Kwenzeke Ntoni Kwigunya?

ABANTU abacingayo bayayibona imfuneko yegunya. Ukuba akunakubakho uhlobo oluthile lwegunya, bekuya kukhawuleza kube sisiphithiphithi ebuthweni labantu. Ngenxa yoko, incwadi yesiFrentshi echaza imithetho yomgaqo-siseko ithi: “Kulo naliphi na iqela labantu, kukho iindidi ezimbini zabantu: abo bayalelayo nabo bathobelayo, abo banikela imithetho nabo bayenzayo, iinkokeli namalungu, abalawuli nabalawulwa. . . . Ubukho begunya bunokubonwa nakweliphi na ibutho labantu.”a

Noko ke, izimo zengqondo ngegunya ziye zaguquka ukususela ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi II nokususela ngokukhethekileyo ngeminyaka yee-1960. Igqabaza ngelo xesha, iEncyclopædia Universalis yesiFrentshi ithetha “ngengxaki yokungafunwa kwabasezikhundleni nokungafunwa kwegunya.” Ingxaki enjalo ayibothusi abafundi beBhayibhile. Umpostile uPawulos waxela kwangaphambili wathi: “Khumbula, imihla yokugqibela yeli hlabathi iya kuba lixesha leziphithiphithi! Ekuphela kwento abantu abaya kuyithanda ziziqu zabo nemali; baya kuqhayisa, babe nekratshi, yaye banyelise; bengabathobeli abazali . . . ; intiyo yabo iya kuba yengenatarhu, . . . engalawulekiyo nenogonyamelo, . . . bezaliswe kukuzicingela. Baya kuthanda iziyolo zabo ngaphezu koThixo wabo.”—2 Timoti 3:1-4, The Revised English Bible.

Igunya Lisengxakini

Esi siprofeto siwuchaza kakuhle umhla nexesha lethu. Igunya licelw’ umngeni kuyo yonke indawo—entsatsheni, esikolweni, eyunivesithi, kwezoshishino, koorhulumente basekuhlaleni nabelizwe. Iinguqu kwindlela yokuziphatha ngokwesini, umculo werap ophambili, imingcelele yoqhankqalazo yabafundi, ukuzibeka phantsi kwabasebenzi ngaphandle kwemvume yombutho wabo, ukungathotyelwa koorhulumente, nezenzo zobugrogrisi zonke yimiqondiso yokuphela kokuhlonelwa kwegunya.

Kwintlanganiso eyayiququzelelwe Liziko Lenzululwazi Yobupolitika YaseFransi nephephandaba laseParis lamihla le iLe Monde eParis, uNjingalwazi Yves Mény wathi: “Igunya linokubakho kuphela xa lifanelekile.” Esinye sezizathu zengxaki yegunya namhlanje kukuba abaninzi bayakuthandabuza ukufaneleka kwabo basemagunyeni. Oko kukuthi, bathandabuza ilungelo labo lokuba negunya. Ukuhlolwa kwezimvo kwatyhila ukuba ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1980, isi-9 ekhulwini kubemi baseUnited States, i-10 ekhulwini eOstreliya, ama-24 ekhulwini eBritani, ama-26 ekhulwini eFransi, nama-41 ekhulwini eIndiya ayemgqala urhulumente wawo njengongafanelekanga.

Iphulo Loluntu Lokufuna Igunya Elifanelekileyo

Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, ntlandlolo umntu wayengaphantsi kwegunya likaThixo ngokuthe ngqo. (Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:16, 17) Noko ke, kwasekuqaleni njalo, abantu bafuna inkululeko yokuziphatha kuMdali wabo. (Genesis 3:1-6) Bakuba belugatyile ulawulo lobuthixo, okanye ukulawulwa nguThixo, kwafuneka bafumane ezinye iinkqubo zegunya. (INtshumayeli 8:9) Bambi balintlokothisa igunya labo. Kubo, amandla abanika ilungelo. Isibakala sokuba babenamandla ngokwaneleyo sasibanika ilungelo lokunyanzelisa ukuthanda kwabo. Noko ke, inkoliso yayibona imfuneko yokwenza ilungelo layo lokulawula libe lelifanelekileyo.

Kususela mandulo abalawuli abaninzi bakwenza oku ngokuthi babengoothixo okanye babenikwe amandla ngoothixo. Ivela apho ke ingcamango yobuxoki “yobukumkani obungcwele,” ababesithi banabo abalawuli baseMesopotami nooFaro beYiputa yamandulo.

