Inkululeko Yonqulo—Ngaba Iyintsikelelo Okanye Isisiqalekiso?

Mhla kwathi thu le ngcamango yenkululeko yonqulo, kumhla lwavuka lwema ngeenyawo uqhushululu nolwanyovu kwiNgqobhoko. Sekubanjwana ngezihlwitha nje yayikwazezi nkolelo, ubuhlanga nokunganyanyezelwa kweembono ezahlukileyo zonqulo. Yiloo nto ke le ivumbulule iingxwabangxwaba zonqulo ekuphalazwe kuzo izantyalantyala zegazi kwaza kwasutywa amawakawaka emiphefumlo. Isifundisa ntoni ke thina imbali ebuhlungu ngolu hlobo?

UROBIN LANE FOX kwincwadi yakhe ethi Pagans and Christians, uthi: “Akungoku amaKristu atshutshiswa.” AmaKristu okuqala kwathiwa lihlelo aza abhaxekwa izityholo zokuba wona aphazamisana nocwangco. (IZenzo 16:20, 21; 24:5, 14; 28:22) Loo nto yabangela ukuba, amanye kuwo angcungcuthekiswe aze abulawe ngamarhamncwa asendle kumabala emidlalo aseRoma. Kuyo yonke ke loo ntshutshiso ikrakra, abanye, abanjengomfundi wezakwalizwi uTertullian (bona umfanekiso okwiphepha 8), bacela ukuba noko kubuywe ngetarhu banikwe inkululeko yonqulo. Wathi xa wayebhala ngowama-212 C.E.: “Ukunqula ngokuvisisana neenkolelo zikabani kulilungelo labantu elisisiseko, ilungelo elikwimveli yomntu, nelifanel’ ukufunyanwa ngumntu wonke.”

Ngowama-313 C.E., ekwakulixesha lolawulo lukaConstantine, ukutshutshiswa kwamaKristu ngamaRoma kwathi nqum, ngenxa ye-Edict of Milan, eyanika amaKristu nabahedeni inkululeko yonqulo ngokulinganayo. Ukuvunyelwa ngokusemthethweni “kobuKristu” phantsi koBukhosi bamaRoma kwazinyenyisa noko iintambo. Noko ke, malunga nowama-340 C.E., omny’ umbhali owayezingomb’ isifuba ngelokuba ungumKristu, wafunz’ intshutshiso kubahedeni. Ekugqibeleni, ngowama-392 C.E., esebenzisa iEdict of Constantinople, uMlawuli uTheodosius I wabaval’ umlomo ngetshefu abahedeni ababephantsi kolawulo lwakhe, yaye inkululeko yonqulo wayityoba kusekutsha. Isebenzisa “ubuKristu” bamaRoma njengexhanti likaRhulumente, iCawa noRhulumente zaphum’ ingqina zitshutshisa, zayiqhuba ke loo ngqina kangangeenkulungwane, de yafikelela kumaqotsini ayo ngokuphalazwa kwezantyalantyala zegazi kwiiMfazwe Zomnqamlezo zenkulungwane ye-11 ukuya kutsho kweye-13 nakwinkohlakalo eyayisenziwa kwiiNkundla zokuNcina Amakholwa, ezaqalisa kwinkulungwane ye-12. Abo baba nobuganga bokuphikisa iimfundiso neengcamango ezazikho kwathiwa bangabawexuki ibe babefunw’ emanzini bezingelwa oku kwamagqwirha ngelo xesha. Yayiyintoni kanye intsusa-mabandla yokwenziwa kwezo zinto?

Ukunganyanyezelwa kweembono ezahlukileyo zonqulo kwafane kwaxolelwa kuba ukuba nonqulo olunye kwakha uqilima loRhulumente ibe ukungaphakelani ngezimvo zonqulo kwakuphazamisana nocwangco phakathi kwabantu. Kaloku omnye wabaphathiswa bakaKumkanikazi uElizabeth wakha wathi eNgilani ngowe-1602: “URhulumente owamkela iinqulo ezimbini akukho zakhe.” Eneneni yayilula kakhulu into yokuvalw’ umlomo konqulo kungakhange kuhlolwe enoba ngokwenene luyingozi kuRhulumente okanye kunqulo olo lulixhanti likarhulumente. Kaloku ithi iThe Catholic Encyclopedia: “Amagunya karhulumente nawecawa ayengakwazi ukwahlula phakathi kwabaqhekeki abayingozi nabangenabungozi.” Noko ke, izinto zaziseza kutshintsha.

