However, his name Tafari is used for the movement with the tittle 'Ras' which in Amharic literally means head hence Rastafari or Rastafarianism whose members or followers are known as Rastas or Rastafarians. In spite of this, most Rastafari especially the staunch ones loathe being referred to as "ism" because they consider it belittling and offensive.4 Additionally, Garvey's followers believed that Selassie is the messiah he had foretold. This was much pointed out by several street-corner preachers like Paul Earlington, Archibald Dunkley and Robert Hinds; they postulated that he is the reincarnated Christ.5 Nevertheless, because of Selassie's secret cooperation with the white oppressors, Marcus Garvey did not hold him in high esteem especially because he accepted the British to help him regain his throne after losing against the Italians. Besides, Selassie himself denied his divine status as proclaimed in Jamaica. He asseverated that he is only a mere man, mortal and that there will come others after him to succeed him. Nonetheless, this did not discourage Rastafarians from believing that the emperor is divine.
Beliefs and Practices.
From what we have read so far, the idea being brought forth is of Rastafarians doing away with European religion and the authority of the colonial state which is oppressive, that is why they refer to Jamaica as Babylon (some say it is hell). They believed that it was a society with no redeemable values or institutions; Leonard Howell one of the early leaders of the movement even encouraged humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica. On the other hand, Rastafarians proclaim Zion in reference to Africa particularly Ethiopia, as their fathers' land, heaven on earth hence the movement embracing numerous African political and social aspirations.
Rastafari holds several Jewish and Christian beliefs and accepts the existence of a single triune deity called Jah.