Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Perfect Balance on 18 March 2008 at 6:50pm

Big post king man! I went to an I wayne concert and all the "Rasta" artists were goin on about man a bad man bun out a bowcat gunshot fya bun! Being a bad man, ignorant and rude is not rasta and it seems rasta is evolving into the new Jamaican/west indian badbwoy image.

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Permalink Reply by gerald on 19 March 2008 at 12:07am

BLESS UP! SO WHO GWAN ASSESS THE ASSESSER? BEFORE U CRITISIZE ANALYSE SO BUJU SEH. YEAH!YUH GOT NUFF FINE CONCERNS BUT HOW U SEH IT SEEN! BUN THIS BUN THAT MEAN SEH U CYAN PUT THIS AND THAT BEFORE HUMANITY,SIMPLE!SO PON THE MAN A DRIVE X5 AND MERCEDEZ NUH MEAN SEH HIM CONFUSE, HIM SEE HIM BREDA BEFORE X5 AND TING.WELL A NEXT MAN GWAN PERCEIVE CAPLETON AND SIZZLA FROM NOT NECESSARILY YOUR STANDPOINT BUT IT NUH CHANGE WHO WISE OR STUPID U DUNNO. LIVE AND LEARN CUZZ ER'TING IS ER'TING IF A SO JAH SEH THEN................WE MUST SEPERATE INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS AND CHARACTERS ESP. MUSICAL LYRICS FROM RASTA FARIANISM, CUZZ THAT A JUST TOO MINOR. RASTAFARIANISM IS GREATER THAN BOB, BEENIE OR BOUNTY SEEN! NONE THE LESS THEM ALL A PLAY THEM ROLE. GIVE THANX ITINUALLY AND KEEP UNNO GOOD WORKS AND OBSERVATIONS!

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Permalink Reply by Ras Bruno on 19 March 2008 at 4:10am

Blessings !
Big up for raising the issue. There are a lot of pre made owrds and expressions used as if they were just that : words that some bredrin and sistren use in a regular basis just for the sake of it !
And that its hard to be partial sometimes..Nuff true that babylon is what makes it roll, be it heads or dices.
And true also that its inevitable InI will need to team up with babylon sometimes to make ends meet !
But if noone raises their voice against the injustices and the unequal situations babylon puts I, what wouold we be living in ? Dictatorship, i man tell u !
So, i do agree with the I, but still will keep bringing fyah pon babylon ! Not just the government; all those wicked minds around everywhere are supposed to be babylonians as well.
I man's family was once a victim of racism (and yes I is white in looks) here in the UK to the point where my fam had to flee the house in the middle of the night!...
Apart from all the community works I man do fr InI, an anti racism group is another of the things i man involved in.
Whenever there is injustices, or unbalanced situations that should not be happening, InI will keep fighting it !
But, repeating it once again I MAN AGREE WITH THE I 99% in this reasoning !
Give thanks
Ras Bruno

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Permalink Reply by Ras Bruno on 19 March 2008 at 4:16am

And about the tittle of the reasoning : Yes it would ! But society is a Iration of babylon. Money? InI doesnt need money.
When InI lived in tribes and exchanged goods things were better...I is forced to things InI dont even need, in the fiorst place !
So, society would crumble, but not mankind !corruption would cease, not InI !
Once again, give thanks
Ras Bruno

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Permalink Reply by Baby Tafari on 19 March 2008 at 12:52pm

BIG UP'S, AND I KNEW THERE WAS SUMTIN TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT HERE!!! THIS POST IS WICKED, AND SO SO CRUCIAL!!!

YES I, THE I IS RITE ABOUT THE NURSES. I NEED THEM, AND I NEVA ATTEMPTED TO BORN ANY OF MI CHILDREN AT HOME, TO RISKY. HAD A BABY COME OUT WID THE UMBILICAL CORD WRAPPED AROUND HER NECK 7 TIMES, BUT THANKS TO FAST NURSES EVERYTHING WENT WELL. ANODDA BABY B4 CAME OUT WID SAME TING WRAPPED 3 TIMES AROUND HIS NECK. ALL WENT WELL TOO. ALSO I DO USE ANAESTHETICS -CALL MI A COWARD LOL.