UAlesandire Omkhulu, nookumkani bamaGrike abamlandelayo, nabalawuli baseRoma abaninzi babesithi bangoothixo bade bafuna ukunqulwa. Iinkqubo zabalawuli abanjalo zazisaziwa ngokuthi “amahlelo abalawuli” ibe injongo yazo yayikukuqinisa igunya lomlawuli phezu kwabantu abangumxube abathinjiweyo. Ukwala ukunqula umlawuli kwakugqalwa kusisenzo esichasene noRhulumente. Kwincwadi ethi The Legacy of Rome, uNjingalwazi Ernest Barker wabhala: “Ukwenziwa isithixo komlawuli [waseRoma], nentlonelo ayifumanayo ngenxa yokuba enguthixo, sisiseko, okanye nakanjani na kuko okuqinisa, obu bukhosi.”

Oku kwaqhubeka kunjalo kwanasemva kokuba “ubuKristu” bamkelwa ngokusemthethweni nguMlawuli uConstantine (walawula ngowama-306-337 C.E.) baza kamva bamkelwa njengonqulo lweSizwe kuBukhosi baseRoma nguMlawuli uTheodosius I (walawula ngowama-379-395 C.E.). Bambi abalawuli “abangamaKristu” babenqulwa njengoothixo de kwasebudeni benkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo.

“Amagunya Amabini,” “Amakrele Amabini”

Njengokuba oopopu babesiya besiba negunya, iingxaki phakathi kweCawa noRhulumente zaya zisanda. Ngenxa yoko, ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesihlanu yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, uPopu Gelasius I wamisela umgaqo “wamagunya amabini”: igunya elingcwele lepopu elikho ngaxeshanye negunya lobukhosi lokumkani—ookumkani bengaphantsi koopopu. Kamva lo mgaqo waguqukela ekubeni yimfundiso “yamakrele amabini”: “Ikrele lomoya lalisezandleni zoopopu, ikrele lehlabathi lona belinikele kubalawuli, kodwa sekunjalo abalawuli bamele balisebenzise ngokolwalathiso loopopu ikrele lehlabathi.” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) Ngokusekelwe kule mfundiso, ebudeni bamaXesha Aphakathi, iCawa yamaKatolika yayisithi inelungelo lokuthwesa abalawuli nookumkani ukuze igunya labo libe lelifanelekileyo, ngaloo ndlela ihambisela phambili intsomi yamandulo ‘yobukumkani obungcwele.’

Noko ke, oku akufanele kubhidaniswe noko kufane kubizwe ngokuba lilungelo lookumkani elivela kuThixo, into eyaveliswa kamva ngenjongo yokukhulula abalawuli bezobupolitika ekuthobeleni oopopu. Imfundiso yelungelo elivela kuThixo ithi igunya lookumkani lokulawula balifumana livela kuThixo ngokuthe ngqo, kungekhona ngopopu waseRoma. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Ngexesha apho upopu wayenegunya kuyo yonke imicimbi yokomoya kwaneyehlabathi phezu kwabalawuli bamazwe, ingcamango yelungelo elivela kuThixo yenza ookumkani bamazwe bakwazi ukuthi igunya labo livela kuThixo ngokulinganayo nelo lepopu.”b

Ingcamango Yobukumkani Obuthandwayo

Njengokuba ixesha lalihamba, abantu bacebisa ezinye iindlela zegunya. Enye yazo yayiyileyo yobukumkani babantu. Abaninzi bakholelwa ukuba le ngcamango yayivela eGrisi. Noko ke, idemokhrasi yamaGrike yamandulo yayisetyenziswa kwizixeko ezingamazwana ezimbalwa kuphela, ibe nakwezi ngabemi abangamadoda kuphela ababevota. Amabhinqa, amakhoboka, nabaphambukeli—ekucingelwa ukuba babebumba abantu abane kwabahlanu kubemi balapho—babengenalo eli lungelo. Kungangenkankulu ukuba obu ibe bubukumkani obuthandwayo!

Ngubani owayekhuthaza le ngcamango yobukumkani babantu? Okumangalisayo kukuba yaqaliswa ebudeni bamaXesha Aphakathi ngabafundi bezakwalizwi bamaRoma Katolika. Ngenkulungwane ye-13, uThomas Aquinas wayesithi ngoxa ubukumkani buvela kuThixo, buphathiswe abantu. Le ngcamango yangqineka ithandwa. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Ingcamango yokuba igunya liphuma ebantwini yaxhaswa kakhulu yinkoliso yabafundi ngezakwalizwi bamaKatolika benkulungwane ye-17.”

