I know you weren’t expecting this thread to come up, but I've always had many questions about this religion.
I had found a lot of information on www.wikipedia.org., just type in Rastafarianism.
I have some friends that believe in Rastafarian, and they got me thinking about it.
So, what are your thoughts?

Met one in a job i had a while back,

He was a veggie with the most chilled back take on life, never got angry, upset or anything and just hummed to himself all day. like nothing bothered him at all, genius.

Originally posted by Lokideviluk
Met one in a job i had a while back,

He was a veggie with the most chilled back take on life, never got angry, upset or anything and just hummed to himself all day. like nothing bothered him at all, genius.
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I was like that when I smoked Pot too. ;)

I know someone who did a study in college, on the effects of potsmoking on pregnant women. Rasta women smoke even while pregnant, and suffer no more birthdefects or difficulty delivering than non rasta women. Interesting group to study for such things.


Every-ting's Irie Mon!

I am sure to our crowd of open minded liberals on this forum rastafarian is to be revered and cherished like islam while chritianity is an evil plague on society as usual (disclaimer: not all liberals)

Originally posted by Travh20
I am sure to our crowd of open minded liberals on this forum rastafarian is to be revered and cherished like islam while chritianity is an evil plague on society as usual (disclaimer: not all liberals)


Perhaps the STFU under your avatar only reinforces those negative feelings.

Possibly, but then again, maybe not. You can't tell me that some of the "free thinking" liberals around here don't come off like they have an unfettered hatred for Americanism, Christianity, and our way of life in general. Why is it okay to openly hate something based on it being spurious (Christianity) only to deem criticizing another person's religion as unacceptable? The hardcore liberals amongst us pull this type shit all the time...

Originally posted by The Praetorian
Possibly, but then again, maybe not. You can't tell me that some of the "free thinking" liberals around here don't come off like they have an unfettered hatred for Americanism, Christianity, and our way of life in general. Why is it okay to openly hate something based on it being whimsical (Christianity), but deem criticizing another's religion taboo?

You may be right but telling someone to "Shut the fuck up" certainly seems to go against the spirit of Christ. As does lying and killing but it seems all to common in this "christian" nation of ours.

Some liberals actually like what our country stands for but don't like many of the things it does. Some actually want our country to live up to the principals that it espouses. Some question things and become outraged at the answer. Some fight for change in order to make this a better nation for all, not just the "landed gentry".

Some poke fun at people who think this way. Some are happy with the status quo. Some don't mind american slavery in Mariana so long as they get their clothes cheap. Other question american practices. Fight for change. Fight for decisions that are based on HUMAN reasoning not past doctrine or unproven superstition. Fear and ignorance.

I for one applaud those who challenge the system and try to make it better. Inclusive and just. Fair AND balanced in word AND action.

The earth is NOT flat. The Earth does indeed revolve around the sun.

Good post.

Trav does have a point that many an angry young freethinker suddenly gets misty-eyed when the religion is rastafarian, buddhism or something else deemed politically correct.

It's a shame this thread got washed away because I have known quite a few rastas in my time and in fact have a rasta relative lodging in my house right now. I had posted here that rastafarianism is indeed as big a load of nonsense as any other whimsical fantasy.

And don't get me started on smug, western, middle-class buddhist converts...

Originally posted by Tapeworm
Perhaps the STFU under your avatar only reinforces those negative feelings.

you say this assuming I claim to be a christian. You know what they say about assumptions.

Originally posted by Blob
Trav does have a point that many an angry young freethinker suddenly gets misty-eyed when the religion is rastafarian, buddhism or something else deemed politically correct.


FTR - people who search out a religion and adopt it after investigation and thought have much more going for them than people who just blindly and mindlessly accept whatever religion their parents taught them.

That said, I think rasta is a big joke and buhdism is just wierd.

does it make you feel important or intelligent to always add the words "blindly" and "mindlessly" to everything you post about christians? do you have to constantly reassure yourself that they are blind and mindless? why is that?

