Kwakabva Krisimasi Yazvino Uno

KUMAMIRIYONI evanhu munyika yose, mwaka weKrisimasi inguva yekufara zvikuru yegore. Inguva yezvokudya zvinodhura, magamuchidzanwa anokudzwa, uye kuva pamwe chete kwemhuri. Zororo reKrisimasi inguvawo iyo hama neshamwari dzinofarikanya kuchinjana makadhi nezvipo.

Makore 150 chete apfuura, zvisinei, Krisimasi yakanga iri zororo rakasiyana zvikuru. Mubhuku rake rinonzi The Battle for Christmas, purofesa wenhau Stephen Nissenbaum anonyora kuti: “Krisimasi . . . yakanga iri nguva yekudhakwa apo mitemo yaidzora tsika dzevanhu munzvimbo dzavose yairegwa kwenguva pfupi mukuda ‘kufara’ kusingadzorwi, zvaida kufanana nemutambo weMardi Gras waiitwa muna December.”

Kune vaya vanorangarira Krisimasi norukudzo rwokutya, rondedzero iyi ingava inovhiringidza. Nei munhu upi noupi angazvidza zororo rinotaurwa kuva rinoyeuchidza kuberekwa kweMwanakomana waMwari? Mhinduro yacho ingakushamisa.

Mavambo Asina Kunaka

Kubva payakatanga muzana remakore rechina, Krisimasi yave ichikakavadziranwa. Somuenzaniso, pakanga pane nhau yezuva rokuberekwa kwaJesu. Sezvo Bhaibheri risingatauri zvakananga zuva kana kuti mwedzi wekuberekwa kwaJesu, misi yakasiyana-siyana yakakarakadzwa. Muzana remakore rechitatu, rimwe boka revafundisi veEgipita rakati wakanga uri musi waMay 20, nepo vamwe vaida misi yekumashure, yakadai saMarch 28, April 2, kana kuti April 19. Pakazosvika zana remakore rechi18, kuberekwa kwaJesu kwakanga kwataurwa kuva kwakaitika mumwedzi yose yegore! Ipapoka, musi waDecember 25 wakazosarudzwa sei pakupedzisira?

Nyanzvi dzakawanda dzinobvuma kuti musi waDecember 25 wakasarudzwa neChechi yeRoma Katurike sezuva rokuberekwa kwaJesu. Nei? “Sezvingabvira zvikurusa,” rinodaro The New Encyclopædia Britannica, “chikonzero ndechokuti vaKristu vepakuvamba vaishuva kuti musi wacho uwirirane nemutambo wechihedheni weRoma wekuchengeta ‘musi wekuberekwa kwezuva risingakurirwi.’” Asi nei vaKristu vakatambudzwa zvinotyisa nevahedheni kwemakore anopfuura mazana maviri nehafu vaizobvumirana nokukurumidza nevatambudzi vavo?

Ushati Hunopinzwa

Muzana rokutanga remakore, muapostora Pauro akanyevera Timotio kuti “vanhu vakaipa navanyengeri” vaizoverevedza vachipinda muungano yechiKristu ndokutsausa vakawanda. (2 Timotio 3:13) Uku kuramba kutenda kukuru kwakatanga pashure porufu rwevaapostora. (Mabasa 20:29, 30) Pashure pekunonzi kutendeutswa kwaConstantine muzana remakore rechina, vahedheni vakawanda vakadirana vachipinda muchiKristu chakanga chakapararira panguva iyoyo. Zvakaguma nei? Bhuku rinonzi Early Christianity and Paganism rinoti: “Boka duku revatendi vepachokwadi rakatsakatika muboka guru revaitaura kuva vaKristu.”

Mashoko aPauro akabvumikiswa kuva echokwadi sei! Zvakanga zvakaita sokuti chiKristu chechokwadi chakanga chichimedzwa noushati hwechihedheni. Uye uku kushatiswa kwakanga kuchioneka zvikuru mukupembererwa kwemazororo kupfuura mune zvimwe zvinhu.