Ukunyanzeliswa Kokunyanyezelwa Kweembono Ezahlukileyo Zonqulo

Eyona nto yabangela utshintsho eYurophu yaba sisiphendu esabangelwa bubuProtestanti, ihlelo lonqulo elalingafuni kunikezela. Ngokukhawuleza okudibene nokungxama, uHlaziyo lwamaProtestanti olwalusithela ngonqulo lwayibetha yaziintlaba-zahlukane iYurophu, luvelisa ingcamango yenkululeko yesazela. Ngokomzekelo, uMhlaziyi odumileyo uMartin Luther, wathi xa wayethethelela izimvo zakhe ngowe-1521: “Isazela sam sixhomekeke kwiLizwi likaThixo.” Uqhekeko lwaba negalelo kwiMfazwe yamaShumi Amathathu Eminyaka (1618-48), elungcelele lweemfazwe zonqulo ezinenkohlakalo ezayibetha zayibhuqa iYurophu.

Noko ke, ithe isephakathi loo mfazwe, abaninzi baqonda ukuba le ngxwabangxwaba ayizi kubasa ndawo. Loo nto ke yatsho kwabubutyikityiki nje, kutyikityw’ uthotho lwezivumelwano, njengeSivumelwano saseNantes eFransi (1598), esatsho phantsi kwaqhum’ uthuli ekuzameni ukumisela uxolo kwiYurophu eyayidlavulwe yimfazwe. Ngokuthe ngcembe ke laphuma kwezi zivumelwano ibinzana elikhoyo lokunyanyezelwa kweembono ezahlukileyo. Ekuqaleni, “ukunyamezela iimbono ezahlukileyo” kwakunamasolotya angathandekiyo. Eny’ inqeberhu eyayisilwela amalungelo abantu ngowe-1530, uErasmus yathi xa yayibhala: “Ukuba besiza kuwanyamezela amahlelo phantsi kweemeko ezithile . . . , ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, bekuya kukrakra—kukrakre nyhani, hayi nje—kodwa ke noko bekungazi kufana nemfazwe.” Ngenxa yala masolotya angathandekiyo, abanye, abanjengendoda engumFrentshi, uPaul de Foix abathi ngowe-1561, bakhetha ukuthetha “ngenkululeko yonqulo,” kunokuba bathethe “ngokunyamezela iimbono ezahlukileyo.”

Noko ke, ngokuhamba kwexesha, kwaya kubonakala ukuba ukunyamezela iimbono ezahlukileyo akukubi nangayiphi na indlela, kodwa kuyinto ekhusela inkululeko yabantu. Yayingasajongwa njengemvume yobutyutyusi kodwa yayijongwa njengesiqinisekiso. Kuthe kusakuxatyiswa ukwahlukana kweenkolelo nelungelo lokucinga ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo njengesiseko sebutho elitsha labantu, kwathiwa phantsi ngenzondelelo yempambano.

Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-18, ukunyamezela iimbono ezahlukileyo kwanxulunyaniswa nenkululeko nokulingana. Oku kwavakaliswa kwimithetho nakwizindululo ezenziwayo, njengeSindululo Samalungelo Abantu nawaBemi eFransi (1789), okanye uXwebhu Lwamalungelo eUnited States (1791). Njengoko la maxwebhu ayephembelela ukuthand’ inkululeko ukususela ngenkulungwane ye-19 ukusa phambili, ukunyamezela iimbono ezahlukileyo nenkululeko zazingasajongwa njengesiqalekiso kodwa zaba yintsikelelo.

Inkululeko Elinganiselweyo

Ixabiseke injalo, inkululeko ilinganiselwe. Ngenxa yokuba efuna wonk’ umntu akhululeke adabalale, uRhulumente uwisa imithetho efika ixabe phambi kwenkululeko yabany’ abantu. Nantsi ke eminye imiba ephathelele inkululeko eshukuxwa shushu xa kungoku kumazwe amaninzi aseYurophu: Imithetho ewiswa ngurhulumente inokusebenza iye kuma phi kumntu ngamnye? Iluncedo kangakanani? Iyichaphazela njani inkululeko?

