Gadman, del 1

Välsignad vare han som sprider profetens ord! Gadman, en liten man med en stor tanke. Denna nobla rastaman ifrån Jamaikas trenchtowns, Vernon Carrington som han hette var medlem i en lokal gren av Ethiopian World Federation Inc. Det var inte en religiös församling utan ett sätt att organisera svarta i karibien och centralamerika, började läsa sin Old Scofield Study Bible (King James Version), ifrån början till slut. Han läste den två gånger och insåg att han var reinkarnerad, eller kanske snarare nedstigen, med uppdrag att ännu en gång återförena Israels tolv stammar. Han vart kallad och sänd. Gadman, Gad, började upplysa människor på Jamaika att läsa bibeln, ett kapitel om dagen för att finna sanningen för sig själv. Det här var för många en kontroversiell tanke då den kristna bibeln av många förknippades med den vita kolonialmakten. Men Gadman fortsatte att repetera... a chapter a day...

Gadman lämnade EWF och började organisera Twelve Tribes of Israel, genom hans djupa förståelse av bibeln så delade han in stammarna och den andliga koppling till dessa som de som känt sig kallade och utvalda tillhörde.

Med tiden så spred sig orden över världen och idag finns Twelve Tribes of Israel som organisation i många länder och tack vare Gadman så har Israels Barn äntligen lyckats hitta hem. Välsignad vare han! Rastafari!

Det finns en ganska känd intervju med Gadman som jag tänkte gå igenom här för er som inte känner till den. Jag postar en del per dag så det inte blir för mycket text på en gång.



Can you tell us first of the history of the Twelve Tribes?

"I was being converted in 1961 and I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation twice. But I was being sent, I was called and sent, resurrected and sent to do this work and when I read the bible I strongly see that there is a gap that is there to be filled and I believe that I am one of them that send to do it Do the work."

Where did the movement start, where were you at the time?

"At Trenchtown. But I was called when I was living at Outlook Avenue, that is at Rockfort Garden."

What form did it take, how did you convince people of what it is that you were sent to do?

" Well, I keep telling them that if they read the bible a chapter a day, they will see that what I'm doing, if it is right or wrong. Well, majority read the bible and them say, what I am saying is there, so they be a part of it.

" How is the different tribes identified, how did you know who was Simeon and who was Levi and so on...

"Yes, well there's a record in the bible, if you see it you see, that Ruben represent the eye, and Simeon represent the ears, and such like, it is all there, but there is a part there that the maid, that the maid have two children and the other one have two. So that is how come the Twelve Tribes of Israel. It's all recorded there you know. I have seen most of things I'm doing in the bible."

Okay. Some more about the Tribes. and how they identify themselves.....

" By a month. Each month, like Ruben represent April, Simeon represent May,"

Glad You said that. I'm Simeon. (laughs)

" And June represent Levi and Judah."

How did you make the connection with the tribes and the months. How did you know that May was Simeon?

"Alright. (At this point Gad points to body parts that correspond with the different Tribes) Well, you see, I mean, Rueben, you see, so you know that is April, an your Ear : that is May, June, July, August, September, October, which is your back, November your penis, October, November, December: the knee, January, February, and March."

Alright. The 12 Tribes of Israel have been accused of being elitist, catering to the middle class and whites. Is that a fair criticism?

"No that is not a fair criticism. Because we are not catering for only one set of people, out of one blood is all nation, so it is all called, but we know that not everybody is going to see what we are all doing."

So this talk..because I know a lot of people are listening now are saying to themselves: But no, we always did think that only a certain type of people were members of The 12 Tribes of Israel, and isn't it interesting that a Rastafarian group cared, when most Rastafarians are saying: "Down with the with the white downpressors" that 12 Tribes of Israel actually embrace all races.

"That is correct. We read in the Bible that out of one blood all nation, so it would be wrong for us to say only one race, we wouldn't survive that way, God make all of us, so, that is where I stand."

The 12 Tribes of Israel is seen as closer to Christianity than other Rastafarian groups. Is there a basic difference in the doctrine?

"Yes there is a basic difference because we see Christ, and that die and rose again, and that die for our sin, we see that person. So that is, you know, a different teaching, because is not many see this teaching, that Christ is the person."




Som avslutning till det här inlägget så skulle jag vilja lägga in en låt av Governor Andy, som har en fantastisk låt om vår älskade profet. Rastafari, Selassie I!