The Credocide of Rastafarianism

By Michael Gryboski

Overview

In the world today hundreds of thousands of people follow a religion known as Rastafarianism. This belief system holds that a twentieth century king of Ethiopia, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I was the new Christ, a black messiah. Closely woven into the modern pan-African Black Nationalist movement, Rastafarianism is most prevalent among blacks from lower socio-economic status, mostly in the island country of Jamaica. Interestingly enough, Rastafarianism does take many of its theological concepts from Christianity, and deems certain passages of the Holy Bible and various Christian doctrines as true. As a result many within and without the religion consider Rastafarianism another sect of Christianity. This is not the case. Haile Selassie, rather than Jesus Christ, is deemed the Messiah. Yet not being a Christian sect is not the only problem with this religion. Rastafarianism has two major if not damming problems with what it preaches, namely the words of one of their major figures Marcus Garvey about Haile Selassie as well as the words of Haile Selassie himself. These two critical sources, deemed authoritative by adherents to this cult, prove that Haile Selassie I is not a god but rather only a mortal man like any of us.

Background

The central figure of Rastafarianism is the Ethiopian nobleman Tafari Mokonnen. “Tafari Mokonnen was born in his father’s country home near Harar on 23rd July 1892 (16th Hamle 1884 in the Ethiopian Calendar). He was baptized in Harar at the church which his father had built and received his Christian name of Haile Selassie.”¹ As a prince, Selassie was known as Ras Tafari, hence the name of the sect that is being analyzed. During the time when the future emperor was growing up there was an upsurge in Black Nationalism and pan-Africanism, the birth of movements seeking to give blacks equality in western democracies, and growing white dominance of the African continent. In the United States of America, black men like Booker T. Washington founded academic institutes, held major conferences on the future of black male suffrage, and even ate dinner at the White House. This was the era in which the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) was founded, as well as the more politically extreme Nation of Islam. In this era there was a man named Marcus Garvey, who believed that, like the People Israel needing to return to the Promised Land, blacks in the USA and Caribbean had to return to Africa. “They liken the fate of all black people in the West to that of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt and Babylon, and believe that they will not be free unless they return to Africa.”²

As these sentiments were gaining popularity, Ras Tafari “Ascended the Imperial throne on 3 April 1930” and was officially “Crowned on 2 November 1930.”³ When he was crowned, Halie Selassie was considered the “black messiah in Africa.”⁴

Emperor Haile Selassie ruled the one nation in Africa not controlled or established by white countries, a nation that had in the past successfully maintained its sovereignty even when European powers such as Italy attempted to annex. However not long into the reign of Haile Selassie, Mussolini’s Fascist Italy invaded and eventually took Addis Ababa, the capital of the empire. Haile Selassie went into exile, eventually returning in victory with the aid of Allied forces. However decades after the Second World War Haile Selassie’s rule would again be overthrown, this time from within via a Communist coup in 1974. “As for Haile Selassie I, once again, the ‘ex-emperor’, it was announced on 28 August 1975, eleven months after his dethronement, that he had died the previous day of ‘circulatory failure.’”⁵

There are many elements to Haile Selassie I that for many Rastafarians may imply a divinity status. Haile Selassie’s official title was Negus Negast, which is often translated into English as “King of Kings.”⁶ His Christian royal name, Haile Selassie means “Power of the Trinity.”⁷ Small wonder that many saw Haile Selassie as the black messiah prophesized by Garvey. Yet was he really Christ incarnate? The claim would get shunned by most of the world. However numbers of believers should not be alone sufficient to deem a spiritual belief system or ideology as being in error. Rather, one must look to the two great figureheads of the Rastafarian religion, the oft proclaimed founder Marcus Garvey and the deity, Haile Selassie.

The words of Garvey

A key proponent of the back to Africa movement, Garvey was admired by many in the early twentieth century. Born in 1887 Jamaica Garvey went from being part of a poor large family to “a powerful black revolutionary and race leader who influenced a great many people in his time.”⁸ He established a very influential organization dubbed the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, which “pledged itself to the redemption of Africa and the uplift of Black people everywhere. It aimed at race pride, self-reliance and economic independence”⁹. Also he created “an international shipping company called the Black Star Line. By 1920 the UNIA had hundreds of divisions. It hosted elaborate international conventions and published a weekly newspaper entitled the Negro World.”¹⁰

In Rastafarianism, Garvey is held in high regard. “The Rastafarians sing the praises of Garvey often. One of the reasons for this is that much of their religion is directly descended from Garvey's movement, adopting many of his beliefs as well as symbols.”¹¹ This is due to Garvey being “credited as the founder” and even “considered part of the Rastafari Trinity…’second only to Haile Selassie.’”¹²

