How many fellow toker's support a true rasta life, both of enjoying the herb and in a spiritual sense?
While I have known and befriended many real Rastas in my life and am deep into Reggae music and culture, I have to answer No, I do not support their overall life style. Regardless of the all to commonly glorified image in Marijuana circles of them as marijuana smoking, peace loving people, this is not the reality of Rastafarian belief or culture. From the time I've spent playing in bands with them I've learned first hand and had this belief validated my many people within the faith, many Rastas are largely Sexist, Homophobic, and Racist. Yes, a large part of their message is peaceful, but the underlining "-isms" I listed above are prevalent in their daily lives, culture, and song lyrics. As far as Marijuana, I respect how they use it in a spiritual sense, as I mostly use it in that way myself. But that is just a small part of the culture and the rest, I'm sad to say, has a rather dark underbelly. Don't get me wrong, not all these people are like this and some of them are people I consider to be life long friends, but I can't I support "true rasta life" as you call it, because in a fundamental way, it preaches intolerance and many of the things most people hate about major religions. I'm NOT saying your one of these people, but it really bothers me when college aged white males who own 6 Reggae CD's and know nothing about the religion, culture, history or music talk about how "down" they are with Rastas cause they get high in a spiritual way. Again, not trying to say your one, but there are a lot of people on here who are this way, so it's for their benefit that I type this. I'd also be happy to answer any questions on the subject. As always, good vibes.
yes bra one of the true fascinating subjects of our time. leonard barrett's "the rastafarians" is a good place to start try to learn what you can about the Maroons of Jamaica, and "maroon" or "tri-racial isolate" communities generally; many of the roots of Rasta are here best wishes!
in a general background sense also worth a look: The Moorish Science Reading Room http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/4623/
not all rasta even smoke weed. Some of their ideas are cool but I cant buy Haile Selassie I being god and I'm not a fan of monotheistic religion.
no need for the racism, there are rastas of all different skin colors. and even if you feel they are theiving,cheating, violent, cunts, they may not all be black.
I've never met a white rasta that wasn't an unparalleled twat in all fairness. It's a fucking afro-centric religion, anybody who is white, didn't grow up in ethiopa and claims to be rasta is fundamentally just a gigantic trustifarian tool.
MY old dealer was a true rasta, I would give him 20 pounds and he would give me 11 grams of regs. He was an angry man, if you cant hear him well on a cell phone he starts yelling at you and shit. Hes an angry guy.
This is coming from an ignorant stand point. What about Bob Marley, he was very anti-racist, was he not a true rasta? Are true rastas openly racist? Black supremacists or something? Please help me out man.