random dreadlock question

Anyone can have dreadlocks. It's not just a Rasta thing. If a Christian person had it, it would not be against their faith. However, many people would mistake them for Rastas, but it would not be an act against their Christian faith.

True Rastas are actually devout Christians....and vegetarians.

It's actually debatable whether or not they're "true" Christians or not.

& so what is a "true" christian?

i dont know too much about rastafarianism, but the one thing that would make me believe that their faith differes theologically from Christianity is that I have heard they believe africans are God's chosen people, Ethiopia is heaven on Earth, and that Ras Tafari is the Messiah for the African race. Christianity holds that Jesus is the only messiah, and that salvation is now for ALL people who believe in him, not just a chosen group...but again i just know the basics about rasta(although i am a biblical and religious studies major, so I know quite a bit about Christianity).

sorry guys, i didnt start this thread to start a religious debate 😉

very interesting thanks!

Oddly enough I just had a conversation last weekend with a Rasta about this very subject. I am agnostic and was raised atheist, so not sure how this alters the equation, but, as he explained it, Rastas believe that Jesus IS Haile Selassie (who is aka Ras Tafari).

thats odd and really interesting...so I guess it alters the question by the fact that they DO believe in Jesus, just in another form. I havent learned about anything else like that in my classes.i am going to ask my theology professor about it after spring break...if he makes any more sense of it, I'll post it... 🙂

I think to answer the question is that anyone can wear dreadlocks. Because they wear dreadlocks, it doesn't mean they are practicing the Rastafarian religion. Actually very few of the ones you see around here with dreads are Rastararians. Most just have dreads. Some pretend. In the true sense of their religion, some of the things that these dread locked people do are truly against their religion. Smoking marijuana is about the only thing that is part of the religion that they do that is true Rastafarianism. If all the dread locked peolpe around here followed the religion, I don't think that they would be looked down upon as much as they are.
Ronnie

Yeah, that is why a lot of people around the Caribbean associate Rastas with criminals. A lot of criminals happen to have locks, but do not adhere to Rastafari. When people see these criminals, they mistakenly see them as Rastas, and Rastafari is given a bad name by dreadlocked criminals.

last time i was on st. thomas i ran into an old schoolmate of mine. he now has dreadlocks - funny part is he is naturally bleach blond! so i guess anyone can have dreadlocks...