These are honors that Garvey would most likely not have wanted. Before going any further it must be disclosed that Garvey did not specifically identify Haile Selassie as the black messiah. Rather Haile Selassie was seen by many as being the black Christ. In his prophecy Garvey never named Selassie as the black messiah. With this noted, a 1930s editorial by Garvey makes more sense. Although Rastafarians consider Garvey a prophet and Haile Selassie as messiah, the prophet did not endorse the messiah as seen with a very scathing article written by Garvey regarding Emperor Haile Selassie’s shortcomings as a ruler.

But first some context. In the 1930s Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia (also called Abyssinia) in an effort to build the new Roman Empire. Fighting was oftentimes fierce, and although the Italians had a significant technological advantage with tanks, machine guns, and airplanes, the Ethiopian army held for some time. However, eventually the mechanized forces of Mussolini prevailed and Addis Ababa was overwhelmed, with Emperor Haile Selassie fleeing his empire and living in exile in England. It was in this time that Garvey wrote what he wrote in an English publication. Below are some of the more telling statements made by the man who supposedly honored Haile Selassie as a god:

” When the facts of history are written Haile Selassie of Abyssinia will go down as a great coward who ran away from his country to save his skin and left the millions of his countrymen to struggle through a terrible war that he brought upon them because of his political ignorance and his racial disloyalty.”¹³

” It is a pity that a man of the limited intellectual calibre and weak political character like Haile Selassie became Emperor of Abyssinia at so crucial a time in the political history of the world.”¹⁴

” Indeed Haile Selassie has proved the incompetence of the Negro for political authority, but thank God there are Negroes who realise that Haile Selassie did not represent the truest qualities of the Negro race. How could he, when he wanted to play white? how could he, when he surrounded himself with white influence? how could he, when in a modem world, and in a progressive civilization, he preferred a slave State of black men than a free democratic country where the black citizens could rise to the same opportunities as white citizens in their democracies?”¹⁵

” That is why it is preferable for the Abyssinian Negroes and the Negroes of the world to work for the restoration and freedom of the country without the assistance of Haile Selassie, because at best he is but a slave master.”¹⁶

The continual denunciations of Emperor Haile Selassie are the words of a man often considered his prophet, the one who foretold his coming. The editorial can be found in many locations online and some have even posted it on various Rastafarian websites. Responders to these posts do not view the editorial alone as sufficient to delegitimize the deity status of Haile Selassie. Yet one should look at it objectively. Either Garvey the prophet is wrong or Haile Selassie is not the messiah but rather a “great coward”, “slave master”, and one of “weak political character.” The responses on certain message boards indicate this dilemma. A couple examples:

”I have no right to judge about Marcus Garvey, but I have to say, that THIS ARTICLE is shortsighted and was proofed complete foolishness after HIM returned on 5.5.1941, the pity is, that Garvey wasn't blessed to see this.”¹⁷

So the work of Garvey is “shortsighted” and “complete foolishness”? Well, then that means it’s very possible that Garvey’s prophecy supposedly foretelling the coming of the black messiah Haile Selassie is tainted by a personality marked by “complete foolishness.” For if Garvey could not accurately described the events of his day, as suggested by the poster, then how could he have been competent enough to foretell the black messiah?

”I couldn't believe in what i saw here... An article probably written by some Bald Head Meat-eater that wants to destroy the immaculate image of H.I.M Haile Selassie.”¹⁸

Another who decided that Garvey was less than competent, which would mean that the very founder of Rastafarianism is considered by a Rastafarian as a “Bald Head Meat-eater.” This inevitably means that a “Bald Head Meat-eater” was the founder of the poster’s religion. The dilemma survives.

There are other posts on other message boards, none of them able to adequately reconcile the Garvey editorial denouncing Haile Selassie with the view that Garvey is a prophet and Selassie is the black messiah. However, as shall be documented, the words of Garvey are not the only words uttered against the fundamentals of the Rastafarian religion. More can be found from an unlikely source: His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Negus Negasti Haile Selassie I.