Ukushukuxwa shushu kwenkululeko kawonke wonke neyomntu ngamnye kuye kwayeyona nto iphambili kumaziko eendaba. Amanye amaqela onqulo aye atyholwa ngokuntlokothisa abantu, ukuphanga imali, ukuxhaphaza abantwana, nolunye ulwaphulo-mthetho olunzulu, kube ke maxa wambi kungekho bungqina bubambekayo. Amabali eendaba aquka amaqela amancinane onqulo aye angundaba-mlonyeni kumaziko eendaba. Amabinzana anyelisayo anjengelithi “ihlelo” kuthethwa ngawo imihla ngemihla xa kungoku. Maxa wambi bephehlwa zizimvo zabantu ngokubanzi, oorhulumente baye benza uludwe lwamahlelo ekuthiwa ayingozi.

ElaseFransi lizigobh’ amacala lisithi lona liyazinyamezela iimbono zonqulo ezahlukileyo ibe aliludibanisi unqulo noRhulumente. Ngeqhayiyakazi lithi xa lizibiza lililizwe “leNkululeko, ukuLingana, noManyano.” Sekunjalo, incwadi ethi Freedom of Religion and Belief—A World Report ithi kwelo lizwe kwasekwa “iphulo lemfundo ezikolweni ukuze likhuthaze ukungafunw’ okomshologu kwemibutho emitsha yonqulo.” Noko ke, abantu abaninzi bacinga ukuba le ndlela yokwenz’ izinto iyinyathela ngeenyawo inkululeko yonqulo. Yenzeka njani loo nto?

Izinto Eziyinyathela Ngeenyawo Inkululeko Yonqulo

Ukuze kuthiwe abantu bakhululeke ngokwenene ngokonqulo kufuneka onke amaqela onqulo awuhlonelayo nawuthobelayo umthetho aphathwe ngendlela efanayo nguRhulumente. Akubi njalo ke xa uRhulumente esuka akhethe ethile phakathi kweenkonzo zonqulo aze athi yona asilonqulo, ngaloo ndlela ke eyohlutha amalungelo athile uRhulumente awanika ezinye iinkonzo. Kaloku ngowe-1997 iphephancwadi iTime lathi: “Ingcamango yenkululeko yonqulo iphelelwa sisithinzi xa urhulumente elithabathela kuye ilungelo lokunika imvume kwiinkonzo ngokungathi unika abaqhubi iimpepha-mvume zokuqhuba.” Eny’ inkundla yezibheno yaseFransi ikhe yathi kutshanje ukwenza loo nto “siyazi, singayazi, kungunozala wobuzwilakhe.”

Kanti xa kukho iqela elilawula amaziko eendaba idla ngokunyathelwa ngeenyawo inkululeko ebifanele ukufunyanwa ngabantu. Ngelishwa ke, ixhaphakile le nto kumazwe amaninzi. Ngokomzekelo, imibutho echasene namahlelo iye yazenza abatshutshisi, iijaji nabagwebi ngelokuzama ukuchaza izinto ngeliso lonqulo ibe iye yazama ukuthofiyela uwonke wonke ngeembono zayo ezinekhethe isebenzisa amaziko eendaba. Iphephandaba laseFransi iLe Monde lathi, noko ke xa isenza ngolo hlobo, le mibutho maxa wambi “iba neempawu ezifana nezala mahlelo ithi ilwa nawo ibe ngoku izibek’ engozini ‘yokuzingelwa oku kwamagqwirha.’” Eli phephandaba laphakamisa lo mbuzo: “Ngaba ke ngoku le nto yenziwa ngabantu yokubek’ amabala amaqela amancinane onqulo . . . ayiphazamisani nenkululeko afanele ayifumane?” Kaloku uMartin Kriele wacatshulwa esithi kwiZeitschrift für Religionspsychologie, (Iphephancwadi Elinobucukubhede Bonqulo): “Ukuzingelana namahlelo ngathi kufunw’ amagqwirha kunyus’ izibilini ngaphezu kobuninzi bamaqela ‘abizwa ngokuba ngamahlelo nanenzondelelo yempambano.’ Ngamafutshane: Abemi abangawushwaqaziyo umthetho bafanele bayekwe bazihlalele ngoxolo. Abantu kufuneka babe nenkululeko yonqulo neyeengcamango ibe kufanele kuhlale kunjalo naseJamani.” Makhe sihlolisise umzekelo nje ube mnye.

