Moto Wahelo​—Kodi Ukukolera Kapena Ukuzima?

MLALIKI Wachiprotestanti Jonathan Edwards anali kuwopseza nzika za Amereka zolamulidwa ndi Atsamunda m’zaka za zana la 18 ndi malongolosedwe ake atsatanetsatane a helo. Nthaŵi ina anafotokoza chochitika china pamene Mulungu analenjeka ochimwa pamwamba pa malaŵi a moto mofanana ndi akangaude onyansa. Edwards anadzudzula mpingo wake kuti: “Wochimwa iwe, ukulenjekeka ku nkhosi yoning’a, imene yazingidwa ndi malaŵi a mkwiyo waumulungu, ndipo nthaŵi iliyonse akhoza kuiŵaula, ndi kuitentha mpaka kuduka.”

Komabe, Edwards atangomaliza ulaliki wambiri yoipa umenewu, malaŵi a helo anayamba kuchepa ndi kumazima, titero kunena kwake.a Buku lakuti The Decline of Hell, lolembedwa ndi D. P. Walker, limanena kuti “podzafika zaka makumi anayi m’zaka za zana la 18 chiphunzitso cha chizunzo chosatha cha oweruzidwa kulangidwa chinali kukaikiridwa poyera.” M’zaka za zana la 19, malaŵi a helo anapitirizabe kuzima, ndipo podzafika pakati pa zaka za zana la 20, lingaliro la Edwards lakuwona helo monga ‘ng’anjo ya moto imene okhalamo ake amazunzika kwadzawoneni m’maganizo mwawo ndi m’thupi kosatha’ linasiya kukhala mutu wa nkhani yokambitsirana. “Ataukiridwa ndi akatswiri amakono ndi kuposedwa ndi ululu wa Hiroshima ndi wa Chipululutso cha Anazi,” akutero mtola nkhani Jeffery Sheler, “malongosoledwe a helo sanalinso owopsa monga momwe analiri poyamba.”

Ndiponso alaliki ambiri anataya chikondi chawo pa moto ndi sulfure. Matchalitchi aakulu a Chikristu Chadziko anasiya kupereka maulaliki amphamvu onena za zizunzo za helo. Kwa akatswiri ambiri azaumulungu, helo anafikira kukhala nkhani yachikale kwambiri m’maphunziro apamwamba. Zaka zingapo zapitazo wolemba mbiri ya tchalitchi anali kufufuza nkhani yokakambidwa payunivesite yonena za helo, ndipo anafufuza m’maindeksi a magazini angapo a akatswiri. Iye sanapeze ngakhale mutu umodzi wolembedwa. Malinga ndi kunena kwa magazini ya Newsweek, wolemba mbiriyo anati: “Helo anazimiririka. Ndipo palibe ndimmodzi yense amene anazindikira.”

Kuyambanso kwa Helo

Kodi anazimiririka? Osati kwenikweni. Modabwitsa, m’zaka zaposachedwapa chiphunzitso cha helo chabukanso m’malo ena. Kufufuza kochitidwa ku Amereka kukusonyeza kuti chiŵerengero cha anthu amene amanena kuti amakhulupirira helo chinawonjezereka kuchoka pa 53 peresenti mu 1981 kufika pa 60 peresenti mu 1990. Mutawonjezerapo timagulu tambirimbiri padziko lonse lapansi tolalikira helo, kumakhala kowonekeratu kuti kuyambanso kwamphamvu kwa helo m’zikhulupiriro za Chikristu Chadziko kulidi chochitika chofala padziko lonse.

Kodi kuyambanso kumeneku kumangoyambukira anthu wamba a m’tchalitchi, kapena kodi kwafikanso kwa atsogoleri achipembedzo? Mfundo njakuti moto wahelo wolalikidwa ndi Jonathan Edwards zaka 250 zapitazo sunazimiririke pakati pa atsogoleri achipembedzo a Chikristu Chadziko osunga mwambo. Mu 1991, U.S.News & World Report inati: “Ngakhale pakati pa matchalitchi ofala okonda kusintha, pali zizindikiro zakuti akatswiri azaumulungu akuyamba kuganiza mwamphamvu kwambiri za lingaliro la helo kuposa mmene anachitira m’zaka makumi angapo zapitazo.” Mosakaikira, pambuyo pakunyalanyazidwa kwa zaka zambiri, moto wahelo wakhalanso wotchuka m’zipembedzo padziko lonse lapansi. Komabe, kodi akali ndi mbali zake zamoto?

Mafunso Odzutsidwa

Katswiri wazaumulungu W. F. Wolbrecht sanakaikire pamene anati: “Helo ndihelo ndithu, ndipo palibe chikhumbo cha munthu kapena lingaliro limene lingachepetse konse chilango chosatha.” Opita kutchalitchi ambiri ali osatsimikizira konse. Ngakhale kuti samakaikira za kukhalako kwa helo, iwo amakaikira za mkhalidwe wa helo. Katswiri wina wazaumulungu anavomereza kuti: “Kwa inenso, helo ndichinthu chotsimikizirika, cholalikidwa bwino lomwe ndi umboni wa m’Baibulo, koma mkhalidwe wake weniweni umabutsa mavuto.” Inde, chiŵerengero chachikulu cha akatswiri azaumulungu ndi anthu wamba safunsanso kuti, “Kodi helo aliko?” koma amati, “Kodi helo nchiyani?”

Kodi mungayankhe motani? Kodi nchiyani chimene mwauzidwa ponena za mkhalidwe wa helo? Ndipo kodi nchifukwa ninji Akristu owona mtima amavutika ndi chiphunzitso chimenechi?

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 2]

Chithunzi cha Doré cha Mizimu Yoipa ndi Virgil cha mu Divine Comedy ya Dante

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 3]

Chithunzi cha Doré cha Mizimu Yoipa ndi Virgil cha mu Divine Comedy ya Dante