I have been thinking about this a bit lately after first seeing that link i posted. I certainly am not the most knowledgeable on the subject, and am continuing to learn more on the subject... but until then I have sighted His Imperial Majesty as m...
Give thanks for the contact, with respect to the I inquiry on the ritual sacrament. There are many who can give a comprehensible discourse on the subject. I man offered I opinion regarding the use and ab-use of the sacrifice that is the major part of the ritual.
The ancients and elders will get upset with the apparent ab-use of the sacrament and rightly so as in the beginning the ritual was as sacred as the wine and crackers ritual in the Christian sense. Not to sound ignorant here, as we all know the Christian sacrifice is related to the blood and body of Christ.
In recent times as the elders alluded, the ritual and the depth of reverence associated with the sacrifice has eroded. For example the original fire marshals would prepare the herb in a special manner in the presence of the participants to the ritual. There was a sense of holiness and respect during this period; with the level of reasoning building up one can almost feel the presence of HIM all around.
The lighting of the chalice also carried with it a sense of respect and humility for the creator. All head covering at this time is removed at the beginning of the scriptures and invocation. The chalice is passed in one direction in the circle of participants who take turns in uttering their praises to his majesty. Throught the sessions the reasoning is carried by the devotees bearing solely on the livety of the brethren and sistren with the system.
This practice is carried out in a similar manner in many of the mystical groups or religions I have observed. Some Buddhist monks do partake of a similar sacrament in praise and devotion of the Godhead Buddha. In Mexico, Peru and Columbia, mystics living remotely from the mainstream society practice a similar ritual with different mediums whether peyote or cocoa leaves. In India the mystics there, live in constant and divine bliss to the black faced Kali, by smoking the chillum much the same as the Rastaman and Empresses in Jamaica do; I wonder where the tradition came from if we gave it to India or India brought it to the Plantation.
The concern of the Elders as to the decadence of InI ritual is well stated and is significant for our survival. We however have to consider the fact that those who are ab-using the weed may be sympathizers, jugglers, bandwagoners or otherwise. Its not for us to judge what they are doing however destructive it may be to InI movements, as we have no control over the thousands who ab-use the weed for different reasons neither do have control over those who disguise as Rasta-people for the benefit of marketing a valuable commodity worth more than its weight in gold.
What we do need to be concerned about is the neglect of those among us who would turn a blind eye on the fact that many of our brethren and sistren who work within the system have no legal or moral support or protection from the very laws that almost eight years ago made it legal for the Rasta Nation to smoke and partake of a limited amount of herbs. We need to reinforce these statues with and by the legal ones among us. I get the feeling that the legal ones among us have turned a blind eye and are with the system in persecuting the brethren even more than the Babylonian system would.
There is no talk of setting up a national foundation that would stand up for the rights and defend the Rasta-people who work within the system and have to take a piss test regularly. Where did our rights go and who is minding the store? Peter Tosh got broken in pieces from the system down in the plantation, only because he came out and spoke for our rights universally, so regrettably Tosh did die in vain.
The reason (at least one) why there is no great effort made to protect those among us who work within the system can be traced to the fact that the educated class among the Rastafarians do not partake of the spiritual sacraments as the grass roots brethren do. So the argument to control the amount and times the brethren choose to praise Jah has become a topic of contention among the houses. EXACTLY WHAT BABYLON ORDERED. For in court we will be facing the same brethren standing on the opposite side of the bench along side the DA saying…. “ We de waan ‘im fe tap smoking the debil weed ebry wey him go. Me naw get invalve”
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