Kugwiritsiridwa Ntchito Kwabwino ndi Koipa kwa Zithunzithunzi Zachipembedzo

CHOCHITIKACHO chili mu St. Petersburg, Russia. Tsikulo ndilo August 2, 1914. Anthu okondwa akuzunguza zifaniziro zachipembedzo atasonkhana pa nyumba ya mfumu. Guwa lamangidwa chapakati pa holo yaikulu. Chithunzithunzi cha mkazi wonyamula mwana chaimikidwa pa guwalo. Chifaniziro chachipembedzo chimenechi chikutchedwa “Vladimir Amayi wa Mulungu.” Makamuwo amachiwona kukhala chuma chopatulika koposa mu Russia.

Kwenikwenidi, chifaniziro chachipembedzocho chikukhulupiriridwa kukhala chokhoza kuchita zozizwitsa. Mu 1812, pamene magulu ankhondo a Russia anaguba kukamenyana ndi Napoléon, Kazembe Kutuzov anakapemphera pamaso pake. Tsopano, ataloŵetsa dziko lake m’nkhondo, Mfumu Nicholas II akuimirira pamaso pake. Atatukula dzanja lake lamanja, akulumbira kuti: “Ndikulumbira kuti sindidzakhalitsa mtendere malinga ngati mdani mmodzi alipo panthaka ya Russia.”

Milungu iŵiri pambuyo pake mfumuyo ikupanga ulendo wokapembedza ku Moscow kukafunafuna dalitso la Mulungu pa asilikali ake ankhondo. M’Tchalitchi chachikulu cha Assumption, akugwada napemphera pamaso pa khoma lalikulu logaŵanitsa lokhala ndi zifaniziro zachipembedzo zopangidwa ndi miyala yamtengo wapatali​—khoma lokhala ndi zithunzithunzi zojambulidwa za Yesu, Mariya, angelo, ndi “oyera mtima.”

Machitachita achipembedzo ameneŵa analephera kuchinjiriza tsoka. M’zaka zosakwanira zinayi, magulu ankhondo a Russia anakhaulitsidwa pamene oposa mamiliyoni asanu ndi imodzi anaphedwa ndipo anataikiridwa ndi mbali yaikulu ya gawo. Ndiponso, mfumuyo, mkazi wake, ndi ana awo asanu anaphedwa mwankhalwe. M’malo mwa ufumu umene unalamulira zaka mazana ambiri, dzikolo linayamba kulamulidwa ndi boma lachipanduko lotsutsa chipembedzo. Chidaliro cha Mfumu Nicholas m’zifaniziro zachipembedzo chinatsimikizira kukhala chosaphula kanthu.

Komabe, kufikira lerolino mu Russia ndi maiko ena, mamiliyoni ambiri akupitirizabe kulambira zifaniziro zachipembedzo. Zimenezi zikudzutsa mafunso ofunika. Kodi Mulungu amawona bwanji machitachita akulambira ochitidwa pamaso pa zithunzithunzi zotero? Ndipo kodi bwanji ponena za chizoloŵezi chakuzipachika m’makoma anyumba?

Kodi Baibulo Limanenji?

Pamene Yesu anali padziko lapansi, anamvera Lamulo la Mulungu loperekedwa kupyolera mwa Mose. Limeneli linaphatikizapo lachiŵiri la amene akutchedwa Malamulo Khumi, limene limati: “Usadzipangire iwe wekha fano losema, kapena chifaniziro chilichonse cha zinthu za m’thambo la kumwamba, kapena za m’dziko lapansi, kapena za m’madzi a pansi padziko; usazipembedzere izo, usazitumikire izo; chifukwa ine Yehova Mulungu wako ndili Mulungu wansanje.”​—Eksodo 20:4, 5.

Motero, Yesu sanalambire Mulungu mothandizidwa ndi zithunzithunzi kapena zifanizo zopangidwa ndi manja a anthu. Mmalomwake, kulambira kwake kunali kogwirizana ndi chilengezo cha Atate wake chakuti: “Ine ndine Yehova; dzina langa ndi lomweli; ndipo ulemerero wanga ine sindidzapereka kwa wina, ngakhale kunditamanda kwa mafano osemedwa.”​—Yesaya 42:8.

Ndiponso, Yesu anafotokoza chifukwa chake Mulungu anayenera kulambiridwa popanda chithandizo cha zinthu zowoneka. “Ikudza nthaŵi,” iye anatero, “imene olambira owona adzalambira Atate mumzimu ndi m’chowonadi; pakuti Atate afuna otere akhale olambira ake. Mulungu ndiye mzimu; ndipo omlambira iye ayenera kumlambira mumzimu ndi m’chowonadi.”​—Yohane 4:23, 24.