WAT I MEANT WAS NEVA TO BUN FIRE TO ALL THINGS THE SYSTEM PROVIDE I WITH, AND CERTENLY NOT THE NURSES. JUST WANT SOME BALANCE. EVERYTHING ABOUT LIFE CANNOT BE TAUGHT IN MEDICAL SCHOOL, OR TRU SOCIAL STUDIES ETC.. THE PROBLEM WHICH IS TRULY DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE IS THAT AS PEOPLE GET 'EDUCATED' IN PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY, ETC., THEY SEEM TO GET PROGRAMMED TO BELIEVE THAT ALL THE ANSWERS ARE FOUND INSIDE 'THAT LITTLE BOX' SEEN? BUT I DONT BUN FIRE TO THE KNOWLEDGE, JUST WANNA SEE A MORE BALANCED APROACH. I FEEL LIKE THE I, A MORE BALANCED APROACH TO FAITH IS A GOOD THING TOO.

I WAS A THUGSTER GYAL AS A YOUTH BUT HAD REAL HEARTICAL SOCIAL WORKERS DEALING WITH ME. BEEN IN THE TWELVE STEP PROGRAM, WAS SOMEHOW FORCED TOO BUT ITS ALL BLESSED. I DIDNT COME OUT A SAINT BUT, THE EXPERIENCES WAS STILL GOOD FAR I.

JUST COZ ALL THOSE THINGS MENTIONED ABOVE SOMEHOW WORK, DOESNT MEAN TRUSTING I AN I TRUE NATURE DOESNT WORK TOO, SEEN? JUST SOME FAITH IS ALL I ASK FOR.

BUT DID I BUN FIRE IN DAT POST I MADE CONCERNING CONSELLING? I DONT THINK SO, IT DOESNT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING I WOULD DO, BUT I WILL GO BACK AND CHECK.. ANYHOW, DATS NOT WAT THE I POINT IS HERE, AND THE I MEK REAL AND VALID POINTS AND DATS WAT PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR!!! RATHER THAN THE BUN FIRE DIS AND DAT UNSIGNIFICANT!!!

I AN I DONT THINK BEING A LIGHT IN THIS WORLD MEANS TO BURN FIRE TO EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY. NO WONDER WE GET ARTICLES LIKE DIS ONE (AND CHECK I AN I RESPOND TO IT WHICH WAS ALSO PUBLISHED):

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Permalink Reply by Baby Tafari on 19 March 2008 at 1:07pm

Article
I AM WHAT I THINK - When your child becomes a Rasta

published: Wednesday | May 16, 2007

Many families face a crisis when one of their children assumes a rastafarian lifestyle. In these cases, it is important to understand the significance of Rastafarianism, its place in the lives of young people and how to deal with your child should he or she become a Rasta.

What is the significance of the rastafarian movement?

Rastafarianism is another space which exists outside of the social, moral, political and religious norms and beliefs of established society.

Why are adolescents vulnerable?

Adolescence is the period of transition from childhood to young adulthood and is a very turbulent and difficult period for many children. It is a period when young people are emerging into adulthood and are attempting to assert their independence, freedom and to establish a sense of identity and individuality. At the same time, parents are attempting to provide guidance to their children, to ensure that they pursue their education, make appropriate career choices, choose appropriate friends and establish relationships that are supportive.

Many adolescents view the establishment, consisting of their families, family friends, the church and the government, as being repressive and controlling as they try to assert and affirm themselves.

A challenge to the established system

Groups like rastafarians and hippies share many things in common and some perceive them as revolutions against the established order. These groups present a space for young people; a space to that allows them to pursue a belief system, to pursue a religion, to pursue a dietary code and to assume a lifestyle in rejection of their parents, the wider society and the establishment.

The psychological benefits to young people

These groups reject western values, middle class ideals and western religious beliefs. They encourage the living in communes (in some instances in natural environment), they espouse a natural lifestyle and vegetarian diets and they promote the use of cannabis as part of the religious experience.

