INkundla Ephakamileyo Ixhasa Inkululeko Yokuthetha
INKUNDLA EPHAKAMILEYO yapapasha isigqibo sayo esibhaliweyo ngoJuni 17, 2002. Sisiphi eso sigqibo? Isigqibo sayo savela kwimixholo yamaphephandaba. IThe New York Times yathi: “INkundla Iyiphelisile Imiqathango Engumqobo Kutyelelo LwamaNgqina KaYehova.” IThe Columbus Dispatch yaseOhio yathi: “INkundla Ephakamileyo Ikukhabe Ngawo Omane Ukufunwa Kwemvume.” IThe Plain Dealer yaseCleveland, eOhio, yagqabaza yathi: “Akukho Mfuneko Yokuba Abangqibi Bacele Imvume Kusodolophu.” Amagqabaza avela kubafundi bephephandaba iUSA Today athi: “Inkululeko Yokuthetha Iphumelele.”
Abantu abasi-8 basikhaba isigqibo senkundla encinane esinxamnye namaNgqina kaYehova ngoxa om-1 wayevumelana naso! ISigqibo esisemthethweni seNkundla nesasizalise amaphepha ali-18 sabhalwa yiJaji uJohn Paul Stevens. Esi sigqibo sasivumelana noMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo onika amaNgqina kaYehova ilungelo lokuqhubeka nobulungiseleli bawo basesidlangalaleni ngokukhululekileyo. Kweso sigqibo, iNkundla yathi akuyomfuneko ukuba amaNgqina acele imvume kuba athi “igunya lokushumayela alifumana eZibhalweni.” Emva koko iNkundla yacaphula kwingxelo yamaNgqina eyayisithi: “Sivakalelwa ukuba ukucela imvume yokuya kushumayela kusodolophu kufana nesithuko kuThixo.”
ISigqibo seNkundla sathi: “Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwama-50, iNkundla iye yayiphelisa imiqathango enxamnye nokugaya abaxhasi nokuhambisa amaphecana kwindlu ngendlu. Asinto imangalisayo ukuba ibe ngamaNgqina kaYehova afaka izimangalo ezininzi eziphathelele ukucelw’ umngeni koMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo, kaloku ngenxa yonqulo lwawo kufuneka aye kwindlu ngendlu. Njengoko siphawulile kwityala iMurdock v. Pennsylvania, . . . (1943), amaNgqina kaYehova ‘athi alandela umzekelo kaPawulos, owayefundisa “esidlangalaleni, nakwindlu ngendlu.” IZenzo 20:20. Awulandela ngokuthe ngqo umyalelo weZibhalo othi, “Yiyani ehlabathini lonke nize nishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kuyo yonke indalo.” Marko 16:15. Ngokwenjenjalo, akholelwa ukuba athobela umyalelo kaThixo.’”
Emva koko, kwesi Sigqibo kwaphinda kwacatshulwa ityala lowe-1943 kwathiwa: “KuMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo olu nqulo lufanele lugqalwe ngendlela efanayo nokunqula ezicaweni nokushumayela ezipulpitini. Umthetho ufanele ulukhusele ngendlela efanayo neenkonzo eziqhelekileyo nezamkelekileyo.” Kucatshulwa kwityala lowe-1939, kwesi Sigqibo kwathiwa: “Ukucelwa kwemvume ngaphambi kokuba kubalwe abantu kubangela ukuba loo msebenzi ungenziwa ngokukhululekileyo yaye kubangela iingxaki xa kusasazwa amaphecana yaye kuyaphikisana nomgaqo-siseko.”—Akekeliswe ngabo.
Emva koko iNkundla yaveza ingongoma ebalulekileyo, yathi: “La matyala abonisa ukuba xa amaNgqina kaYehova exhathisa imiqathango enxamnye nenkululeko yokuthetha akalweli amalungelo awo kuphela.” Kwesi Sigqibo kwacaciswa ukuba asingomaNgqina “kuphela ‘abantu’ abavalwa umlomo ngenxa yemiqathango efana neyale Dolophana.”
Kwesi Sigqibo kwahlatyelwa mgama kwathiwa lo mthetho “usingela phantsi—kungekuphela nje imibandela eyamkelekileyo ngokuvisisana noMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo, kodwa kwanenkululeko yabantu—ekubeni xa umntu efuna ukuncokola ngezinto eziqhelekileyo zemihla ngemihla kuza kufuneka aqale axelele urhulumente ukuba ufuna ukuthetha nabamelwane bakhe aze afumane imvume yokwenjenjalo. . . . Lo mthetho wokucela imvume ngaphambi kokuba uye kuncokola nabanye abantu ungquzulana ngokupheleleyo nesithethe semvelo nomgaqo-siseko.” Emva koko kwesi Sigqibo kwachazwa “imiphumo eyingozi enokubangelwa kukucela le mvume.”
