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TheTwelve Tribes of Israel is aRastafari religious group and one of theMansions of Rastafari. Its headquarters is on Hope Road inKingston, Jamaica. The group was formed in 1968 byVernon Carrington, who was known to the organisation as "Prophet Gad".[1] The twelve tribes have been described as the Rastafari mansion closest in beliefs toChristianity orMessianic Judaism. Members follow the teaching of reading theBible (theScofield Reference Bible,King James Version) a chapter a day fromGenesis 1 toRevelation 22, a practice encouraged by Carrington. It is the most liberal[clarification needed] of the Rastafarian orders and members are free to worship in a church or building of their choosing.
The Twelve Tribes of Israel teach salvation through theMessiyahJesus Christ, whom they refer to as eitherYahshua or by theAmharic nameIyesus Kirisitos. It is perhaps the Rastafari mansion closest in beliefs toChristianity orMessianic Judaism.
Haile Selassie,Emperor of Ethiopia, is seen as a divinely anointed king in the lineage of Kings David and Solomon (Selassie's house being called theSolomonic dynasty). While he is considered a representation of "Christ in His Kingly Character", he is not seen as an incarnation of theMessiyah, nor asJah Himself, but rather as an emissary of Jah and representative of the everlastingDavidic covenant, which is to be fulfilled by Christupon his return.
Some members of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, like other Rastafarians, reject the consumption of alcohol, refrain from cutting their hair, and avoid the dead and anything having to do with death, as a part of theNazirite vows. They also keep theSabbath, and followItal dietary laws.
There is no doctrine however which forces them to do so: so some members choose to cut their hair, drink alcohol or eat meat; which they are free to do.
Members are grouped into Twelve Tribes, modelled after theTwelve Tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. Each member belongs to a tribe, which is determined byGregorian birth month, though beginning in April in rough alignment with theJewish calendar. Each tribe is represented by a color, a part of the body, and a character trait, often called a "faculty". Although the twelve representations apply to male and female alike,Dinah, though not considered a tribe, is representative of the feminine.
Members of this order are not required to be turbaned; however, they do wear red, gold, and green banners at meetings, during prayer and Bible readings as a holy garment. The Twelve Tribes of Israel functions internationally and has headquarters in various countries. Members work towards repatriation to Africa, mainly Ethiopia (Shashamane).
Artists associated with the group includeBob Marley,Sangie Davis,Fred Locks,Little Roy, andPablove Black. The group had an association with the Jah Lovesound system in the 1970s.[1]
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