“Abemi Abangumzekelo”—Kuthiwa Bayingozi

Liliphi iqela lonqulo awathi amagunya amaKatolika kwiphephandaba elidumileyo laseSpeyin, iABC “lelona hlelo liyingozi kunawo onke”? Uya kusal’ ubamb’ ongezantsi usakuva ukuba le ABC yayisitsho ithetha ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngaba yayingelokhethe okanye ucalucalulo olwalubangela ukuba batyatyekwe ezo zityholo? Khawuve ezi zindululo zivela kweminye imithombo:

“AmaNgqina afundisa abantu ukuba bahlawule iirhafu ngokunyaniseka, bangabandakanyeki okanye benze amalungiselelo eemfazwe, bangebi ibe ngokulula nje baphile ngendlela ebekunothi abanye besakuyilandela baphucule umgangatho wokuhlalisana kakuhle phakathi kwabemi.”—ISergio Albesano, Talento, November-December 1996.

“Uyeke nje izinyeliso ezisasazwa ngamaxesha athile, kum [amaNgqina kaYehova] akabonakali esisisongelo nakancinane kumaziko kaRhulumente. Angabemi abathanda uxolo, abanezazela nababahlonelayo abasemagunyeni.”—Ilungu lendlu yowiso-mthetho yaseBelgium.

“AmaNgqina kaYehova aziwa njengabona bantu banyanisekileyo kwiFederal Republic.”—Iphephandaba laseJamani iSindelfinger Zeitung.

“Usenokuwajonga [amaNgqina kaYehova] njengabemi abangumzekelo. Akukhuthalele ukuhlawula iirhafu, anyamekela abagulayo, enza unako nako wokuphelisa ukungafundi.”—Iphephandaba laseUnited States iSan Francisco Examiner.

“AmaNgqina kaYehova aphumelela ngakumbi kunamalungu amanye amahlelo ekulondolozeni amaqhina omtshato awomeleleyo.”—IAmerican Ethnologist.

“AmaNgqina kaYehova aphakathi kwabona bantu balungileyo nabakhutheleyo kubemi bamazwe aseAfrika.”—UGqr. Bryan Wilson, weYunivesithi yaseOxford.

“Amalungu olo nqulo aye anegalelo kakhulu ukutyhubela amashumi eminyaka ekwandiseni inkululeko yesazela.”—UNat Hentoff, kwiFree Speech for Me—But Not for Thee.

“Aye . . . anegalelo elibonakalayo ekulondolozeni ezinye zezona zinto zixabisekileyo kwidemokhrasi.”—UNjingalwazi C. S. Braden, kwiThese Also Believe.

Njengoko sele sibonile ke kwezi zicatshulwa zingasentla, amaNgqina kaYehova aziwa lihlabathi lonke njengabemi abangumzekelo. Ngaphezu koko, aziwa ngomsebenzi wawo wokufundisa iBhayibhile simahla nangokukhuthaza kwawo imilinganiselo yentsapho. Iiklasi zawo zokufunda ukulesa nokubhala ziye zanceda amakhulu amawaka, ngoxa umsebenzi wawo wokunceda abantu uye wanceda amawaka abantu, ingakumbi eAfrika ukutyhubela amashumi eminyaka.

Ukubaluleka Kokuzivelela Zonk’ Inkalo

Ibutho labantu lizaliswe ngoohlohl’ esakhe abaxhaphaza abantu abamsulwa. Ngenxa yaloo nto ke, sifanele siphaphe xa kufikelelwa elunqulweni. Kodwa ke kunokutshiwo njani ukuba zivelelwa zonke iinkalo yaye kukhuthazwa inkululeko yonqulo xa ezinye iintatheli zithembela kwizinto eziziva kwiicawa ezehlelwa linani lamarhamente okanye kwimibutho echasene namahlelo nenjongo zayo ezithandabuzekayo, kunokuba ziye koodiza-dala kade bemkhwahlaza? Ngokomzekelo, iphephandaba elabiza amaNgqina kaYehova “njengelona hlelo liyingozi kunawo onke,” lavuma ukuba amazwi alo lawafumana “kumagqalangqa eTyalike [yamaKatolika].” Ngaphezu koko ke, eliny’ iphephancwadi laseFransi lathi amanqaku amaninzi athetha ngeenkonzo ekucingelwa ukuba zingamahlelo abhalwe yimibutho echasene namahlelo. Ngaba kuwe oku kukhangeleka njengeyona ndlela ingenamkhethe yokufumana inkcazelo esulungekileyo?

