Your interpretation of Babylon...

[RootsDem]

Babylon is a big word, many artist/writers and clerics refer
to it.
A lot of music refer to Babylon and the destruction and problem it causes.

Is it the system design, a conspiracy, or a religious doctrine that was developed to keep the truth from the people.

What is the truth?
Bible truth?
Egyptian truth?
What is your version of Babylon?

Deep topic i know, but get a global view on this!

[leggo rocker]

Sometimes the word 'babylon' is used to mean a policeman. "The babylons dem a come".

[MightyZ]

To me Babylon is any system of government which claims to serve the people, but only serves itself and it's rich friends.

It is a system which tolerates poverty and misery - most of which it causes, but them blames on others - often the very people who are suffering the poverty and misery.

The businesses that exist purely to generate wealth for a priviliged few are part of this system.

The roots of the use of the term 'Babylon', of course stem from the biblical days. Babylon was a powerful empire and enemy to the Hebrews.

MightyZ

www.myspace.com/mightyzallstars

[bullit]

I generally regard Babylon as capitalism and the system forced upon us by the government, the oppressors.

[greg]

to me its simple, babylon is all things evil. the term can be used to describe any establishment goverment etc etc, but really its just those who carry out the works of the devil

[jahganja7]

babylon is no love, no compassion for mankind and fellow brothers and sisters. it is opposite to the words and call of JAH. it say look out for yourself and forget any others. yea, the oppressive forces of the shitstem and politricksters. where the people act like little children and think only of themselves, babylon = baby land. dem ones go soft deh.

[leggo rocker]

In Hinduism they call it Maya (the force compelling man to evil and wrong-doing) and Ugra-Karma (the spread of the ugly system of the machine and pollution).

Some others call it 'George Bush'...

[bullit]

George bush yeah he does symbolise it a bit, but yeah i agree it can be regarded as what is bad in our society, a symbolism of evil and oppression

[Jason Allen]

I totally agree with jahganga7.
I'd also add that Babylon was an actual place in Mesopotomia (now Iraq). The Biblical implications were that the king of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar, forced God's people to forsake their beliefs and bow down to idols. This is where the stories of Daniel and the Lion's den and Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego come from. They're stories close to persecuted people's hearts (like the rastas) because they teach that you have to stand firm and have faith in the face of political systems and leaders that try to force you to do things you find detestable. Even if it means you might be persecuted or killed.
There are many other stories (Tower of Babel, Nimrod, etc) about Babylon. It was a long lasting kingdom that persistently seemed to clash with Israel and it's beliefs. Because of this it has come to symbolize the persecution of people who follow the Jewish or Christian beliefs. Although, I know here in the States it would be VERY hard to find a church service where the minister spoke about Babylon (or Zion for that matter). Seems like that sort of thing gets glossed over.

[MightyZ]

The roots of the use of the term 'Babylon', of course stem from the biblical days. Babylon was a powerful empire and enemy to the Hebrews.

Thanks for the elaboration of this statement Jason

MightyZ