Kwakutheni ukuze abafundi ngezakwalizwi becawa abantu ababengenalizwi konke konke kuyo ekukhethweni kopopu, ubhishophu okanye umfundisi bakhuthaze ingcamango yobukumkani babantu? Kwakungenxa yokuba bambi ookumkani baseYurophu babesiya benganeliseki ligunya loopopu. Imfundiso yobukumkani obuthandwayo yanika upopu igunya lokumbhukuqa umlawuli okanye ukumkani ukuba kwakubonakala kuyimfuneko. Umbhali-mbali uWill noAriel Durant babhala: “Abaxhasi bobukumkani obuthandwayo babequka amaJesuit amaninzi, awakubona oku njengendlela yokwenza buthathaka igunya labalawuli kunelikapopu. UKhadinali Bellarmine wayesithi, ukuba igunya lookumkani livela ebantwini, yaye ngaloo ndlela lixhomekeke kubo, kucacile ukuba lingaphantsi kwegunya loopopu . . . uLuis Molina, umJesuit waseSpeyin, wagqiba kwelokuba abantu, njengomthombo wegunya, ngokufanelekileyo—kodwa ngendlela enocwangco—banokumbhukuqa ukumkani ongalungisiyo.”

Kakade ke, ‘indlela enocwangco’ yayiya kulungiselelwa yipopu. Ingqina oku, incwadi yamaKatolika yesiFrentshi ethi Histoire Universelle de l’Eglise Catholique icaphula iBiographie universelle, ethi: “UBellarmine . . . njengemfundiso eqhelekileyo yamaKatolika ufundisa ukuba iinkosi zilifumana ngokuthanda kwabantu igunya lazo, ibe abantu banokulisebenzisa eli lungelo kuphela ngaphantsi kwempembelelo yepopu.” (Akekeliswe sithi.) Ngaloo ndlela ubukumkani obuthandwayo baba sisixhobo upopu awayenokusisebenzisa ukuze aphembelele ukukhethwa kwabalawuli yaye, ukuba kuyimfuneko, ukubhukuqwa kwabo. Kule minyaka yakutshanje, liye lavumela abaphathi becawa yamaKatolika ukuba baphembelele abavoti abangamaKatolika kumazwe edemokhrasi.

Kwiidemokhrasi zanamhlanje ukufaneleka korhulumente kusekelwa koko kubizwa ngokuba “yimvume yabalawulwa.” Phofu ke, ubukhulu becala oku “yimvume yoninzi,” yaye ngenxa yokungakhathali kwabo bavotayo namaqhinga abezobupolitika, olu “ninzi” ngokufuthi eneneni iba ligcudwana labemi. Namhlanje, “imvume yabalawulwa” ngokufuthi ithetha “ukuvuma okanye ukuncama, kwabalawulwa.”

Ingcamango Yobukumkani Besizwe

Ingcamango yobukumkani obungcwele eyayikhuthazwa ngoopopu bokuqala yaba nemiphumo ababengayilindele xa yaguquka yaba lilungelo elivela kuThixo lookumkani. Nakwingcamango yobukumkani obuthandwayo ngokufanayo isikhuni sabuya nomkhwezeli oyiCawa yamaKatolika. Ebudeni benkulungwane ye-17 neye-18, izithandi zobulumko zehlabathi, ezinjengoThomas Hobbes noJohn Locke baseNgilani noJean-Jacques Rousseau waseFransi, zahlalutya ingcamango yobukumkani obuthandwayo. Zavelisa iindlela eziliqela zengcamango “yesivumelwano sasentlalweni” phakathi kwabalawuli nabalawulwa. Imigaqo yazo yayingasekelwanga kwimfundiso yezakwalizwi kodwa ‘kumthetho wemvelo,’ ibe le ngcamango yaphela sele iziimbono ezaba yingozi kakhulu kwiCawa yamaKatolika nenkqubo yoopopu.

Kungekudala emva kokuba lo kaRousseau eyibekile inqawa, kwaqhambuka iMvukelo yaseFransi. Le mvukelo yatshabalalisa iingcamango ezithile zokufaneleka, kodwa yadala entsha, ingcamango yobukumkani besizwe. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica igqabaza ithi: “AmaFrentshi alikhaba ngawo omane ilungelo elivela kuThixo lookumkani, ukongama kweqela eliphakamileyo ebuthweni, amalungelo eCawa yamaRoma Katolika.” Kodwa, iBritannica ithi, “le Mvukelo yayize nemveliso entsha, urhulumente wesizwe.” Abo babevukela babeyifuna le “mveliso” intsha. Ngoba?

