Christ and Tafari
By Norman Redington
The following remarks are from the perspective of the Orthodox Christian
wing of the Rastafari movement and are not intended to show any disrespect
for those brethren who view His Majesty differently (e.g. the Twelve
Tribes).
When Ras Tafari became emperor of Ethiopia, he also became the Protector
of the _Bete Kristyan_, the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church.
Throughout his long reign he strove zealously to spread the message of
Orthodoxy, the ancient and original form of Christianity, into all the
nations of the world. For this reason, the enemy besieged him with
difficulties and temptations, and three times sought to drive him from his
imperial throne. In the end, though, His Majesty triumphed over the enemy
through the strength which is signified by his Orthodox baptismal name
HAILE SELASSIE, Might of the Trinity.
His was a victory not of this world which passes away, and in which he
would seem to have lost -- his throne, his power, his dreams, his life. It
was a victory of the Enduring World to which we will all someday be
repatriated, the Real World where the Only Lord of Reality sits on His
everlasting throne.
In that world the righteous emperor now dwells, and there he intercedes
before the Qedduse Selassie, the Three-and-One, by Whose unimaginable
Power (_Haile_) he had reigned and Whom he had humbly striven all his
earthly life to serve. Yes, there before the Throne of JAH the emperor
intercedes for all the suffering poor, of Africa and Jamaica, the USA and
the UK and every land of this suffering world. From there too he fights
for us, fires his machine-gun of prayer at demons and fallen watchers,
slashes through human ignorance with the cavalry-sabre of the Word.
We know that he does this because some who are not liars have beheld him
in that world, reflecting the Sun in its power and glory. It is not to be
wondered at that certain ones who saw this mistook the reflection for the
Sun itself. A monk of the Holy Mountain beheld Saint Paisius seated upon a
throne in the heavenly mansions and was unable to endure the radiance of
his face. Sure he was standing before God, the monk fell down to worship,
but the angels corrected him: "No, this is only one of God's humble
servants, and for this glory you also were created."
Thus stands our defender the emperor Haile Selassie, king and martyr,
entirely transfigured by the deifying Light of JAH. Some who have seen him
have overstood, whether quickly slowly. They too have taken up the Cross
which the most noble emperor wore; they too have loved Him the most noble
emperor loved; they too have followed Him the most noble emperor called
God, joining themselves to the One Orthodox Church which is from end to
end of the universe.
Through their prayers and his may I who am unworthy and ignorant
nonetheless chant a sound here each week of the next twelve, and may all
who read these words awaken to the wordsoundpower which is the Reason for
reggae music.
Norman Redington
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