Ukoyika Ulwaphulo-mthetho
Kuthekani ngengcamango yokuba ukufuna imvume kuza kukhusela abantu kubaqhekezi nakwizaphuli-mthetho? INkundla yakukhaba oku ngelithi: “Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba abantu baxhalabe, kodwa kufanele kubekho ukulungelelana xa kucingwa ngokhuseleko kulwaphulo-mthetho naxa kucingwa ngendlela le miqathango ewuchaphazela ngayo uMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo.”
KwiSigqibo seNkundla kwahlatyelwa mgama kwathiwa: “Kubonakala ngathi ukungabi namvume akunakuzithintela izaphuli-mthetho zingayi emakhayeni abantu zize zifike zincokole ngezinto ezingakhankanywanga kulo mthetho. Ngokomzekelo, zinokuya zifike zibuze indlela okanye zicele ukusebenzisa umnxeba, . . . okanye xa zicela imvume zisenokubhalisa amagama angengowazo kuba zibaleka isohlwayo.”
Ibhekisela kwisigqibo seminyaka yee-1940, iNkundla yabhala: “Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, kwizigqibo zenkundla ezazisoloko ziwakhusela amalungu ombutho [iWatch Tower Society] ekubeni afumane izigwebo zolunya kwakusetyenziswa amazwi abonisa indlela iNkundla eyigqala ngayo inkululeko evunyelwa nguMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo enyathelelwa phantsi kweli tyala.”
INkundla yafikelela kwesiphi isigqibo? Yathi: “Isigqibo seNkundla Yezibheno siyarhoxiswa, yaye eli tyala libuyiselwa kwakuyo ukuze iphinde ilivavanye ngokuvisisana nesi sigqibo. Lo ngumyalelo esiyinika wona.”
Ngoko ke, njengoko yatshoyo iChicago Sun-Times, “INkundla Ixhasa AmaNgqina KaYehova,” yaye esi sigqibo saxhaswa ngabantu abasi-8 ngoxa waye-1 ongavumelani naso.
Kuthekani Ngekamva?
AmaNgqina kaYehova eBandla laseWellsville elikufuphi naloo dolophana alujonga njani olu loyiso kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo? Ngokuqinisekileyo akaqhayisi ngalo ngenjongo yokuhlazisa abemi baseStratton. AmaNgqina akanantiyo ngabantu abahloniphekileyo bale dolophana. UGregory Kuhar, iNgqina lalapho wathi: “Yayingeyonjongo yethu ukuya enkundleni. Kodwa ngumthetho owamiselwayo owawuyingxaki. Oko sakwenzayo, sasikwenzela wonke umntu kungekhona nje thina kuphela.”
Izibakala zibonisa ukuba amaNgqina aye enza imigudu ekhethekileyo ukuze angabacaphukisi abantu basekuhlaleni. Elinye iNgqina uGene Koontz, lathi: “Sagqibela ukushumayela eStratton ngoMatshi 7, 1998—kwisithuba esingaphezu kweminyaka emine eyadlulayo.” Wongezelela athi: “Ndaxelelwa ezimpondweni ukuba ndiza kubanjwa. Kuloo minyaka sasisoloko sigrogriswa ngokubanjwa ngamapolisa. Sasisithi sakucela umthetho obhalwe phantsi osithintelayo, singaphendulwa.”
UKoontz wongezelela athi: “Sizabalazela ukuba nobuhlobo obuhle nabamelwane bethu. Ukuba abanye abafuni sibatyelele, siyasihlonela eso sigqibo. Kodwa kukho abanye abanobuhlobo nabavumayo ukuncokola ngeBhayibhile.”
UGregory Kuhar wathi: “Asikhange siye kumangala enkundleni ngenjongo yokulwa nabantu baseStratton. Ekuphela kwento ebesiyifuna kukuqinisekisa ukuba inkululeko yethu yokuthetha ekuMgaqo-siseko ihlonelwa ngokusemthethweni.”
Uqhubeka athi: “Sinethemba lokuba ekugqibeleni siya kukwazi ukubuyela eStratton. Ndinqwenela ukuba ngowokuqala ukuya kunkqonkqoza xa sibuyela apho. Ngokuvumelana nomyalelo kaKristu, simele sibuyele apho.”
