As Dr. E.E. Cashmore observed, "The belief system of Ras Tafari was so vague and loosely defined, even at its inception, due to its lack of a single authoritative voice, that what was to be acceptable doctrine was largely matter of individual interpretation." However, in spite of that claim, early in the history of the movement Leonard Howell gave the Rastafarians six fundamental principles: 1. Hatred for the white race. 2. The complete superiority of the black race. 3. Revenge on whites for their wickedness. 4. The negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica. 5. Preparation to go back to Africa, and 6. Acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of black people. Further, there are three overriding concepts that are key to Rastafarian beliefs: Babylon: "Babylon" is the Rastafarian term for the white political power structure that has been holding the black race down for centuries. In the past, Rastas claim that blacks were held down physically by the shackles of slavery. In the present, Rastas feel that blacks are still held down through poverty, illiteracy, inequality, and trickery by the white man. The efforts of Rastafarianism is to attempt to remind blacks of their heritage and have them stand up against this Babylon. I and I: This concept has become "the most important theoretical tool apart from the Babylonian conspiracy in the Rastafarian repertoire." Cashmore explains, "I and I is an expression to totalize the concept of oneness, the oneness of two persons. So God is within all of us and we're one people in fact. I and I means that God is in all men. The bond of Ras Tafari is the bond of God, of man. But man itself needs a head and the head of man is His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia." Jah: The Rastafarian name for God is Jah. The presence of Jah in His children and in the world is the triumph over the tribulations of everyday life. Ethiopia specifically, and Africa in general, is considered the Rastas heaven on Earth. However, there is no afterlife or hell as Christianity believes

A religious and political movement originating in Jamaica in the 1930s that bases its doctrine on selections from the Bible and regards Ethiopia as the Promised Land and Haile Selassie as a messiah, with many members advocating nonviolence and rejecting materialism. The noun Rastafarianism has one meaning: Meaning #1: belief in Ras Tafari (Haile Selassie of Ethiopia) as the Messiah and that Africa (especially Ethiopia) is the Promised Land Haile Selassie, who claimed to be a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, is the object of veneration in the religion of Rastafarianism (see also: Marcus Garvey)... Selassie was also known as "The Lion of Judah" and "King of Kings"... He travelled with a pet chihuahua named Chicheebee. http://www.answers.com/topic/rastafarianism

Rastafarians believe in Jah who is the same God that the Jews and Christians believe in but the difference comes in with our understanding of him. The way Rasta’s understand god is through the ways he reveilles himself to us. Jah reviles himself to humanity through the Trinity. The Trinity is basically the three faces of god. These faces are God the father, God the savoir and The spirit of God. God the Father is the God that is portrayed in the bible we call him almighty Jah. God the savoir is the manifestations of Jah. This manifestations of Jah are the Messieurs that Jah has sent us. These would include Jesus Christ and His Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie 1. The spirit of Jah is the Holy Spirit that came down on the disciples of Jesus on Pentecost. Rastafarians also believe in Emperor Haile Selassie who was the Savoir sent by Jah to free the black people from colonialism and Racism just the same as Jesus was sent to free the Jews. This is the corner stone of The Rastafarian Faith. Jah is an active God who sympathizes with his Children who struggle to live in Babylon.