Iinkundla zehlabathi nemibutho ejongene namalungelo afanele afunyanwe ngabantu njengeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo, zithi “iimpawu ezahlula unqulo kwihlelo zikhiwa nje entloko ibe ke ngoko azingeni kamnandi.” Kutheni ke abany’ abantu behlalel’ ukubizana negama elithob’ isidima ngolo hlobo elithi “ihlelo”? Yeny’ into ke leyo ebonisa ukuba inkululeko yonqulo inyathelwa ngeenyawo. Inokukhuselwa njani ke le nkululeko?

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

Abameli Benkululeko Yonqulo

Ukufunwa ngamandla kwenkululeko yonqulo kwaqala ekuchithweni kwezantyalantyala zegazi kwiimfazwe zonqulo zenkulungwane ye-16 eYurophu. Ezo zikhalo zisangena nangoku xa kuthethwa ngenkululeko yonqulo.

USébastien Chateillon (1515-63): “Yintoni umwexuki? Ayikho eny’ impendulo endinayo ngaphandle kokuba abawexuki sisithi ngabantu abangavisisaniyo neembono zethu. . . . Ukuba kwesi sixeko okanye kule ngingqi waziwa njengomntu okholwe nyhani, kwenye uya kuthi gqi nje kubonw’ umwexuki.” Umguquleli weBhayibhile odumileyo nomkhuseli otsha zintambo wokwamkelwa konqulo ongumFrentshi, uChateillon, wachaphazela enye yezona zinto ziphambili xa kuxoxwa ngenkululeko yonqulo: Ngubani onokuthi omnye ngumwexuki?

UDirck Volckertszoon Coornhert (1522-90): “Phambili phayaa safunda ukuba . . . noKristu ngenkqu eYerusalem nabany’ abafeli-nkolo eYurophu . . . baliphazamisa [ibutho labantu] ngamazwi abo enyaniso. . . . Intsingiselo yegama elithi ‘baliphazamisa’ ifuna ukuchazwa ize icaciswe kakuhle.” UCoornhert wathi akunakuthiwa umntu ugil’ ucwangco ngenxa yokuba ekunqulo olwahlukileyo kolomnye. Waphakamisa lo mbuzo: Ngaba ngokwenene abantu abawuthobela nabawuhlonela ngokunyanisekileyo umthetho bagil’ ucwangco?

UPierre de Belloy (1540-1611): “Bubunyhola into yokucinga ukuba ubukho beenkonzo ezahlukeneyo buqhwaya buze bubasele ulwanyovu kuRhulumente.” UBelloy lo, owayeligqwetha elingumFrentshi nowayebhala ngexesha leeMfazwe zoNqulo (1562-98), wathi ukubakho kwemvisiswano elunqulweni akuxhomekekanga ekufaneni kweecawa ngaphandle kokuba ke, kukho cawa ithile idudula loo Rhulumente ngasemva.

UThomas Helwys (c. 1550–c. 1616): “Ukuba abantu bakhe [ukumkani] banyanisekile yaye bathobela yonke imithetho eyenzelwe abantu, ayikho enye into ayifuna kubo.” UHelwys, ongomnye wabaseki betyalike yaseBhaptizi yaseNgilani, wabhala phofu ngelithethelela elokuba iCawa mayahlukane noRhulumente, ebongoza ukumkani ukuba anike zonke iinkonzo namahlelo inkululeko yonqulo aze ke aneliseke lulawulo analo phezu kwabantu nezinto zabo. Oko wakubhalayo kwakusekelwe kumbuzo oqhelekileyo: URhulumente unokuhamba aye kuma phi xa elawula izinto zonqulo?

Umbhali ongazichazanga ngagama (1564): “Ukuze kubekho inkululeko yesazela, akunakufakwa umntu ngentloko kunqulo angalufuniyo, ukuba kwangesizathu esifanayo akavunyelwa ukuba aye kolo alufunayo.”

[Imifanekiso]

UTertullian

UChateillon

UDe Belloy

[Inkcazelo]

All photos: © Cliché Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris