Imikhuba Emihle Ilahlwa “Ukuziphatha Okusha”?
‘Maye kulabo ababeka okubi esikhundleni sokuhle, ubumnyama esikhundleni sokukhanya, okubabayo esikhundleni sokumtoti.’—Isaya 5:20.
IKHULU leminyaka lama-20 liye labhekana noshintsho olukhulu emikhubeni emihle nasezindinganisweni zokuziphatha. Emashumini eminyaka angemva kwezimpi ezimbili zezwe, izimiso zokuziphatha zakudala kancane kancane zabhekwa njengezishiywe isikhathi. Izimo ezishintshayo nemibono emisha emikhakheni yokuziphatha kwesintu nesayensi kwaqinisekisa abaningi ukuthi izindinganiso zakudala zazingasasebenzi. Imikhuba emihle eyayaziswa kakhulu yalahlwa njengomthwalo ongadingekile. Iziqondiso zeBhayibheli ezake zahlonishwa zalahlwa njengezishiywe isikhathi. Zaziqine kakhulu ukuba zingasetshenziswa umphakathi ongenazimiso, okhululekile wabantu besimanje bekhulu lama-20.
Unyaka okwaba nalolushintsho ngawo emlandweni wesintu kwakungu-1914. Imibhalo yezazi-mlando ngokuphathelene nalowonyaka neMpi Yezwe I igcwele izinkulumo zazo ezichaza unyaka ka-1914 njengonyaka woshintsho olukhulu, uphawu lwangempela oluhlukanisa izinkathi emlandweni wesintu. IMinyaka Yawo-1920 Ehlokomayo yalandela ngemva nje kwempi futhi abantu bazama ukuzuza injabulo eyayibalahlekele phakathi naleyominyaka yempi. Izindinganiso zakudala nemingcele yokuziphatha enengqondo kwabekelwa eceleni ukuze kuvule indlela yokuzitika ngenjabulo. Ukuziphatha okusha, ukuzitika ngokuphishekela okwenyama, kwamiswa ngokungenhloso—ngokuyisisekelo kulandelwa inkambo yokuyekelela. Umthetho omusha wokuziphatha ngokungenakugwenywa wawuhambisana noshintsho lwemikhuba emihle.
Isazi-mlando uFrederick Lewis Allen siyaphawula ngalokhu: “Omunye umphumela walenguquko kwakuwukuthi imikhuba emihle ayizange nje ihluke, kodwa—eminyakeni embalwa—yaba engenanhlonipho. . . . Phakathi nalelishumi leminyaka abanakekeli bezihambi ezindizeni . . . bathola ukuthi izihambi zazingazikhathazi ngokukhuluma nabo lapho zikhwela noma zehla; ukuthi ‘ukuya ungamenyiwe’ emidansweni kwaba umkhuba owamukelekayo, abantu ‘babenomkhuba wokwephuza ukufika’ ezidlweni, beshiya osikilidi abavuthayo, bachithe umlotha kokhaphethi, bangaxolisi. Imingcele yakudala yayiwile, ayikho emisha eyayimisiwe, kwakukampunzi edl’ emini. Mhlawumbe ngolunye usuku, iminyaka eyishumi eyalandela impi ingase yaziwe ngokufanelekile ngokuthi ishumi leminyaka leMikhuba Emibi. . . . Njengoba lelishumi leminyaka lalinemikhuba emibi, lalibuye lingajabulisi. Uhlelo lwakudala lwezinto lwadlula nezindinganiso ezazenze ukuphila kwabaluleka futhi kwaba nenjongo, futhi izindinganiso ezazizothatha isikhundla azizange zitholakale kalula.”
Izindinganiso ezithatha isikhundla ezazizobuyisela ukubaluleka nenjongo ekuphileni azizange zitholakale. Azizange zifunwe. Indlela yokuphila yokuyekelela yeMinyaka Yawo-1920 Ehlokomayo yakhulula abantu emingceleni yokuziphatha, okuyilokho kanye ababekufuna. Babengakulahli ukuziphatha okuhle; babemane bekubukeza, bekuthambisa nje kancane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bakubiza ngokuthi Ukuziphatha Okusha. Ngokwalokhu wonke umuntu uzenzela lokho akubona kukuhle. Unaka izithakazelo zakhe. Wenza akuthandayo. Ulandela indlela yakhe.
