Rastafari is an Abrahamic new religious and social movement that emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s, combining Protestant Christianity, mysticism, and a pan-African political consciousness. The movement is centered on the belief that Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, is the messiah or Jah incarnate. [1, 2, 3]

Core Beliefs

• Jah: Rastas believe in a single, monotheistic God known as Jah. They believe Jah partially resides within every individual, often using the term "I and I" to signify the deep spiritual connection among all people and the universe. [1, 2, 3]
• Zion vs. Babylon: Practitioners view the African diaspora as exiled in a corrupt, oppressive Western society they call "Babylon". "Zion" represents the spiritual (and often literal) promised homeland in Africa. [1, 2, 3]
• The Bible: The movement relies heavily on the interpretation of the Christian Bible, specifically viewing the enslavement and exile of Africans as parallel to the Old Testament stories of the Israelites.