Haillie Sellasse, Up Your Ass

This song is a damnation of Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people. It shows how hyper- nationalism and religion shouldn't mix.

The song is specifically slating Rastafarianism, on the grounds that the 'saviour' of the Rastafarian religion was supposedly Haille Sellaise, who was going to lead the Ethiopian people to the promised land (Zion/Israel - which isnt that great a place anyway). But Haille Sellaise never did, and is now dead - yet the religion lives on for some reason.

And like all songs about rastafarianism (although usually pro-rasta), its in the reggae stylee. Top dog!

I think frosted inadvertantly has a point, Rastafarianism isn't a religion that gets criticised in music the way Christianity does. I think that by going after a more 'fringe' religion, they're re-enforcing their stance that they're opposed to ALL religion, even the ones that are considered cool, they're not just anti-christian or whatever.

I think there was an olympic runner named Haillie Sellase as well, but i'm pretty sure that has nothing to do ith this song.

i know people that are totally opposed to religion but love bob marley and his views and just think rastafarian is cool, not realising it is actually a religion spawning from judaism. it is good to see propagandhi referring to the "amalgamation of jewish scriptures and christian thought.." that rastafarianism actually is.

I hate when people reduce the whole Israeli/Palestinian conflict (same goes for basically any percieved "religious" conflict) to mainly religious issues. The entire shitstorm is based around power politics and control. Religion is just a legitimizing factor people use. You think the Crusades wouldn't have happened if not for religion? Hell no, it was about land, money, resources, control... religion was just used to sell it to the peasants and armies and raise morale.

That said, this song makes a lot of great points, but I really don't think it's claiming religion is the sole or even the main contributor to this conflict.

"actually, it hasn't been altered at all. comparisons between the bible today and the original scrolls show very, VERY little difference. basically just translations that could be better."

how about you check your facts before you post shit like you know. Besides the bible being complete bullshit in the first place alot of things didnt even get into the bible. they picked and choosed what to and what not to put in. Anyways we might as well be arguing over harry potter because they have about the same amount of realism.

i think that this song is more directly aimed at the israeli jews who have become influenced by rastafari. many of them are hyper-nationalists and go off to the illegally occupied west bank and gaza strip to become settlers on stolen palestinian land. these territories are THEIR "promised land", NOT the promised land of the rastas. the zion that the rastas refer to is not israel/palestine, but ethiopia (and more generally, africa). unlike the jewish zionists, the rastas in jamaica, grenada, canada, etc dont believe in a physical migration to their promised land until freedom is achieved where they're living now. this is what hallie sellasse told the global rasta community upon his trip to jamaica in the 60s.

another line that makes it clear that this song is about zionists is "you simply fill the gap between the upper and lower class", referring to the middle class status that most of the rasta-influenced zionist settlers have. the upper class are the powerful white americans who need israel as a strategic US ally as well as the israeli power elite made up of mostly jews of european descent. conversely, the settlers are mostly poorer jews of middle eastern and african descent. the upper class puts them in extremely dangeous settlements in the middle of war zones so they can expand israel's territorial assets and serve as de facto military bases for the israeli army, in order to protect the rest of israel from the palestinians, who are the lower class. this situation is certainly not beneficial to the settlers, but their faith in religion and nationalism "keeps them in line".

Religion Dictates to you what to do, how to live your life, and how to treat others. Live life the way you want to live life, dont sell yourself to a book, especially when the ideas it sells you are over 2000 years old.

this song is about how religion is basically a lie. the whole basis behind most people's faith is just a joke, and what the bible promises as a paradise on earth is a warfield.

yeah why wouldnt we be born in heaven, why would we be on earth, if their was a god why would he need to be worshipped, if their was a god why wouldnt he make us believe in him...just my 2 cents, religion just doesnt make sence...and of course it starts wars and seperates people.