Mofanana ndi Yesu, ophunzira ake owona anaphunzitsa ena njira yolondola yakulambira. Mwachitsanzo, mtumwi Paulo nthaŵi ina analankhula kwa khamu la anthanthi Achigiriki amene anagwiritsira ntchito mafano kulambira milungu yawo yosawoneka. Iye anawauza za Mlengi wa munthu ndipo anati: “Sitiyenera kulingalira kuti umulungu uli wofanafana ndi golidi, kapena siliva, kapena mwala, wolocha ndi luso ndi zolingalira za anthu.” Pambuyo pake, mtumwi mmodzimodziyo anafotokoza kuti Akristu ‘ayendayenda mwa chikhulupiriro simwachiwonekedwe’ ndi kuti Akristu ayenera ‘kuthaŵa mafano.’​—Machitidwe 17:16-31; 2 Akorinto 5:7; 1 Akorinto 10:14.

Chokumana nacho cha m’moyo wa mtumwi Petro chimasonyeza kuti iye anali wofulumira kuwongolera mchitidwe uliwonse umene ukatsogolera ku kulambira mafano. Pamene kazembe wankhondo wa Roma Korneliyo anagwa pa mapazi ake, Petro anatsutsa. Iye anadzutsa Korneliyo, akumati: “Nyamuka; inenso ndine munthu.”​—Machitidwe 10:26.

Ponena za mtumwi Yohane, anachititsidwa mantha kwambiri ndi masomphenya aumulungu kotero kuti anagwa pamapazi a mngelo. “Tapenya,” anapereka uphungu mngeloyo. “Usachite; ndine kapolo mnzako, ndi mnzawo wa abale ako aneneri, ndi wa iwo akusunga mawu a buku ili; lambira Mulungu.” (Chivumbulutso 22:8, 9) Mtumwiyo anayamikira uphungu umenewo. Mwachikondi, iye analemba chochitikachi kuti tipindule nacho.

Koma kodi zokumana nazo zapamwambazi zikugwirizana motani ndi kugwiritsira ntchito zithunzithunzi zachipembedzo? Eya, ngati kunali kolakwa kwa Korneliyo kugwadira mmodzi wa atumwi a Kristu, bwanji zakulemekeza chithunzithunzi chopanda moyo cha “oyera mtima”? Ndipo ngati kunali kolakwa kwa mmodzi wa atumwi a Kristu kugwadira mngelo wamoyo, pamenepo bwanji zakulemekeza zithunzithunzi zopanda moyo za angelo? Ndithudi, machitachita otero ngosemphana ndi chenjezo la Yohane lakuti: “Tiana, dzisungireni nokha kupeŵa mafano.”​—1 Yohane 5:21.

Monga Zithandizo Zakuphunzitsa Zokometsera

Izi sizitanthauza kuti kungokhala ndi chithunzithunzi cha chochitika cha m’Baibulo ndiko kulambira mafano. Magazini ano amagwiritsira ntchito kwambiri zithunzithunzi za zochitika za m’Baibulo monga zithandizo zakuphunzitsa. Ndiponso, malo a zochitika za m’Baibulo angathe kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kukometsera makoma a nyumba ndi pazinyumba. Komabe, Mkristu wowona sakafuna kusonyeza chithunzi chimene chili chodziŵika kukhala cholambiridwa ndi ena, ndiponso iye sakapachika pakhoma lanyumba yake chithunzithunzi chimene chimaimira molakwa Baibulo.​—Aroma 14:13.

Zifaniziro zachipembedzo zambiri za Chikristu Chadziko zimasonyeza kuunika kozungulira mutu wa Yesu, Mariya, angelo, ndi “oyera mtima.” Kuunikaku kumatchedwa halo. Kodi ndiati amene ali magwero akuunika kwa halo? “Magwero ake sanali Achikristu,” ikuvomereza The Catholic Encyclopedia (kope la 1987), “pakuti kunali kugwiritsidwa ntchito ndi akatswiri ojambula ndi osema achikunja kuimira mophiphiritsira ulemu waukulu ndi mphamvu ya milungu yosiyanasiyana.” Ndiponso, buku lakuti The Christians, lolembedwa ndi Bamber Gascoigne, lili ndi chithunzi chochokera ku Capitoline Museum mu Roma cha mulungu dzuŵa wokhala ndi halo. Mulungu ameneyu anali kulambiridwa ndi Aroma achikunja. Pambuyo pake, akufotokoza motero Gascoigne, “halo wa dzuŵa anabwerekedwa ndi Akristu.” Inde, halo ngwogwirizanitsidwa ndi kulambira dzuŵa kwachikunja.

Kodi zithunzithunzi zimene zimasanganiza zochitika za m’Baibulo ndi zizindikiro zakulambira mafano kwachikunja zili zoyenerera kupachikidwa pakhoma lanyumba ya Mkristu? Ayi. Baibulo limalangiza kuti: “Ndipo chiphatikizo chake nchanji ndi kachisi wa Mulungu ndi wa mafano? . . . Chifukwa chake, Tulukani pakati pawo, ndipo patukani, ati Ambuye, ndipo musakhudza kanthu kosakonzeka; ndipo ine ndidzalandira inu.”​—2 Akorinto 6:16, 17.

