Bob Marley religion has always drawn the attention of the fans. He has been an influential musician, and his legacy is still honoured. But Bob Marley religion is something that fans are still wondering about. Being born to a family of mixed race, Marley’s father was a white man while his mother was a black woman. He shared fundamental life problems through his music. As a matter of fact, Bob Marley’s music was instrumental in expressing the condition of politics, race, culture, and more.
Whatever confusion is there about his religion, one thing is sure Marley wanted world peace and love. However, you cannot defy Bob Marley religion since it was this religion that influenced his music. So, what is Bob Marley religion, and how did it inspire him to create his art? We have detailed all about the reggae singer.
What Was Bob Marley Religion?
Bob Marley religion was Rastafarianism or Rastafari. The Jamaican singer converted from Christianity to follow the principles of Rastafarianism. To describe the singer’s religion more, The Rastafari Movement was more like a loosely-organized Abrahamic faith on Haile Selassie or Ras Tafari, the Ethiopian Emperor whose reign continued from 1930 to 1974.
As per ancient Biblical and contemporary prophecies, the Holy Land was in Ethiopia. Furthermore, it claimed Black people to be none other than the lost Tribe of Israel. In Bob Marley religion, Haile Selassie was considered the incarnation of God, making him the second coming of Jesus. Furthermore, the preaching of Rastafari say that both Anglo-Saxon and Western cultures are evil and oppressive. In his decades of fame, Bob Marley religion has been Rastafarian, and he firmly followed the same.
How Did Bob Marley Follow And Practice Religion?
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You can see references to Bob Marley beliefs throughout his works. The singer took elements of the Rastafari faith and started practicing it actively in the later part of the 1960s. As a matter of fact, growing his hair and turning it into dreadlocks is something based on Leviticus 21:5, which states, “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in the flesh.”
To religiously follow his religion, he started having a vegetarian diet. He also started smoking marijuana which is a sacrament for the Rastafarians. As we know, Marley always openly embraced marijuana and even became the faith spokesperson. Interestingly, Marley became the first public face for the religion of Rastafari. It was due to Bob Marley religion that he voiced for Black liberation, social justice, oppression, and Pan-Africanism. Since he was Jamaican, he heavily emphasized promoting Black Jamaicans. He wanted to represent all the oppressed individuals of this world.
Bob Marley’s Did Music Focus On Rastafari
Marley was one of the famous reggae musicians who didn’t fear what the world had to say about them. But what made him a renowned personality was his use of Rastafari language, themes, features, and scriptural references in his music. From love to political revolution, Marley’s music connected with people. His famous songs like Mellow Mood, a romantic song, spoke about his religion. It referred to Jah, the word for God in the Rasta religion.
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Most of his works did speak about the Rasta beliefs. If you follow his music, you can notice how heavily Bob Marley’s religion has been in the same.
Did Bob Marley Convert To Christianity Before His Death?
Bob Marley’s religion was questioned after his death because of the Christian funeral rites. As Rastafarianism didn’t have any funeral rites, the family followed Christian songs, prayers, readings, and rituals. However, Marley’s wife, Rita, later clarified that Bob was Rasta at heart even before his death. Thus, his beliefs have always remained something that fans were eager to learn about.
Though it still cannot be said whether Marley’s conversion back to Christianity happened, the fans will not get answers anymore.
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Let us remember Bob Marley for all his works, music, and preaching, and keep aside any doubts about Bob Marley religion!