In fact, the sanction of cannabis use is one of the factors making this lifestyle attractive to many young people. Groups such as rastafarianians and the hippie cultures are few of the safe spaces in which young people can retreat and use drugs such as cannabis without condemnation and criticisms.

It is the opinion of this writer that rastafarianism symbolises different things to different people - it is a way of life, a religion and a cultural expression, but I am by no means suggesting that it is an unacceptable or inappropriate lifestyle. To each is own.

Thi lifestyle presents a certain amount of freedom and autonomy to youth and allows for a different level of personal growth and spiritual maturation. Many young persons accept thi lifestyle as a means of rejecting parental value system, a way of rebellion and a means of dealing with deep-seated pain.

For parents who have brought up their children inthe traditional lifestyle it may be very painful and some parents view it as a personal failure and embarrassment. Many parents will literally throw a child out of the house if he or she becomes a rastafarian.

How to respond to the early warning sign:

1. Look out for the early warning signs such as the locking of the hair, the smoking of cannabis and the tendency to withdraw from society.

2. Maintain communication: Always maintain communication with your child especially when they are going through a rebellious phase. Avoid confrontations. Do not be judgmental or over critical. Avoid any attempt to compare your child with a sibling or other children.

3. Choose your battles: The battle lines are sometimes rigidly drawn in adolescence. As a parent learn to choose your battle and choose them well. Remember, it is not important to win the battle as much as it is important to win the war.

4. Many battles in adolescence are won through patience, the demonstration of love, care and understanding. also.

5.Seek professional advice early: Once you begin to see the early warning signs of rebellious behaviour, drug use and confrontation, seek professional advice. Unfortunately,too many parents make the move when it is too late!

6. If your child chooses to exercise his or her rights to pursue a rastafarian lifestyle after all intervention, accept it! However painful it may be, love that child and continue to be the best parent that you can. Do not make your child's choice of a lifestyle destroy that relationship.

Dr. Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, Section of Psychiatry, Dept. Of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

And I a I reply which was publiched in the Jamaican Gleaner last year:

Dear Dr. Abel,

I write to you from Sweden. We, some of the members from an online forum called the 'Itallist', hereby give our reactions to your article.

First, we want to say how proud we are of the younger ones that choose to take their first conscious steps trodding forward on Jah road. Rasta faith and truth about life is attracting young people and that is something very blessed, something we thank Jah for.

However, we feel offended about how this article fails to deal with the realities surrounding the adolescents and instead, insensitively accuses Rastafari as being the culprit. It is written from an angle blinded by the common mainstream ways as normative without questioning the society's prejudice of Rasta. Unfortunately, people will easily accept these half truths and misinformation because the scribe has the credentials to validate these falsehoods into facts.

Definitely, this article is not talking about Rastafari as a discipline, but something different which you (and possibly many with you) consider to be Rastafari. The article has oversimplified, complicated and distorted the issue, all at once. You were supposed to broaden the scope and perhaps in this way, the antisocial, unbecoming behaviour coming from elements, sometimes posing as Rastafari, could have been tackled, not attack the entire movement that is, if your intentions were honest and not simply to ridicule.

Rastafari is a movement from down to up, and because of this we did not really have the honest chance to gather up and define ourselves before we got written about and documented by non-Rastas who, from way back in history, have taken it upon themselves to behave as if they have preferential rights to interpret whatever phenomena they come across. Whatever opinions these self-appointed authorities come up with, are conveyed to the masses as gospel truth and the consumers take it at face value.

We want to make it clear that Rastas reacting against unfairness and badness does not mean Rastas are entirely and exclusively political or a revolutionary sect that exists merely to oppose and contemptuously criticise the establishment. This is one of the things many people tend to get all wrong.

Therefore, to explain that the adolescents choose to become Rastafari mainly as a 'teenage revolt against the system and its good values', is an unfair, false assertion against the Rastafari philosophy. This demeaning assumption to the movement does not help any of the anxious teenage parents.

The problem which is truly dangerous and destructive is that as people get 'educated' in psychology and sociology, etc., they seem to get programmed to believe that all the answers are found inside 'that little box'. The importance of having experts and thinkers like you discuss and share your expertise on issues that affect the society can never be overemphasised. However, this should be done in a manner that shows respect for other people's faith.