Pakupita kwanthaŵi, odzinenera kukhala Akristu anayamba kunyalanyaza uphungu woterowo. Mpatuko unabuka, monga momwe kunanenedweratu ndi Yesu ndi atumwi ake. (Mateyu 24:24; Machitidwe 20:29, 30; 2 Petro 2:1) Kuchiyambiyambi kwa zaka za zana lachinayi C.E., mfumu ya Roma Constantine inapanga Chikristu champatuko kukhala chipembedzo cha Boma. Panthaŵiyo akunja ambirimbiri anadzilengeza kukhala “Akristu.” Chizoloŵezi chofala pakati pawo chinali kulambira mafano a mfumu. Iwo anali kupachikanso zithunzithunzi za makolo awo akale ndi anthu ena otchuka. “Mogwirizana ndi mwambo wa mfumu,” akufotokoza motero John Taylor m’buku lake la Icon Painting, “anthu analambira chithunzithunzi chake chojambulidwa pa nsalu ndi matabwa, ndipo kuchoka pa zimenezo kunali kosavuta kuyamba kulambira zifaniziro zachipembedzo.” Chotero, kulambira zithunzithunzi kwachikunja kunaloŵedwa m’malo ndi kulambira zithunzithunzi za Yesu, Mariya, angelo, ndi “oyera mtima.”

Kodi Atsogoleri Atchalitchi Analungamitsa Bwanji Zimenezi?

Malinga nkunena kwa The Encyclopedia of Religion, atsogoleri atchalitchi anagwiritsira ntchito zigomeko zakale zimodzimodzizo monga momwe anachitira anthanthi akale. Anthu onga Plutarch, Dio Chrysostom, Maxim wa ku Turo, Celsus, Porphyry ndi Julian anavomereza kuti mafano analibe moyo. Koma akunja ameneŵa analungamitsa kugwiritsiridwa ntchito kwa mafano mwakupereka chigomeko chakuti mafanowo anali zithandizo m’kulambira milungu yawo yosawoneka. Katswiri wojambula zithunzithunzi zachipembedzo wa ku Russia Leonid Ouspensky akuvomereza m’buku la The Meaning of Icons kuti: “Abambo Atchalitchi anatsatira mchitidwe wa anthanthi Achigiriki, akumaloŵetsa chidziŵitso chake ndi nthanthi zaumulungu Zachikristu.”​—Yerekezerani ndi Akolose 2:8.

Anthu ambiri anapeza kulungamitsidwa kwa nthanthi zaumulungu za kulambiridwa kwa mafano kukhala kovuta kumvetsetsa. “Kusiyana pakati pa kulambira chithunzithunzi chachipembedzo kaamba ka amene chingaimire, kapena kuchilambira icho chokha . . . sikunali kumvetsetsedwa ndi munthu aliyense kusiyapo ophunzira kwambiri,” akutero John Taylor mu Icon Painting.

Komabe, zimene Baibulo limanena za zithunzithunzi zachipembedzo nzosavuta kumvetsetsa. Talingalirani Emilia, amene amakhala ku Johannesburg, South Africa. Iye anali Mkatolika wodzipereka ndipo ankagwada ndi kupemphera pamaso pa zithunzithunzi. Ndiyeno, mmodzi wa Mboni za Yehova anagogoda pachitseko chake. Iye anachita chidwi kuwona m’Baibulo la Chipwitikizi kuti Mulungu ali ndi dzina, Yehova. (Salmo 83:18, Almeida) Tsiku lina pa limodzi la maphunziro ake Abaibulo, anafunsa kuti: “Kodi ndiyenera kuchitanji kuti ndipeŵe kusakondweretsa Yehova?” Mboniyo inaloza ku zithunzithunzi zopachikidwa pakhoma la nyumba yake ndi kumpempha kuŵerenga Salmo 115:4-8. Usiku umenewo pamene mwamuna wa Emilia anafika panyumba, anamuuza kuti anafuna kuchotsa zithunzithunzi zake zachipembedzo. Mwamunayo anavomereza. Tsiku lotsatira, anauza ana ake aŵiri, Tony ndi Manuel, kuthyolathyola zithunzithunzizo ndi kuzitentha. Lerolino, pambuyo pa zaka 25, kodi Emilia akumva chisoni kuti anachita zimenezi? Ayi. Kunena zowona, iye limodzi ndi banja lake, wathandiza ambiri kukhala olambira Yehova achimwemwe.

Zokumana nazo zofanana zasimbidwa nthaŵi zambiri. Chifukwa cha ntchito yakupanga ophunzira padziko lonse lapansi ya Mboni za Yehova, mamiliyoni akuphunzira kulambira Mulungu “mumzimu ndi m’chowonadi.” Inunso mungalandire madalitso ochokera m’njira yapamwamba imeneyi yakulambira chifukwa chakuti, monga momwe Yesu ananenera, “Atate afuna otere akhale olambira ake.”​—Yohane 4:23, 24.

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Mfumu Nicholas II akudalitsa asilikali ake ankhondo ndi chifaniziro chachipembedzo

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Chithunzi cha C.N.