Noma ucabanga kanjalo. Eqinisweni, eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezintathu edlule, iNkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yathi: “Akukho okusha phansi kwelanga.” (UmShumayeli 1:9) Ngisho nangaphambi kwalokho, phakathi nenkathi yaBahluleli, ama-Israyeli ayenenkululeko enkulu yokuthi ayezowulalela yini uMthetho kaNkulunkulu noma cha: “Ngalezozinsuku kwakungekho-nkosi kwaIsrayeli; yilowo nalowo wenza okulungile emehlweni akhe.” (AbAhluleli 21:25) Kodwa abaningi babonakala bengazimisele ukulalela uMthetho. Ngokutshala ngalendlela, u-Israyeli wavuna isivuno samakhulu eminyaka yezinhlekelele zesizwe. Ngokufanayo, izizwe namuhla ziye zavuna ubuhlungu nokuhlupheka amakhulu eminyaka—futhi okubi kakhulu kuseza.
Kukhona elinye igama elichaza Ukuziphatha Okusha ngendlela eqonde ngokwengeziwe, elithi “ukuzinqumela.” I-Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary ilichaza ngalendlela: “Umbono wokuthi amaqiniso ezindinganiso zokuziphatha ancike kubantu namaqembu awasebenzisayo.” Ngamafuphi abasekela ukuzinqumela baphikelela ngokuthi lokho okubalungele kuwukuziphatha okuhle kubo. Omunye umlobi wenaba ngokuphathelene nokuzinqumela lapho ethi: “Ukuzinqumela, okwakunesikhathi eside kufihlekile, kwaqubuka njengefilosofi evelele ‘yeshumi leminyaka lokuzazisa’ lawo-1970; kusabusa nasentsheni eyayihola imali eningi eyayizitika ngokuphila ngawo-1980. Singase siqhubeke sizisekela ngomlomo izindinganiso zokuziphatha ezingokwesiko, kodwa uma kuziwa ekuziphatheni, okulungile yinoma ikuphi okungilungele.”
Futhi lokho kuhlanganisa nemikhuba emihle—‘Uma kungilungele, ngizokwenza; uma kungangilungele, ngeke ngikwenze. Bekungeke kungilungele, ngisho noma bekukufanele wena. Bekungangehlisa, kungenze ngibonakale ngibuthaka, kungenze isehluleki.’ Ngokusobala, kubantu abanjalo lokhu akusebenzi kuphela ezenzweni zokwedelela kodwa futhi nasemikhubeni emihle elula, yansuku zonke njengokuthi ‘Ngiyacela, Ngiyaxolisa, Ngiyabonga, Wothi ngikuvulele umnyango, Hlala esihlalweni sami, Wothi ngikulekelele ngalomthwalo.’ Lamazwi namanye anjengamafutha athambile enza ubuhlobo bethu nabantu bube buhle futhi bujabulise. ‘Kodwa ukubonisa abanye imikhuba emihle,’ ozazisayo angaphikisa, ‘kungakulimaza ukuphilela kwami ukuba ophambili nokuziveza nginjalo.’
Isazi sezokuhlalisana kwabantu uJames Q. Wilson sithi ukuxabana okwandayo nokuziphatha kobugebengu kubangelwa ukuwohloka kwalokho namuhla “okubizwa ngokweyisa ngokuthi ‘izindinganiso ezivamile,’” futhi lombiko uyaqhubeka: “Ukufa kwalezizindinganiso—nokwanda kokuzinqumela ngokokuziphatha—kubonakala kuhlobana nezinga eliphakeme lobugebengu.” Ngokuqinisekile kuhlobene nokuthambekela kwesimanje kokwenqaba noma yikuphi ukulinganiselwa kokuzibonakalisa, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungase kube nemikhuba emibi noma kuphazamise kangakanani. Lokhu kunjengoba esinye isazi sokuhlalisana kwabantu, uJared Taylor, sasho: “Umphakathi wakithi kancane kancane uye wasuka ekuzithibeni waya ekuzibonakaliseni, futhi abantu abaningi balahla izindinganiso zesikhathi esidlule njengezicindezelayo.”
Ukuzinqumela kukwenza umahluleli wokuziphatha kwakho, ukushaye indiva ukwahlulela komunye umuntu, kuhlanganise nokukaNkulunkulu. Uyazinqumela ukuthi ikuphi okulungile noma okungalungile, njengoba kwenza umbhangqwana wokuqala e-Edene lapho wenqaba umthetho kaNkulunkulu futhi uzinqumela ukuthi yini eyayilungile neyayingalungile. INyoka yakhohlisa u-Eva ukuba acabange ukuthi uma engalaleli uNkulunkulu futhi adle isithelo esinqatshelwe, kwakuzoba njengoba yayishilo kuye: “Kuyakuvuleka amehlo enu, nibe-njengoNkulunkulu, nikwazi okuhle nokubi.” Ngakho u-Eva wathatha isithelo wadla wayesesinika u-Adamu, naye wasidla. (Genesise 3:5, 6) Isinqumo sika-Adamu no-Eva sokudla saba inhlekelele kubo nosizi enzalweni yabo.