If being grown up means to be insensitive and inhumane in the name of conforming with western social norms, then it is better to be Jah children.

Blessed love,

Baby Tafari,

Ras Charles and

Chimwemwe Luwani.

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Permalink Reply by Perfect Balance on 19 March 2008 at 3:03pm

its not the technology or services of the shitstem that need to burn out. its the applications of said technologies. If they operate in harmony with nature than its a positive, the current technology is desructve but its all part of the process, eventually we can get to a level where nurse doctor house car and all will be wholistic and beneficial in every way. Bless!

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Permalink Reply by Baby Tafari on 19 March 2008 at 3:41pm

A true dat, Perfect Balance. Fi sure. And some sientists are working on meking a way for us to work with nature instead of against it on many fields. like to mek different food and drink packaging, cartons and wrappings which is good for the nature.. like if you toss something away the nature just absorbs it as nourishment!!!

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Permalink Reply by Hon.Negus I on 19 March 2008 at 3:37pm

Ises

there is no better truth than the one that manifests itself in your face. I man a BOBO MAN an feel very ashamed of what these "so called hobos" do and say. I don't say its only attributable to our mansion but all mansions. Basically all Rasses should abide by a code of morality and ethic that is transcedental. Its unfortunate that we don't listen to the true self but react to the ailing environment we live in.

Babylon? Well, all man and woman who oppose JAH and His servants, suppress his people.. that's babylon The systems created for the downfall or the ease of all natural processes.. thats babylon. Jah is Natural HIM never gwaan fake HIM only gwaan straight. Stay strong soldier and fight the battle, you have already won because you have identified the enemy.. your own brother. What do you do about it then? Separate yourself my Lord and live upfull. Like Psalm 1 says: Blessed is the man and woman that walkeh not in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the scornfull or seateth in the seat of mockers"... so mock not thy brother, like some a dem rude boyrasta, Be your own man and keep the faith.

One..

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Permalink Reply by Menace II Babylon on 20 March 2008 at 12:21am

First let me send out a massive forward to Perfect Balance, Gorgeous Sista Fiyah (love yr new pic, king is a lucky man), King Gerald, the sweet empresses from in that cold place Canada (hope you ladies are dressing warm, soon spring ) , Ras Bruno (full hundred respect all the time) and ever so cute baby Tafari. Large up Bigga Rassta full hundred and Hon.Negus (love that post). My empress kaya and big up ras eastway, soon come them ends and see what the Dutch grade is like. No bush weed iyah, you know how we roll deep and not cheap.

Give thanks for reading this post and saying what you believe. I really appreciate that. I do believe that was the intention of the management of World of Jah to encourage reasoning and to get the intention of different Rastafarians worldwide. Well south London up in here. Know that. Upmost maximum respects for taking the time to read my post as all your comments were truly appreciated.

First things first Biggarasta, no disrespect intended but I must comment on Bigga Rastas words. First things first, man is a big man to me almost 50, seen, so it is natural to respect your elders, I was raised that way or it was licks. So respect due all the time.

I can’t understand for the life of me why man/woman must change him accent and speak in riddles like the Joker from Batman, aint no riddles to solve brother man. Riddles solve long time. I am forced to read a post three or four times to get the jist of the intended post. Rastafari is natural and is meant to be natural, not imitated or copied. So it amazes me when some of you kings and queens try to change your accent to accommodate rastafari. I more than accept those things from people where English is not your first language but the rest could really be yourself.

Don’t know if your post was directed to me but I would really appreciate it when you’re talking in a post to let me know who your comments are directed at. I roll alone on this mad man creation internet. My crew is for the road and this is just to kill some time, when i come in as the queen vex as usual. Pissed off as usual as i cant come in early and it is always another woman ting....But what can you do lol. Call my name iyah when a post is directed to me and let’s get involved in reasoning. I don’t hail the king as my creator, I hail the king as a great man, but quite educated on rastafari, don’t get it twisted. Unna would get jump. Menace ain’t no chump of no fassy. No arguments, just reasoning. I read all the post in here when I have the time regardless to what is posted.

