yes i!
i think following the vow is very complex nowadays. i want to follow it myself next month for only about 30 days to get neglect dreadlocks afterwards. so my dreadlocks will be based on a concept and i think ill follow the rules afterwards as well.
in my understanding its all about five factors:
- you have to find a priest to officially start your vow (in a temple). but because the circumstances of today are way different from the ones of the bible we have to start without this process. you can just inform elders or send a special prayer before you start in my opinion.
- you are not allowed to drink any "strong drinks". everything alcoholic, even vinegar. to me, energy drinks, coffee and even limonade etc. are strong drinks as well. but its basically about alcohol.
- you are not allowed to have death people around you. visiting a cemetery is an idle topic. id avoid it. if somebody dies next to you, you cut the hair that was grown during your time of the vow (or shave completely?) and start again.
- you arent allowed to shave or cut the hair on your head. some say you arent allowed to wash them but i think its all about to get neglect dreadlocks or to give your hair the chance to grow naturally (into locks). the locks are mentioned in the bible.
- afterwards you cut your locks and start to let new ones grow. samson for example or john the baptists are some special examples. they were born into it so samson was allowed to be around dead people. you can also have a vow for life and never cut it. i think there are also some rastas who claim that they folow the vow but its not to be mistaken with the biblical rules. its just their interpretation. they use the vow as a biblical reason to let their dreadlocks grow. because the bible (or specifically paul) says that long hair is a sin so they make a difference between long hair and dreadlocks which are dedicated to god.
to me you follow the bible if you cut your hair and let them grow back. you can cut it. but if you cut it without letting them grow back you can be a righteous and decent human being but i dont know if you can say that you are still follow rasta. the locks are your trademark (to show that you follow a certain lifestyle), your contract (with god), your antenna (a sign to yourself that you are a rasta), your special dedication and its the most natural "haircut" anyways. morgan heritage dont speak for the whole movement. their song "dont haffe dread" is even based on a song called "haffe dread".
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