Expert: Susan Milillo - 1/31/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Ma'am. I am a 13 year old boy attending a normal, public school in the middle of Illinois. I love listening to artists such as Bob Marley, Cocoa Tea, and Steel Pulse; and from them I wanted to become Rasta. If you don't know, Rasta is a movement that rejects Babylon and believes that Zion is where God is all at. The thing is though, is that they say this Etheopian Emperor is an incarnation of God, and I don't know for positive wether it'd be alright with Jesus is I go for it. It's most certainly not a religion. Just a way of life. If you would be so kind to, here's a link to a wikipedia page about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari_movement

you don't know how much your response means to me.

God Bless!

ANSWER: Hi Adam,

I'm so pleased to make your acquaintance !   You sound like a very normal thirteen year old boy.  It's so good that you are honestly seeking godly answers to your questions.  I trust that God will help me provide some of that for you. Thanks a lot for posting a link to the Wikipedia site.  Wikipedia rocks ! Wouldn't you agree?

I will look at it tomorrow, as it's getting late tonight, and I will send you a longer reply then.  But, I have to quick say that you are wise, and right, to question a belief system, or way of life, etc., that claims that anyone other than Jesus himself is an incarnation of God.  He is THE incarnation of God, and no one could ever take His place or add to the work He did for us to accomplish our peace with God.

Man, there is so much more I want to add to this, which I will endeavor to do tomorrow.   But I just wanted to give you a little bit to mull over for tonight.

Love in Jesus,
SM

Adam !!

Hi again :-)

Well, I just read the articles you sent me on Wikipedia, and my answer is fairly direct and clear cut.   But first I want to cut/paste part of the main article:

"The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, new religious movement [1] that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation of God, called Jah[2] or Jah Rastafari. Haile Selassie is also seen as part of the Holy Trinity and as the returned messiah promised in the Bible."

So, a couple things:
~According to Wikipedia, it is a religion - a 'religious movement'
~Haile Selassie I, they say is _the incarnation of God_. That is a very bold claim.
~Haile is seen as _part of the Holy Trinity_
~Haile is seen as _the returned messiah promised in the Bible_

PLEASE stay away from this, Adam.   You can like the musicians you like without embracing everything about them, right?    Rastafari is not the truth of God revealed in the Bible.   For a couple reasons:

~Trinity implies Three ~ So, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Does Haile claim to be the Son?  Or is there now a fourth person in the 'trinity'?    If he claims to be the Son, there are problems with that.  When the Messiah returns, it will be to retrieve His children and take them to be with Him forever.  "The dead in Christ will be raised first.. and we who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:17)  This is commonly referred to as the rapture.   I think we would know if there had been a 'mass exodus' of people, right?

~After certain things happen on earth, Christ will return, with His church, and set up a righteous kingdom on earth !    I don't really know what all Haile is doing, but I'm sure a 'kingdom of true righteousness' would somehow make the news.  You know?

~A very direct passage in the Bible is Matthew 24:23-31.  Do you have a Bible of your own? Please, please read this.  It's very important.
One verse from here is:  "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert! do not go out; or, 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  FOR AS THE LIGHTNING comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."
(Well, actually, that was 2 verses, 26+27 :-)

~Check his deeds.... Is he producing fruit leading to _righteousness_? James says, "By your fruits you will recognize them" ~ and that, just speaking of believers/unbelievers ~ Certainly it should be true of the Messiah.


Do you have any questions, or can I explain anything more clearly or thoroughly?    I earnestly hope and pray this helps.

Focus on the SON.

Cheers,
SM

OH, and Adam, read your Bible, for yourself.  Get well grounded in your faith now, so no one for the rest of your life, will ever be able to deceive you.   (Please read II Timothy 3:13-16)  There are so many self-proclaimed 'gospels' out there. Everyone really has got to know themselves what the Bible says, so they don't fall for any crap.
Have you ever heard about people who study to recognize counterfeit money?  Well, they learn by _studying the REAL thing_.  Then, they know the true dollar SO well, that when a fake one comes along, it's a lot easier to spot.   Submit your heart and life to let God be your guide, through His Word.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: This isn't really a question so much as it is a comment, because i couldn't find the comment button. But I am VERY much into God, and actually I've read my bible from Genesis to John (so far) People at my school even jokingly call me Pastor Adam. I just didn't know how to react. That's for your help though :]

ANSWER: OH, okay.  Well that's definitely good !    What did you think of the things I brought up in my most recent response?   Do you think it is so, that Rasta doesn't exactly mesh with the Bible?  I know they say they follow the Bible, along with a few other things (that's always the part to be wary of).
But I'd really like to hear your feedback, Pastor Adam !

~SM

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I thought that you made all good points. And really, I thought about joining because of the artist Bob Marley, whom I found out last night, at his death converted to Orhodox Christianity and his last words were "Jesus take me". I'm not trying to be a mirror image of anybody, just more like a hero. But my true hero is Jesus, so there we go :]. And now in my opinion, I'm starting to think Rastafari is once of the devils tricks. A wolf in sheeps clothing is what i think this cult is all about. But I'm not jumping to conclusions yet.

Answer
'Methinks' you think rightly!   :-)
Keep focusing on your Hero, Jesus, and I am positive that you will
find 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'!

I'm glad you are really thinking.

biggest thing to keep in mind, as you think:

Take everything back to the Bible. Ask God to help you understand, as you read.

May God richly bless you!
And make you a hero for the kingdom of heaven!

In Him,
SM