Chaizvoizvo, mhemberero imwe bedzi iyo vaKristu vanorayirwa kuchengeta Chidyo chaShe Chamadekwana. (1 VaKorinte 11:23-26) Nemhaka yemiitiro yekunamata zvidhori yakabatana nemitambo yeRoma, vaKristu vepakuvamba vakanga vasingatori rutivi mairi. Nokuda kwaizvozvi vahedheni vemuzana ramakore rechitatu vakazvidza vaKristu, vachiti: “Hamuende kumashoo; hamuna basa nezvinoratidzwa vanhu; munoramba mabiko avose, uye munovenga makwikwi anoyera.” Ukuwo, vahedheni, vaizvikudza vachiti: “Tinonamata vamwari tichifara, nemabiko, nziyo nemitambo.”

Pakati pezana remakore rechina, kunyunyuta kwacho kwakaderera. Nei zvakadaro? Sezvo vaKristu vokunyepedzera vakawanda vakaverevedza vachipinda muboka, pfungwa dzekuramba kutenda dzakawedzera. Izvi zvakatungamirira kukubvumirana pane zvisina kufanira nevaRoma. Richitsinhira pana izvozvi, bhuku rinonzi The Paganism in Our Christianity rinoti: “Kudzora mitambo yechihedheni yaidiwa nevanhu nemhaka yegamuchidzanwa uye kuipa revo yechiKristu wakanga uri muitiro chaiwo wechiKristu.” Hungu, kuramba kutenda kukuru kwakatanga kuva nemigumisiro yakaipa. Kudisa kugamuchira mhemberero dzechihedheni kwevainzi vaKristu zvino kwakaunza kugamuchirwa kwakati munzanga. Pasina nguva refu, vaKristu vakasvika pakuva nemitambo yegore yakawanda kungofanana nevahedheni pachavo. Zvisingashamisi, Krisimasi yakanga iri yokutanga pakati payo.

Zororo Remunyika Dzakawanda

Sezvo rudzi rwechiKristu chaizivikanwa zvikurusa chakapararira muEurope, Krisimasi yakakurawo narwo. Chechi yeKaturike yakagamuchira murangariro wokuti zvakanga zvakakodzera kupfuudzira mutambo unofadza mukukudza zuva rokuberekwa kwaJesu. Nenzira inowirirana, muna 567 C.E., Council of Tours “yakazivisa mazuva 12 aitangira paKrisimasi kusvika kuKuuya Kwevazivi semwaka unoyera uye wekupemberera.”—The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home.

Nokukurumidza Krisimasi yakawana mativi akawanda aibva mukupemberera kukohwa kwekuchamhembe kweEurope. Mafaro akaramba achizivikanwa zvikuru kupfuura utsvene sezvo zvidhakwa zvainyanyisa mukudya kwemakaro nokunwa. Panzvimbo pokuti irambe unzenza hwacho, chechi yakahutendera. (Enzanisa naVaRoma 13:13; 1 Petro 4:3.) Muna 601 C.E., Pope Gregory I akanyorera Mellitus, mufundisi wake wemuEngland, achimuudza “kuti asarega mitambo yakadaro yekare yechihedheni, asi kuti aiwiriranise nemiitiro yeChechi, achingochinja bedzi chikonzero chayo kubva kuzvechihedheni kukuva zvechiKristu.” Anoshuma kudaro Arthur Weigall, uyo akambova muongorori wezvinhu zvekare wehurumende yeEgypt.

Mukati meMiddle Ages, vanhu vaida kuchinja vakafunga nezvekudikanwa kwekushora kunyanyisa kwakadaro. Vakataura mirayiro inoverengeka yaipokanidza “kushatswa kwekupemberera Krisimasi.” Dr. Penne Restad, mubhuku rake rinonzi Christmas in America—A History, anoti: “Vamwe vafundisi vakasimbisa kuti vanhu vasina kukwana vaida nguva yekuzviregerera uye kunyanyisa, chero bedzi zvaiitwa pasi peutarisiri hwechiKristu.” Izvi zvakangowedzera bedzi nyongano yacho. Zvisinei, hazvina kumbova nomusiyano mukuru, nokuti tsika dzechihedheni dzakanga dzakatobatana kwazvo neKrisimasi zvokuti vanhu vazhinjisa vakanga vasingadi kudzirega. Munyori Tristram Coffin akazvitaura achiti: “Vanhu vose zvavo [vakanga] vachiita zva[vai]ngoita nguva dzose uye vasingamboteereri magakava evaida kudzora tsika.”

Pakasvika nguva yakatanga vanhu vekuEurope kugara kuAmerica, Krisimasi yakanga yava zororo rinozivikanwa zvikuru. Kunyange zvakadaro, Krisimasi haina kugamuchirwa mumakoroni. Vachinji vechiPurotesitendi vairangarira kupemberera kwacho sekwechihedheni uye vakakurambidza muMassachusetts pakati pa1659 na1681.

Pashure pokunge kurambidzwa kwabviswa, kupembererwa kweKrisimasi kwakawedzera mumakoroni ose, zvikurukuru kumaodzanyemba kweNew England. Mukurangarira nhau yezororo racho, zvisinei, hazvishamisi kuti vamwe vaiitira hanya zvikuru kufara kupfuura kukudza Mwanakomana waMwari. Imwe tsika yeKrisimasi yakanga ichidzongonyedza zvikurukuru yakanga iri yokunwa doro. Mapoka emajaya anoita zhowe zhowe aipinda mumisha yevavakidzani vakapfuma ndokurayira kuti vapiwe zvokudya zvemahara nezvokunwa mumuitiro wokutyisidzira. Kudai muridzi wemba airamba, kakawanda aitukwa uye padzimwe nguva pamba pake paipazwa.

Zvinhu zvakawedzera kuipa muma1820 zvokuti “nyonga nyonga yeKrisimasi” yakasvika pakuva “tyisidziro yenzanga yakakomba,” anodaro Purofesa Nissenbaum. Mumaguta akadai seNew York nePhiladelphia, vakapfuma vakatanga kushandisa varindiri kuti vachengetedze pfuma yavo. Zvinotonzi Guta reNew York rakaronga uto raro rokutanga remapurisa ane unyanzvi nemhaka yezhowe zhowe yemasimba masimba yemwaka weKrisimasi wa1827/28!

Kuchinjwa kweKrisimasi

Zana remakore rechi19 rakaunza chinjo dzisina kumboitika kurudzi rwomunhu. Vanhu, zvinhu, nemashoko zvakatanga kufamba nokukurumidza zvikuru sezvo mubatanidzwa wenzira nenjanji wakatanga. Kubudirira kwekugadzirwa kwezvinhu kwakamutsa mamiriyoni emabasa, uye mafekitori akagadzira nokukurumidza zvinhu zvakawanda zvokutengesa. Kutangwa kwemaindasitiri kwakapinzawo zvinetso zvitsva zvenzanga uye zvakaoma, izvo pakupedzisira zvakatapura nzira iyo Krisimasi inopembererwa nayo.

Vanhu vagara vachishandisa mazororo semutoo wekusimbisa nawo kubatana kwemhuri, uye zvakafanana neKrisimasi. Kupfurikidza nokugadziridza vachisarudza mamwe magamuchidzanwa ekare eKrisimasi, vatsigiri vayo vakabudirira kuchinja Krisimasi kubva pamutambo woupengo, wemafaro kukuva zororo remhuri.

Zvirokwazvo, pakasvika kupera kwezana remakore rechi19, Krisimasi yakasvika pakurangarirwa semushonga wakati wezvinetso zvoupenyu hwazvino uno hweAmerica. “Pamazororo ose,” anodaro Dr. Restad, “Krisimasi yakanga iri chishandiswa chakakwana chokufambisa rudzidziso uye kufunga kwerudzidziso zvichipinda mumusha uye chokururamisa kunyanyisa nokukundikana kwevanhu.” Anowedzera kuti: “Kupa zvipo, kubetsera vanoshaya, kunyange kuchinjana kwoushamwari kwekwaziso dzezororo uye kushongedzwa nokufarikanya muti wakasvibira muimba yekutandarira kana kuti, gare gare, muhoro inoitirwa munamato musi weSvondo, kwakabatanidza mitezo yemhuri kune mumwe nomumwe, kuchechi, uye kunzanga.”

Nenzira yakafanana, nhasi vakawanda vanopemberera Krisimasi senzira yekusimbisa nayo kudanana kwavo uye kubetsera kuchengeta kubatana kwemhuri. Asingafaniri kurerutswa, chokwadika, ndiwo mativi omudzimu. Mamiriyoni evanhu anopemberera Krisimasi mukukudza kuberekwa kwaJesu. Vangapinda minamato chaiyo yechechi, kugadzirira pamusha mamiriro ezvinhu okuberekwa kwaJesu, kana kuti kupa minyengetero yokuonga kuna Jesu pachake. Asi Mwari anorangarira sei nhau yacho? Anotendera zvinhu izvozvi here? Rangarira zvinotaura Bhaibheri.