Ngemva kokunikeza imininingwane ngokonakala kwabaholi bezombangazwe, osomabhizinisi, abasubathi, ososayensi, umzuzi womklomelo kaNobel, kanye nomfundisi, enye ingqapheli yezwe yathi, lapho ikhuluma phambi kwe-Harvard Business School: “Ngicabanga ukuthi ezweni lakithi namuhla sibhekene nalokho engikhetha ukukubiza ngokuthi inhlekelele yobuntu, ukulahlekelwa yilokho ngokwesiko ngempucuko yaseNtshonalanga okwakubhekwa njengaleyomingcele yangaphakathi nezimfanelo ezinhle zangaphakathi okusivimbela ekudumiseni imibono yethu engenazindinganiso.” Yakhuluma “ngamazwi angase azwakale eyinqaba lapho ekhulunywa kulezizimo ezizungezile, amazwi anjengathi ubuqhawe, udumo, umsebenzi, umthwalo wemfanelo, uzwela, ubuntu—amagama cishe angasasetshenziswa.”
Ngawo-1960 kwaqubuka ezinye izimpikiswano emagcekeni asemayunivesithi. Abaningi bathi ‘akekho uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu ufile, akunalutho, akunandinganiso ephakeme, ukuphila akunanjongo nhlobo, unganqoba ubuze bokuphila ngokuzazisa njengeqhawe kuphela.’ Ama-hippie asebenzisa lokhu njengebhaxa futhi azimisela ukunqoba ubuze bokuphila ‘ngokubhema i-coke, ukubhema insangu, ukuhlanganyela ubulili, nokufuna ukuthula komuntu siqu.’ Awazange akuthole.
Khona-ke kwaba nokubhikisha kokuvukela ngawo-1960. Njengoba kwakungezona nje izigameko ezidlulayo, kwamukelwa emasikweni avamile aseMelika futhi kwaholela eshumini leminyaka lokuZazisa lawo-1970. Ngakho sangena eshumini leminyaka uTom Wolfe, umhlaziyi wezenhlalo, alibiza ngokuthi “ishumi leminyaka lokuZazisa.” Lokho kwaholela eminyakeni yawo-1980, ngokubhinqa abanye ababeyibiza ngokuthi, “inkathi yokuchuma kokuhaha.”
Konke lokhu kuhlobene kanjani nemikhuba emihle? Kuphathelene nokuzibeka phambili, futhi uma uzibeka phambili, akulula ukudedela abanye, awunakubabeka phambili abanye, awunakuba nemikhuba emihle kwabanye. Eqinisweni, ngokuzibeka phambili, kungenzeka uhileleka ohlotsheni oluthile lokuzikhulekela. IBhayibheli limchaza kanjani umuntu owenza lokho? ‘Njengomuntu onesangabe, okhonza izithombe,’ njengobonisa ‘isangabe, okungukukhonza izithombe.’ (Efesu 5:5; Kolose 3:5) Bakhonza bani ngempela abantu abanjalo? ‘Unkulunkulu wabo isisu.’ (Filipi 3:19) Izindlela zokuphila ezihlukile ezingcolile eziye zakhethwa abantu abaningi njengezibafanele ngokokuziphatha kanye nemiphumela ewusizi, ebulalayo yalezozindlela zokuphila kumane kufakazela ubuqiniso bukaJeremiya 10:23: “Ngiyazi, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.”
IBhayibheli lakubona kusengaphambili lokhu futhi lakubikezela njengesici esiyisixwayiso ‘sezinsuku zokugcina,’ njengoba kulotshwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, ngokwe-New English Bible: “Kumelwe ubhekane neqiniso: inkathi yokugcina yalelizwe iyoba isikhathi sezinkathazo. Abantu bayothanda imali futhi bazithande; bayoqhosha, bazikhukhumeze, bahlambalaze; bangahloniphi abazali, bangabongi, bangabi nabumnene, bangabi nothando lwemvelo; bayoba nenzondo ejulile, abahlazisayo, abanamawala nolaka, abangezwani nakho konke okuhle, abakhapheli, abayingozi, abazazisayo. Bayoba abantu ababeka injabulo esikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu, abantu abalondoloza isimo sangaphandle senkolo, kodwa bewubufakazi obuqinile obuphika ubuqiniso baso. Deda kubantu abanjalo.”
