Nation of Yahweh
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Nation of Yahweh is a black supremacist religious group that has faced accusations of being a cult by the Southern Poverty Law Center [1] and The Miami Herald.[2] It is an offshoot of the Black Hebrew Israelites line of thought created by Yahweh ben Yahweh. They were formed in the late 1970s in Miami-Dade county. While the Nation of Yahweh falls under the umbrella of Black Hebrew Israelites, their beliefs are unique and distinct from that of other known Black Hebrew Israelite groups.
The followers of the Nation of Yahweh believe that Jesus of Nazareth never existed; they follow a strict vegetarian diet; they consider women unclean during their menstrual cycle (or "issue" as they call it); all forms of birth control are not to be used; and they are encouraged to have as many children as possible. Members also wear white tunics, turbans, and a tetragrammaton pendant during their holy days. These have all been symblematic of the movement's image. Members still tithe and are required to attend as many Feasts (holy days) as possible. They observe many of the same holidays that are observed in Judaism including abstaining from work on the Sabbath; however, the dates and times these holidays are observed follow the solar calendar as opposed to the lunar calendar. While they do have their own propaganda materials, much of their main source of information is based on the King James Bible, both the Old and New Testament. However, the Nation of Yahweh's interpretation is quite different from that of Jews or Christians.
The beliefs of the Nation of Yahweh in some respects paralleled that of Christian Identity except on the basis of black supremacy rather than white supremacy. They view blacks as the "true Jews" and previously other races were increasingly viewed with disdain as the group evolved. However theologically they had more similarities with movements of Black Hebrews, especially the more extremist varieties.
Despite the current situation of their leader (see Yahweh ben Yahweh) the Nation of Yahweh is still active. Its members also claim to have abandoned their past racism; the leader's daughter has apparently stated that all people are children of God. An attorney and member of the group named Wendelyn Rush insists their current war with the US government is a non-violent verbal battle. The group is currently spread throughout the US and is no longer concentrated in one location (formerly Miami-Dade county). Their present literature downplays and has nearly erased all past racism.
Despite some of these present changes, much of the same rhetoric and codes of behavior have remained essentially the same as when the group began. Most still insist that Yahweh ben Yahweh is "Grand Master of All, the God of the Universe, the Grand Potentate, the Everlasting Father and the persecuted Messiah." A few elderly members consider 9-11 to have been a punishment from God for his imprisonment. Pledges of devotion to him and war against infidels allegedly still exist.