“Idai Zvokwadi Norugare”

Jesu paakanga ari pasi pano, akaudza vateveri vake kuti: “Mwari ndiMweya; vanomunamata, vanofanira kumunamata mumweya nezvokwadi.” (Johane 4:24) Jesu akararama mukuwirirana nemashoko iwayo. Nguva dzose aitaura chokwadi. Akatevedzera zvakakwana Baba vake, “Jehovha . . . Mwari wazvokwadi.”—Pisarema 31:5; Johane 14:9.

Mumapeji eBhaibheri, Jehovha akajekesa kuti anovenga marudzi ose okunyengera. (Pisarema 5:6) Mukurangarira izvi, hazvishamisi here kuti zvinhu zvakawanda kwazvo zvinobatanidzwa nounyengeri hweKrisimasi hwokureva nhema? Somuenzaniso, funga nezvenyaya younyengeri yaSanta Claus. Wakamboedza kutsanangurira mwana kuti nei Santa achisarudza kupinda nomunzvimbo inobuda noutsi panzvimbo pomusuo, sezvinodavirwa munyika dzakawanda here? Uye Santa anoshanyira sei mamiriyoni akawanda kwazvo muusiku humwe chete bedzi? Zvakadini nemharapara inobhururuka? Apo mwana anodzidza kuti akanyengedzwa pamusoro pokudavira kuti Santa munhu chaiyeiye, hazvideredzi kuvimba kwake vabereki vake here?

The Catholic Encyclopedia inotaura zvakajeka kuti: “Tsika dzechihedheni . . . dzakakweverwa kuKrisimasi.” Ipapo nei Chechi yeKaturike nemamwe machechi echiKristudhomu achipfuurira kupfuudzira zororo rine tsika dzisina kutanga muchiKristu? Izvozvo hazviratidzi here kupembedza dzidziso dzechihedheni?

Paakanga ari pasi pano Jesu haana kukurudzira vanhu kuti vamunamate. Jesu pachake akati: “Namata Ishe, Mwari wako, umushumire iye oga.” (Mateo 4:10) Nenzira yakafanana, pashure pokurumbidzwa kwaJesu kwokudenga, ngirozi yakaudza muapostora Johane ku“namata Mwari,” ichiratidzira kuti hapana chakanga chachinja pamusoro penhau iyi. (Zvakazarurwa 19:10) Izvi zvinotungamirira kumubvunzo wokuti, Jesu aizotendera here kuzvipira kwose kwokunamata kunoiswa kwaari, kwete kuna Baba, panguva yeKrisimasi?

Nenzira yakajeka, maidi haatsigiri zvikuru Krisimasi yazvino uno. Zvikurukuru izororo rakaitwa nounyengeri rine ufakazi hwakawanda hunoratidzira mipimo yakaderera yemunguva yakapfuura. Nehana yakanaka, ipapoka, mamiriyoni evaKristu akasarudza kusapemberera Krisimasi. Somuenzaniso, imwe pwere inonzi Ryan inoti pamusoro peKrisimasi: “Vanhu vanofara zvikuru pamusoro pemazuva mashomanene egore apo mhuri inova pamwe chete uye vose vanofara. Asi chii chinoshamisa chaizvoizvo pamusoro paizvozvo? Vabereki vangu vanondipa zvipo gore rose!” Imwe pwere, ine makore 12 okukura, inoti: “Handinzwi ndichirasikirwa. Ndinogamuchira zvipo mugore rose, kwete bedzi pazuva rimwe chairo iro vanhu vanonzwa vachigombedzerwa kutenga zvipo.”

Muporofita Zekaria akakurudzira vaIsraeri vose “[kuda] zvokwadi norugare.” (Zekaria 8:19) Kana isu, kufanana naZekaria nevamwe varume vakatendeka vekare, tichi“da zvokwadi,” hatifaniri here kudzivisa kupemberera kupi nokupi kwerudzidziso kwenhema uko kunozvidza “Mwari mupenyu wazvokwadi,” Jehovha?—1 VaTesaronika 1:9.

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 7]

“Handinzwi ndichirasikirwa. Ndinogamuchira zvipo mugore rose”