Iyah, you were not specific in your reasoning so I must call you out to specify the intention of your reasoning. Come out Biggarasta. I read your post with the zillion quotes and it is obvious you are quite intelligent, and have read some decent books (me too) with some first class authors but I am more interested in what Biggarasta has to say as an individual rather than quotes from ask.com, yahoo, google or other related internet searches. I read everything from quotes to copy and paste articles. Come out Biggarasta and bring your years or reasoning and sit and have a conversation with ini. Should be entertaining. If I don’t respond because I out on road, seeking out and chasing that paper, cause faith alone don’t pay bills, buy food, afford my lifestyle and pay mortgage. I beg this of you. Holler for me and I will come. Safe? Cool......

To the idren King Gerald, I for sure am not the assessor and if that is what you picked up from my post I can only apologise. Assessor? Me? Nah brethren man. When I speak of X5 and Mercedes don’t get it twisted. Me not bad mind and if I had my way they would be no homeless and everybody could sit and enjoy the nicer things in life. I am speaking of artists that bun the most fire when they themselves have gotton fat off the same Babylon system. I enjoy and strive to enjoy the finer things in life while keeping my faith in the almighty. Love my a la carte dining and nice wines and cognacs. Love to put on my Armani, Ecko, Tims double up with one of my idrens and hit the clubs on Friday/Saturday nights when the road slow. Not a turban man, sorry about that.....

First things first it is obvious unna like to talk of Babylon and some are not sure of what Babylon entails. Babylon can be defined as a state of mind or more so according to biggarasta the shitstem. Technology is life, it brought us penicillin, weapons of war, space travel, internet, phone, net i could go on. Everything in life is dependent on technology. Mankind’s nature to evolve. No donkey carts aint bout here.

Man a ride, man a drive, man a fly and man a sail. Globalisation change this place for the worst and for the better. Man design a bullet proof vest, man make shots to penetrate, man build a lock and turn round and sell the tool to pick it...mankind idren. Our nature may not always be appropriate but it will continue to evolve. All the nuclear if it pressed man will live on. The shitstem goes way deeper than you would begin to imagine. If you guys willing to talk of Babylon and the system more than willing.

I don’t bun no fire, I listen to everyone music wise. Certain times dependent on the mood and the flex, I draw for my Tupac, bounty and biggie to get me in the right mood as helmet set up with Bluetooth and I must have the right selections for me when I rolling or for my idrens. In cars we listen to different vibes depends on the driver. For me to burn fire I would have to sit in front a mirror to decide who to bun it on. On myself brother that is who the fire should hit first.

When I talk of things, I don’t lie, well I do sometimes but to get me out of trouble and i would swear it was not me like shaggy. I lie in those conditions, but reality I does deal with. Unfortunately the youths don’t listen to no Groundation, Israel Vibration, Culture, Burning Spear, Don Carlos, Bush man, Junior Reid, Everton Blender, Luciano, Johnny Clarke, Gregory Issacs, Dennis Brown, cocoa Tea etc. I could go on. Them listen to sizzla, capleton, junior Kelly and the newer artist and hype. So when I tell you them violent them violent. Make you go back home and sit and think and ponder. I sit and listen to them planning to go over in red zone and stick up this body and that body over crack and weed. 14 and 15 year olds. Them strapped and aint frighten. Even though I am a big man to them I still have to check myself with them cause me I was blessed with a conscious.

Got tired playing mediator so what will be will be. Have my own shit dealing with to pick up other peoples drama. Been through too many wars and still breathing.

I was having words with a little 12 year old rass and he said he cant wait for we to get lock up so he can have a chance. I told his old man who is a bonified rastaman and he could not believe it. Him Roast him lickle ass, They aspire to ganstas with girls, cars, money and bling. Well i aint no gansta, at least i don’t think so. I was blessed with a conscious. Unfortunately they don’t have one or they ignore it. The youths speak of jail like it is something to aspire to. They have no fear and they are getting more violent and crazy and heightsing rastafari. I don’t know where unna living. Unfortunately if they think these are bad give theme two generations see what comes out. Real cop killers.
Do not assume or think for a minute that faith will stop you from experiencing the evils of this society.

