Haile Selassie symbolizes much - it is what one brings to the reasoning that determines what one gets out of the symbol. There are many ways to view Haile Selassie - and I am not insinuating seperating the symbolic figure from the historical personage - but when one is trying to justify a man's actions continually in the light of some exoteric Judeo-Christian concept of "God" - one is going to continue running into snags, blind faith, and "mental gymnastics" - it thus becomes necessary to look deeper. As you stated: "Also, the meaning of Ras Tafari (head - he who inspires awe) cannot be the exclusive domain of one person. The concept of Ras and Tafari can be found in other African symbols, and in the way they paid respect to their elders. Certainly the meaning of Haile Selassie (Might of the Trinity) is an old African concept that has permeated all other cultures that conceptualize a Trinity. Languages evolve and new words developed while the essential meaning is the same. So even Ras Tafari is not the exclusive property of one group of Africans or even Selassie, as the words and meaning were around before him." - With this in mind, Haile Selassie starts to mean something deeper than a historical person in a vaccuum - he begins to symbolize something greater and more ancient - the concepts of the names, what do they mean - where did they come from - what remnants are carried over from the ancient Nile Valley civilizations - where did the root ideas of God in Man come from - where did the words RA, RASTA come from. And when all these words, symbols, forms are learned about and the real inner journey is taken which they are all an allusion to - the wellspring of truth which one encounters in the realms of I and I is beyond any vessel.
And then we look back on the image of Haile Selassie and see what it really means when they say "Selassie I liveth in the hearts of all flesh" The universe and the Head Creator pulsing in all of creation, and all life in perfect order.