Ngenxa yokuba ngaphantsi kwenkqubo eyayikhuthazwa ngokaRousseau, bonke abemi babeya kuba nelungelo elilinganayo ekukhethweni kwabalawuli. Oku kwakuya kuphumela kwidemokhrasi esekelwe ekubeni wonke umntu abe nelungelo lokuvota—nto leyo iinkokeli zeMvukelo yaseFransi ezazingayithandi. UNjingalwazi Duverger uyacacisa: “Kwakuzanywa ukuphetshwa ukuba kwenzeke oku, okwakugqalwa njengokungathandekiyo, ekwathi, ukususela ngowe-1789 ukusa kowe-1791, abantu bodidi oluphakathi ababekwiNdlu yoWiso-mthetho bavelisa ingcamango yobukumkani besizwe. Babesithi abantu ‘siSizwe,’ ababesigqala njengesizimeleyo, esahlukileyo kwabo basibumbayo. SiSizwe kuphela, ngabameli baso, esinelungelo lokuba nobukumkani . . . Nangona ibonakala iyeyedemokhrasi, imfundiso yobukumkani besizwe ayinademokhrasi kwaphela ngenxa yokuba inokusetyenziselwa ukuthethelela naluphi na uhlobo lorhulumente, ngokukodwa olobuzwilakhe.” (Akekeliswe nguye.)

Imigudu Yabantu Iyasilela

Ukwamkelwa koRhulumente weSizwe njengomthombo ofanelekileyo wegunya kwakhokelela kubuzwe. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Ngokufuthi ubuzwe kucingwa ukuba budala kakhulu; maxa wambi ngempazamo kucingwa ukuba bungumtya nethunga nezobupolitika. Eneneni, imvukelo yaseMerika neyaseFransi zinokugqalwa njengokuqala kokubonakala kwabo ngamandla.” Emva kwezo mvukelo, ubuzwe buye babonakala kulo lonke elaseMerika, eYurophu, eAfrika naseAsia. Iimfazwe zenkohlakalo ziye zajongwa njengezifanelekileyo egameni lobuzwe.

Umbhali-mbali waseBritani uArnold Toynbee wabhala: “Umoya woBuzwe ligwele elimuncu lale wayini intsha yeDemokhrasi kwiibhotile ezindala zokuthanda iSizwana sikabani. . . . Le mvisiswano imangalisayo phakathi kweDemokhrasi nokuthanda iSizwana sikabani ibiyeyona inamandla kwezobupolitika zaMazwe aseNtshona namhlanje kunayo neDemokhrasi ngokwayo.” Ubuzwe abuvelisanga ihlabathi elinoxolo. Lo kaToynbee wathi: “IiMfazwe zoNqulo ziye zalandelwa, emva kwekhefu elifutshane gqitha, ziiMfazwe zoBuzwe; yaye kuMazwe ethu aseNtshona namhlanje umoya wokuthanda unqulo ngokugqith’ emgceni nomoya wobuzwe ogqith’ emgceni ubonakala uyintshukumisa engendawo efanayo.”

Ngengcamango ‘yobukumkani obungcwele,’ “ilungelo elivela kuThixo lookumkani,” “ubukumkani obuthandwayo,” kunye ‘nobukumkani besizwe,’ abalawuli bebezama ukwenza igunya labo phezu kwabanye abantu libe lelifanelekileyo. Noko ke, emva kokuqwalasela oko abalawuli babantu bakwenzileyo umKristu umele avumelane noko kwathethwa nguSolomon: ‘Umntu ugunyazele umntu kwaba kubi kuye.’—INtshumayeli 8:9.

Kunokunqula uRhulumente wezobupolitika, amaKristu anqula uThixo yaye agqala yena njengomthombo ofanelekileyo walo lonke igunya. Ayavumelana nomdumisi uDavide owathi: “Bobakho, Yahweh, ubukhulu, amandla, indili, imihla emide nozuko, konke okusezulwini nasemhlabeni kokwakho. Bobakho ubukumkani, Yahweh; uphezulu, uphakamile kubo bonke.” (1 Kronike 29:11, The New Jerusalem Bible) Sekunjalo, ngenxa yokuhlonela uThixo, abonisa intlonelo efanelekileyo ngegunya likarhulumente nelokomoya. Ukuba akwenza njani oku nesizathu sokuba akwenze ngovuyo kuza kuxutyushwa kumanqaku amabini alandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

ICawa yamaKatolika yayisithi inegunya lokuthwesa abalawuli nookumkani

[Inkcazelo]

Consecration of Charlemagne: Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris