all the same. And when on who is white and claiming to be Ras sobers up and sees the truth theirs 2 ways for em:
1. To be a more passionate about Rasta livity and taking down Babylon. At least thats what happened to me  as I learned of Eurowicked ways...
2. Stop the one love bullshit and continue to live happily in babylon , witch they were doin and live the wicked ways.
 I can see that whites can't accept the facts because they are to hard to handle. I think (that is my opinion) it's easier for Afrikan to be Rasta at some point (I speak about the strugle of ones mind) and here's why. Since Embracing Rasta way of life afrikan is going to his own roots , his own history ,actually one is embracing his own self. As for a white man it's a bit the other way around , in order for a white man to embrace Rasta with all his heart one must disembrace his own culture and all that he had been thought even since grade school (history, religion) and his parental teaching.

[Boogieman]

The mental shift is changing. And one must dis embrace his/her white privilige, by firstly recognizing it.
And no "Jah see no color", "my forefathers didn't own slaves", "one love" bullshit , maybe Jah see no color (if the white mans father is devil) , but  them are forgetin the fact that Babylon in fact see color.
I live in a country witch people suffered from Babylon firsthand. I live in Lithuania. A brief history of the run ins with the beast. Our country was baptised by sword indirectly , because crusaders where attacking the country constantly for couple of centuries. The reason, in their and in Vatican words "to make our country roman catholic" , but mostly it was looting and destroying our lands and raping of our women, since our old ways where wicked , because we were pagan and believed in Nature and our most high god was "Thunder" (the direct translation from our language) it was kind of like Zeus is in greek mythology , but greek gods where sinful kind a like humans , our gods where righteous , "Thunder" would strike the wicked ones. We had our "altar of sacrifice" (once again it's direct translation). That altar was kind like depicted in the bible. It was a burning fire witch was guarded by the holy men. The baptism of our country was performed in the late middle ages. And we where the last country in Europe to be baptized. After that many things occured suck as bondage for the poor people until 19th century , the occupations from our neighbors Russia in particularly , USSR regime , the deportation of about 30% of the population during Stalins regime in 1940 and 1944-1953. And finally independence witch was a truly struggle for freedom. And after all that I can see our people suffer from kind of mental slavery, because our people believe that nothing good can come out of our country. The presidents and prime ministers of our country contribute to the fact. Because after the independence poverty and corruption hit the fence. In our country there aren't many foreign immigrants, but still my most of my countrymen and women are racist and xenophobic.
InI hope you understood my point.
Peace. And sorry for my grammar.   
 

[Brendan]

Hey Mat,
I am just as you are(or were) exept I do not feel a bitterness towards my own kind, only towards anyone of any colour who believes that they are any better than anyone else who walks this blessed land.

Jah Bless,
Brendan

[kendalldj]

yo man, JAH!

I was depressed for two years and then i found the light that is GOD, that is JAH through this very website reading all of baba ras's writings or something like that and yano i dont care if some people hang onto the word "rasta" like its a club that only some people can call themselves members of.  Jah loves all colors of people, and in this day and age it doesnt matter white or black, the more people that apreciate rasta for what it really means the better.  God is good and forgiving.  The history of rastafari is particularly from black people, but that doesnt mean any person can respect it for what it was.  The rastas fought the oppression, and the oppression bears down on all people nowadays.  Rasta is the means for soul salvation.  I repeat.  I found God through rasta, so how can i not ascociate myself with the group?  when i praise god i yell JAH! for i love the way it vibrates with my heart.  For their to be change, for their to be love, it must be one love, and the love that comes from jah is like a cup that never empties.  So why bother with feeling accepted to a group.  The group is the human race, and if people wanna exclude people, then they don't understand what life is really worth.  A man is man.  A man's roots are very important to him and for others to know from where he came.  But God works in mysterious ways, and their are righteous men of all colors, so lift up head and thank God for your skin whatever color it may be, thank him for your life.  In my oppinion a real rasta sees no color when he looks at a man, he only sees his heart.  If the heart is full of good intention, then it is so.  Hating anyone for any reason doesn't lead to any feeling of satisfaction.  To love your enemies for real is to feel sorry for their tortured souls.  For the Devil has his way with the wicked, and they live in hell.  Let us come together, and feel the love that is JAH, there is no need to label oneself rasta or not.  Rasta had its time of rebellion, let us learn from our white ancestors as well as black, Life is for the living, the dead are dead.

LIFE.  Life as we know it comes and goes in a relatively short period of time when compared to how long life has been living.  In this brief period of existence we are separated from our ancestors, by the knowledge of life and death.  It is the dead who lived before us, and in their time followed their own path.  Their path is set in stone.  But it is the living who decide the path of the future, and the living alone have this power.  “There is a war going on.  Death is trying to take life, and life is stronger than death.  But people believe that death is stronger than life.  But we know that life is stronger than death, so life is the road yano?” -Bob Marley.

JAH!

[Rastaman94]

 I am white, I meself have become Rastafari within the last year, I am 15 and truly discovering what it is to be a true rasta. Haile Selassie I himself said Human beings are precisely the same, whatever colour, race, creed or national origin they may may be. And Bob Marley preach that the colour of a man's eyes is of no more siginifcamnce than the colour of his eyes. So i beleive any rasta the critisize whites, or asians or anyone different to I and I self, shouldnt be a rasta. It be hard to explain to people, why i is rasta, what is rasta, why i always talk of peace and love, they say im just a bong head and everytin, but i am rasta in me heart, and pray to Jah, who has truly offered me a path that i will follow, to be righteous. As i is new to this site, just expressing some feeling, about becoming a new rasta, and what it has done for me.

Jah Bless

[jahseen]

Greetins,
I's a white rasta livin in babylon, but I will not remain in dis society fo much longer.
I believe that if I and I all children of Jah, and since life was created in Africa, surely den de colour of I skin matters not?
Who are we mortals to decide what meks a man a Rasta?
I have completely seperated I self from white priviledge, and I hope I have embraced Jah Rastafari.

Jah bless, to Zion.

[young_rastah]

I am 99% white & rasta as well.  I am also not afraid to discuss my hypocrisies, because I think 99% of humans have them.  I live and work in babylon in a ghetto.  Actually I'm a rent-man & married to a Delilah who is chinese.  I am also a leader in my community.  I cut my locks for her (and also so I could pursue a career in aviation, which is a rocky road).  I have worked on farms and been a bum, but every option was hard & frustrating.  It does not matter what color your skin is, and even IF white man were at the top of the food chain, that doesn't mean he is happy.

The biggest point I would make is that it is important to treat people well no matter who they are (and stand up for yourself as people attempt to take advantage of you).  Hardships go hand in hand with peace, and if you want peace, you must push forward.  Do good and make those hard choices, and you will overcome.

Babylon's claws dig deep, the future is dim & the world is not in tune with nature.  No matter what skin color you have, we are all on their knees as a species.  Blame it on human nature?  I refuse to accept this fate.  The one thing I pray for is that our children will unite, and that everyone of us who cares will do their part to just do good and not get taken advantage of by vampires.

[gman]

Jahseen: You "have completely separated yourself from white privilege"??
How exactly have you done this? Have you skinned yourself so that all anyone can see is the raw red flesh and blood? Or are you the first to take advantage of the "invisibility cloak" that scientists are working on?
And re going to Africa because "all humanity comes from there": have you been invited?
I hope it's not Shashamane you're going; you do know that H.I.M. granted that land to **direct** African descendants in the west in recognition of those who volunteered to help fight Mussolini's forces, not to anyone who decides to worship H.I.M. (which H.I.M. is not documented to have ever asked anyone to do) regardless of their race? Not to mention the issue that many of the local Oromo people consider it to be their land?
I think you need to look deeper into things like "white privilege" and what that means. This site is a good place for that; it certainly encouraged me to look deeper into "light-skinned male privilege" and what that means. I recommend looking through the section called "Essential Reasonings". That goes for Young_Rastah as well. Young_Rastah, to quote another person who has light-skinned male privilege (but not white privilege), "Sorry Mike - it DOES matter if you're black or white" (Ice Cube). Have the babylonians blown away any 7-year old white girls in front of their parents during a raid on the wrong address lately???
And PS, if you consider your wife to be a "delilah" why are you still married to her? Does she know you call her that behind her back?