ISonto LaseSheshi Lase-Australia—Indlu Ehlukene Phakathi
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! e-Australia
INKULUMO-MPIKISWANO yokuthi abesifazane kufanele bagcotshwe njengabapristi ayiyintsha neze eSontweni LaseSheshi. Kodwa lendaba muva nje iye yaba yimpikiswano enkulu e-Australia.
Ngo-January 1992 umbhishobhi waseCanberra naseGoulburn wamemezela amalungiselelo okugcoba amadiyakoni amaningi angabesifazane ukuba abe abapristi beSonto LaseSheshi. Wayengenakuwulinda umkhandlu wesonto olandelayo. Eqinisweni, lomkhandlu kakade wawusuye wanquma izikhathi ezintathu ngokumelene nokugcotshwa okunjalo.
Njengoba kwenzeka ekugcineni, ekuqaleni kuka-March, naphezu kokuphikiswa abesifazane abayishumi bagcotshwa njengabapristi baseSheshi ePerth, e-Australia. Ngakho, akumangalisi ukuthi ukunakekela okukhulu kwabhekiswa emkhandlwini wesonto olandelayo. Isimiso sango-July asisikhiphanga isinqumo esingujuqu, ngakho, “isimiso esingavamile” sahlelelwa u-November 21, 1992.
Ngaphambidlana nje esikhathini esingangesonto, uMkhandlu-jikelele weSonto LaseSheshi wavota ngokuvumelana nokugcotshwa kwabesifazane. Abaningi balindela ukuba lesinqumo sibe nomphumela oshukumisayo e-Australia. Lapho umkhandlu wase-Australia uhlangana, elinye iphephandaba laphawula: “Ngesinye isikhathi kwakuqubuka ukuphikisana ngosuku olushubile.” Ngaphambi kokuba kukhishwe umphumela wokuvota, umongameli womkhandlu wacela ukuba isaziso singashayelwa ihlombe. Lapho kudalulwa ukuthi ukugcotshwa kwabesifazane kwakwamukeliwe, abanye ezilalelini behluleka ukubamba imizwelo yabo. Lapho lezindaba zisakazeka ngaphandle, kwezwakala ukuhalalisa, futhi namafulegi ayephephezeliswa emoyeni.
Akubona bonke abakujabulela lokhu. I-Sydney Morning Herald yacaphuna umbhishobhi omkhulu waseSydney ethi: “Ngeke sikwazi ukuphila ndawonye ngenjabulo . . . Kuzoba namahlelo amabili eSontweni elifanayo LaseSheshi.” Omunye umfundisi waze wathi ukugcotshwa kwabesifazane njengabapristi kuphawula ukuthi “iSonto LaseSheshi e-Australia seliqala ukuwohloka.”
IBhayibheli linikeza isisekelo esanele salokhu kukhathazeka. UJesu Kristu ngokwakhe wathi: “Yilowo nalowo mbuso owahlukene wodwa uyachitheka; futhi akukho muzi, noma indlu, eyahlukene yodwa engema.”—Mathewu 12:25, The New English Bible.
Lokhu kuphakamisa umbuzo okubonakala ungasaphathwa ezimpikiswaneni zesonto, Lithini iBhayibheli ngendima yabesifazane ebandleni? Nakuba lisho ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ubazisa ngokufanayo abesilisa nabesifazane abazinikezele, nokho labela abesilisa nabesifazane izindima ezihlukene ebandleni. (Galathiya 3:28) Eyoku-1 Korinte 11:3 ikubeka ngalendlela: “Nakuba uKristu eyiNhloko yaleyo naleyondoda, inhloko yowesifazane iyindoda, njengoba neNhloko kaKristu inguNkulunkulu.” (NEB) Ngakho, ngokuphathelene nokufundisa okungokomthetho phambi kwebandla, uPawulu waphefumlelwa ngokwaphezulu ukuba abhale: “Owesifazane kumelwe abe umfundi, alalele ngokuthula nangokuzithoba okufanele. Angimvumeli owesifazane ukuba abe umfundisi, futhi akumelwe abuse phezu kwendoda.”—1 Thimothewu 2:11, 12, NEB.
Nokho, lokhu akufanele kube isizathu sokukhungatheka kwabesifazane abangamaKristu, ngoba bakhululekile ukuba bafundise enkonzweni yasobala njengoba kwenza abesifazane abanjengoLowisi, u-Evnike, u-Evodiya noSintike ezikhathini zakuqala zobuKristu.—Filipi 4:2, 3; 2 Thimothewu 1:5.