Originally posted by Echo2
FTR - people who search out a religion and adopt it after investigation and thought have much more going for them than people who just blindly and mindlessly accept whatever religion their parents taught them.I know what you're saying but in a way at least those born into it have an excuse; they had no choice as children and it can take courage to reject it as an adult. But those that voluntarily go seeking nonsense are worse in a way.

That said, I think rasta is a big joke and buhdism is just wierd. lol. I remember a great quote by Bjork, of all people: "I say fuck the buddhists".

Originally posted by Travh20
you say this assuming I claim to be a christian. You know what they say about assumptions.

Well Trav, I apologize for assuming you are a christian due to the fact that you seem to be always comming to their defense. So, what do you believe?

Originally posted by Echo2
FTR - people who search out a religion and adopt it after investigation and thought have much more going for them than people who just blindly and mindlessly accept whatever religion their parents taught them.
Do you seriously believe that most people research their religion? Like the millions(/billions?) of Muslims out there took Christianity or Buddhism for a test drive. C'mon, Echo, get real. What empirical data should these "researchers" be looking for? Whether or not Judas or Jesus was crucified? All religion has the same basic message at its core. The die-harders who implement it are where the problems start.

Originally posted by The Praetorian
Do you seriously believe that most people research their religion? Like the millions(/billions?) of Muslims out took Christianity or Buddhism for a test drive. C'mon, Echo, get real. What empirical data should these "researchers" be looking for? Whether or not Judas or Jesus was crucified? All religion has the same basic message at its core. The die-harders who implement it are where the problems start.

You missunderstand. 99.9% of people do NOT research religion. Most people know little to nothing about other religions. That is the point. People just blindly accept what they were taught as a child and actually believe that their religion is the only true religion without knowing a damn thing about the other religions out there. They are taught that to question is wrong. SO they walk around pronouncing their beliefs to be the only true ones when they have no idea what the other beliefs are about.

Instill the fear of hell and damnation in someone at an early age and you have a powerfull tool for controlling them for life. This concept is not lost on the muslims. They do the same thing christians do, instill the fear of never seeing allah and they will blow themselfs up along with dozens of inocents just to go to the muslim equivelant of heaven.

I did misunderstand - sorry. :)

Originally posted by Echo2
You missunderstand. 99.9% of people do NOT research religion. Most people know little to nothing about other religions. That is the point. People just blindly accept what they were taught as a child and actually believe that their religion is the only true religion without knowing a damn thing about the other religions out there. They are taught that to question is wrong. SO they walk around pronouncing their beliefs to be the only true ones when they have no idea what the other beliefs are about.

Instill the fear of hell and damnation in someone at an early age and you have a powerfull tool for controlling them for life. This concept is not lost on the muslims. They do the same thing christians do, instill the fear of never seeing allah and they will blow themselfs up along with dozens of inocents just to go to the muslim equivelant of heaven.

Here is a link to a short by Julia Sweeny on this topic - you have to forward you marker to about the 28 minute mark (right after a short musical interlude) to hear her bit or you could listen to the whole show (it is very interesting)

http://www.thislife.org/ra/290.ram

The entire show is about an hour long.

Originally posted by Echo2
You missunderstand. 99.9% of people do NOT research religion. Most people know little to nothing about other religions. That is the point. People just blindly accept what they were taught as a child and actually believe that their religion is the only true religion without knowing a damn thing about the other religions out there. They are taught that to question is wrong. SO they walk around pronouncing their beliefs to be the only true ones when they have no idea what the other beliefs are about.

Instill the fear of hell and damnation in someone at an early age and you have a powerfull tool for controlling them for life. This concept is not lost on the muslims. They do the same thing christians do, instill the fear of never seeing allah and they will blow themselfs up along with dozens of inocents just to go to the muslim equivelant of heaven.
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I agree...........

lol at the pot comment, I sort of think of the religion as a mesh of cultures, i guess that's pretty obvious though. I don't believe I've ever met one myself.