The words of Haile Selassie

As a world leader, head of an empire, and major figure in global politics Haile Selassie has plenty of words on the record on many subjects. Online there are websites that have compiled his words, seen as components to the pan-African spirit. Haile Selassie’s empire was undeniably inspirational, for as other nations in Africa gained independence from European colonial systems they adopted the red gold and green of Ethiopia’s flag for their national banners. Haile Selassie’s words touched base on many matters, including even periodically though not often on those who worshipped him. In an interview with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reporter Bill McNeil in 1967, Haile Selassie was asked by the journalist about the claims of divinity. “There are millions of Christians throughout the world,” said McNeil, “who regard you as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ."¹⁹Selassie replied,

” I have heard of that idea. I also met certain Rastafarians. I told them clearly that I am a man, that I am mortal, and that I will be replaced by the oncoming generation, and that they should never make a mistake in assuming or pretending that a human being is emanated from a deity."²⁰

There are apologists for the Rastafarian faith who believe that in spite of Haile Selassie’s own statement he is indeed the messiah. Those who stubbornly cling to the claim nitpick at the quote, noting that he did not specifically say he was not the messiah. This is just a ridiculous assessment, since he states he is mortal. How basic do the words have to be until people realize there is only one interpretation for them?

Added to the denials by Haile Selassie of his own divinity, there is also an absence of evidence. In no verified statements has Haile Selassie ever said he was divine. There are no recorded instances in which Haile Selassie declared himself to be the messiah, a god, or anything other than human. Some have alleged certain statements made in secret, but none of these can be proven. In light of the absolute absence of messianic declarations from Haile Selassie adherents to the Rastafarian faith have claimed that this lack of acknowledgement was a show of humility. Yet Christ Jesus, whom Rastafarians believe was the first Christ, declared His divinity on several occasions in the Bible, which is a work that those in the Rastafarian faith deem authoritative.

Haile Selassie was a practicing Christian, having been baptized in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. He established at least one seminary and advanced general religious education in his empire. And yet did he ever advance with his position of power a belief system that placed him at the apex of a cosmological pyramid? Nope. A member of the Orthodox Church, he advanced Orthodox doctrines. This leads to another question: if Emperor Haile Selassie was the messiah and therefore the route of salvation, then how come he did not advance this view through the Orthodox Church or any of the religious educational structures he established and maintained? Factored with his words, one can conclude justly that although hundreds of thousands maybe millions of people worship Haile Selassie and considered him a god, His Imperial Majesty believed otherwise.

Conclusion of the matter

To this day fueled by Black Nationalism, pan-Africanism, and the lyrics of many genres of music, Rastafarianism remains a religion practiced by many, perhaps millions of people. Most of the adherents are young, black, and from low socio-economic backgrounds. However with the mainstreaming of the Reggae genre of music as well as the overall powerful anti-poverty message within that culture it is possible that Rastafarians will increase in numbers among those from without those classifications. If so, these new members will be embracing a religion whose chief prophet denies the competence of its messiah and the messiah denies being the very deity he is proclaimed to be.

Sources:

1. Sandford, Christine, The Lion of Judah Hath Prevailed (London: J.M. Dent & Sons, LTD) 1955, pp.15-16.

2. Meredith, Susan, The Usborne Book of World Religions, (London: Usborne Publishing Ltd.) 1995, p.51.

3. Mockler, Anthony, Haile Selassie’s War, (New York: Olive Branch Press), 2003, p.387.

4. Meredith, p.51.

5. Mockler, p.425.

6. http://www.duboislc.org/ShadesOfBlack/HaileSelassie.html, accessed December 19th, AD 2008.

7. http://www.dubroom.org/articles/517.htm, accessed December 19th, AD 2008.

8. Jeans, Christopher, “Marcus Garvey words come to pass”, April 22nd, AD 1998, found at http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/jeans.html, accessed December 19th, AD 2008.

9. http://www.africawithin.com/garvey/garvey_bio.htm, accessed December 22nd, AD 2008.

10.Ibid.

11. Jeans, http://debate.uvm.edu/dreadlibrary/jeans.html.

12.Ibid.

13. Garvey, Marcus, “The Failure of Haile Selassie as Emperor”, The Black Man, March/April 1937, found at Hill, Robert A. (ed.), The Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association Papers: Volume VII November 1927—August 1940, (University of California Press, May 1991) p.739.

14. Hill, p.739

15. Hill, p.740.

16.Hill, p.741.

17. http://rastafari.suddenlaunch.com/index.cgi?board=haile&action=display&num=1109594614, accessed December 23rd, AD 2008.

18. http://rastafari.suddenlaunch.com/index.cgi?board=haile&num=1109594614&action=display&start=30, accessed December 23rd, AD 2008.

19. “Emperor Haile Selassie's Denial Of Being The Messiah”, Published May 25, 2003, http://www.jamaicans.com/culture/rasta/interview_popup.shtml, accessed December 20th, AD 2008.

20.Ibid.