Isigqibo senkundla esiphathelele ityala i-“Watchtower v. Village of Stratton” siye saba nemiphumo ebangel’ umdla. Emva kokuva isigqibo seNkundla Ephakamileyo, amagosa kamasipala aseUnited States aliqela aqonda ukuba akanako ukumisela imithetho ngenjongo yokuthintela umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, eUnited States ziidolophana ezimalunga nama-90 eziye zakwazi ukucombulula iingxaki eziphathelele ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 9]
“AMANGQINA KAYEHOVA APHUMELELE KWAKHONA”
UCharles C. Haynes, umphengululi oyintloko nomalathisi wezifundo kwiZiko LoMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo, wabhala la mazwi angasentla kwiFreedom Forum Web site, ngaphantsi komxholo othi “INkululeko Yonqulo.” UHaynes waqhubeka wathi: “Kule veki iphelileyo [amaNgqina] aphinde aphumelela kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo isihlandlo sama-48—uthotho lwamatyala abalaseleyo aye aqinisekisa ukuba bonke abemi baseMerika bayakhuselwa nguMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo.” Walumkisa wathi: “Khumbulani oku: Ukuba urhulumente ubeka imiqathango kwinkululeko yonqulo oluthile, uya kukwazi ukwenjenjalo kulo naluphi na unqulo—okanye kuzo zonke iinkonzo. . . . Kakade ke, abantu banelungelo lokungaphulaphuli—nelokungavuli kumakhaya abo. Kodwa urhulumente akanagunya lokugqiba ngomntu onokuya kunkqonkqoza komnye umzi. Ngoko ke, sibamba ngazibini kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo.”
UHaynes uqukumbela athi: “Sonke sifanele siwabulele amaNgqina kaYehova. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba aye athukwa, agxothwa edolophini okanye ahlaselwa kangakanani, ayaqhubeka esilwela inkululeko yawo yonqulo (ngaloo ndlela esilwela nathi). Yaye xa ephumelela, sonke siyaphumelela.”
[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10, 11]
ISIGQIBO SENKUNDLA EPHAKAMILEYO—OKO KUTHETHWA NGAMAPHEPHANDABA
◼ “INkundla Ixhasa AmaNgqina KaYehova; Akukho Mfuneko Yemvume Xa Usiya Kubulungiseleli Bendlu Ngendlu
Kumsebenzi wawo wokuya kwindlu ngendlu njengamaNgqina kaYehova, [amaNgqina] ebesoloko ekholelwa ukuba axhaswa nguThixo. Ngoku axhaswa nayiNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseUnited States.”—IChicago Sun-Times kaJuni 18, 2002.
◼ “Inkululeko Yokuthetha Iyaphumelela
Kwixa elizayo, xa usidla isidlo sangokuhlwa uze uphazanyiswe ngamaNgqina kaYehova, kusenokufuneka uwabulele. Ngenxa yokuba ezinikele kwimigaqo yonqulo lwawo yaye engeyiyo inxalenye yeenkonzo eziphambili zehlabathi, amalungu olu nqulo angaphantsi kwesigidi [eUnited States] kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngawona enze umzamo wokukhusela inkululeko yokuthetha yabantu baseMerika kunezinye iintlangano. . . .
“Sele kuyinto eqhelekileyo kumaNgqina ukubhenela kwinkundla ephakamileyo. Kumatyala angaphezu kwama-24 kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-65, aye alwa ngempumelelo nxamnye nokucinezelwa ngabantu abaninzi.”—IUSA TODAY kaJuni 18, 2002.
◼ “Ukuya Kungqiba Kwindlu Ngendlu Kuthiwa Lilungelo Elikumgaqo-siseko. Esi Sigqibo Sibe Luloyiso KumaNgqina KaYehova
NgoMvulo, iNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseUnited States ithe amalungu ezopolitiko, amaqela onqulo, iiGirl Scout nabanye abantu banelungelo lokuya kwindlu ngendlu xa befuna ukuxelela abantu ngoko bakwenzayo ngaphandle kokufumana imvume kumagosa asekuhlaleni.”—ISan Francisco Chronicle kaJuni 18, 2002.
◼ “INkundla Ephakamileyo Ithi: Akukho Nto Inokuthintela AmaNgqina KaYehova NeeGirl Scout Ekuyeni Emizini Yabantu
EWASHNGTON—Namhlanje, iNkundla Ephakamileyo ithe ngokuvumelana noMgaqo-siseko, abavangeli basemazweni, amalungu ezopolitiko nabanye abantu banelungelo lokuya emizini nokuba abakhange bafumane mvume yokwenjenjalo kumagunya asekuhlaleni. . . .
Ngenxa yokuba abantu abasi-8 babevumelana, em-1 kuphela ongavumelani nabo, inkundla ifikelele kwisigqibo sokuba inkululeko yokuthetha esekelwe kuMthetho Wokuqala Ohlaziyiweyo iquka ilungelo lokusa isigidimi ngokungqalileyo kumntu osemzini wakhe.”—IStar Tribune kaJuni 18, 2002, eMinneapolis.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
UJaji Stevens
[Inkcazelo]
Stevens: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Joseph Bailey