So unfortunately if you live in that big house on the hill, with the white fence and the little flowers outside, where it is always sunny and the birds or always singing. Stay there cause if you drop your guard you liable to get robbed by same rastafari youths. Them too ratted over here. Before dreadlocks was just safe and you could do you thing. They don’t care.

How much times man get rob or there kids get rob and have to come to me or my idren grenade joe complaining and we have to leave and go down in the little ones block and move screw and take back shit for people. This will get worse. People will blame us and say they had no role models. I must say my generation is also responsible for what is happening now but it has gone too far to turn back. All 9 and ting them bout here smoking weed and drinking beer and vodka. How much times i take way spliffs and move screw and dash way beer? I just get tired and let them do what they must. Everyone has a gun. If them aint got it them have 8mm rebored to fire 9mm shots.

How can they have role models when fathers sowing them seed and aint looking back. Fathers are the best role models as no disrespect against single mums as i commend you for doing it on your own but men too worthless with them seeds.
To my man Hon Negus. I wonder how you will achieve that, they feel rastafari is not eating meat, drinking coconut water, eating ital and roast breadfruit and being strapped.

Menace II Babylon

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Permalink Reply by Sis Dorothy on 23 March 2008 at 4:41am

InI add the following reasoning to the portion of this discussion that deals with "Babylon" and what is meant by "Burn Down Babylon."

InI believe that most Rasta agree that Babylon does NOT mean the entire world and its technology. As H.I.M. stated: "Nowadays, science has made possible complex inventions which are put at the service of man. Yet, however precise these instruments including computers may be in their service, they obviously lack the perfecting human characteristic of sympathy, goodness, generosity and selflessness - all of which God in His ultimate wisdom granted only to human beings. Although man has found assistance for himself in these machines, his superiority lies in the fact that he is their inventor and he himself is the instrument of God." (September 3, 1965, On New H.S.I. Foundation Headquarters). Thus, it is the use to which technology is put that comes into question. One facet of Babylon refers to the MIS-use of both man-made technology and natural resources, for the benefit of the elite few and the detriment of the majority of human beings and the environment.

In addition, InI feel that most Rasta would agree that Babylon does not refer to "all" systems of social organization. There is "good" social organization (in which all in the society are participants to one degree or another in the decisions that decide their destiny), and there is "evil" social organization (in which an elite few make all the decisions that affect the majority). As H.I.M. stated: "In the world of today, community development is universally recognised as a process designed to create conditions of economic and social progress for the whole community with active participation and largely upon the initiative of the community." Therefore, the type of social organization that is proper and righteous is the type that is based on local community participation - "from the bottom up."

However, western society is based historically on a system "from the top down" (a hierarchical power structure). Babylon is, therefore, any “-ism,” since “-ism” implies an organized hierarchical power structure. Most socio-political systems throughout history have been created by those in power for the purpose of managing "the masses." Such systems are designed to strengthen the power of the predominating elite classes by indoctrinating or forcing the people of the lower classes to follow a set social order that preserves the privilege of the ruling classes and maintains the subservience of all others. In effect, those in power decide what is “true” and anyone who disagrees receives ostracism or punishment of some sort -- physical, emotional, economic, or spiritual. No “-ism” to date has been based on purely egalitarian goals. In regard to such systems, H.I.M. stated: "It is our conviction that all the activities of the children of men, which are not guided by the Spirit and council of God will bear no lasting fruits; they will not be acceptable in the sight of God. It will therefore come to naught as the tower of Babel came to naught."

One weapon in the fight against Babylon is an economic one. While it is true that one person (each Rasta I-self) cannot change the fate of nations single-handedly, all Rasta Bredrin and Sistren can, united together, have an influence on commercialism, neo-colonialism, and exploitation. For centuries, human progress was measured by the ability of the privileged few to reap great economic profit by exploiting the labor of the many, most of whom gained little or no economic benefit.

Jah had given the world and all its resources to all the people. There are enough resources to sustain all peoples if those resources are not wasted and are not coveted in excess by any few who consider themselves more privileged than others. Achievement of Inity (unity), Livity (upright living), and One Love among all peoples is an ongoing process.

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