Siqhele kakhulu kulokho esasidalelwe ukuba yikho—umfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Sisenazo ngaphakathi izimfanelo ezinhle zothando, ukuhlakanipha, ubulungisa, namandla kodwa ziye zangalinganiselwa futhi zasonteka. Isinyathelo sokuqala sokubuyela endleleni sembulwe emushweni wokugcina wetekisi leBhayibheli elicashunwe ngenhla: “Deda kubantu abanjalo.” Funa indawo entsha, ezoshintsha ngisho nemizwa yakho yangaphakathi. Okufundisayo ukuze ufinyelele lokhu amazwi ahlakaniphile abhalwa uDorothy Thompson eminyakeni eminingi edlule kuyi-Ladies’ Home Journal. Ingcaphuno yakhe iqala ngamazwi athi ukuze kuqedwe intsha engamahlongandlebe, kudingeka kufundiswe imizwelo yosemusha kunokuba kufundiswe ingqondo yakhe:
“Izenzo zakhe nesimo sengqondo njengomntwana ngokuyinhloko kunquma izenzo zakhe nesimo sengqondo lapho esengumuntu omdala. Kodwa lokhu akubangelwa ubuchopho bakhe, kodwa imizwa yakhe. Uba yilokho akhuthazwa futhi aqeqeshwa ukuba akuthande, akuncome, akukhulekele, akwazise, futhi azidele ngenxa yakho. . . . Kukho konke lokhu imikhuba emihle inendima ebalulekile, ngoba imikhuba emihle ifana nokubonakalisa ukucabangela abanye. . . . Imizwa yangaphakathi ibonakala ekuziphatheni kwangaphandle, kodwa ukuziphatha kwangaphandle nakho kunengxenye ekuhlakulelweni kwemizwa yangaphakathi. Kunzima ukuzizwa unolaka kuyilapho uziphatha ngokucabangela. Imikhuba emihle ingase iqale ingagxilile, kodwa akuvamile ukuba ihlale injalo.”
Waphawula nokuthi, ngaphandle kwezimo ezimbalwa, ubuhle nobubi “abulolongwa ubuchopho kodwa bulolongwa imizwelo” nokuthi “izigebengu azibi izigebengu ngenxa yokuqina kwemithambo yegazi kodwa ngenxa yobulukhuni benhliziyo.” Wagcizelela ukuthi umzwelo ulawula ukuziphatha kwethu kakhulu kunengqondo nokuthi indlela esiqeqeshwa ngayo, indlela esiziphatha ngayo, ngisho noma iphoqelelwa ekuqaleni, ithonya imizwa yangaphakathi futhi ishintshe inhliziyo.
Nokho, iBhayibheli liphuma phambili ekunikezeni indlela ephefumlelwe yokushintsha umuntu wangaphakathi wenhliziyo.
Okokuqala, abase-Efesu 4:22-24: “Nikhumule umuntu omdala ongowenkambo yokuqala, owonakala ngezinkanuko zenkohliso, nenziwe-basha emoyeni wengqondo yenu, nembathe umuntu omusha owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.”
Okwesibili, abaseKolose 3:9, 10, 12-14: ‘Nikhumule umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe, nembathe omusha, owenziwa-musha abe-nokwazi ngokomfanekiso walowo owamdalayo. Ngakho-ke njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubhekakade, nibekezelelane, nithethelelane, uma umuntu enensolo komunye; njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani. Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho sokuphelela.’
Isazi-mlando uWill Durant sathi: “Inkinga enkulu kakhulu esikhathini sethu ayibona ubukhomanisi obumelene nombono wokulwela izithakazelo zomuntu, akuyona iYurophu emelene neMelika, akuyona ngisho neMpumalanga emelene neNtshonalanga; iwukuthi abantu bangaphila yini ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu.”
Ukuze siphile ukuphila okuphumelelayo kumelwe silalele iseluleko sakhe. “Ndodana yami, ungakhohlwa umthetho wami, kepha inhliziyo yakho mayigcine imiyalo yami, ngokuba iyakwenezela kuwe ubude bezinsuku, neminyaka yokuphila, nokuthula. Isihe neqiniso makungakushiyi; kubophe entanyeni yakho, ukulobe esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho, ukuze uthole umusa nodumo oluhle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu nabantu. Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.”—IzAga 3:1-6.
Imikhuba emihle enomusa nokucabangela efundwe emakhulwini eminyaka okuphila ayiwona nakancane umthwalo ongadingekile, futhi iziqondiso zokuphila zeBhayibheli azishiyiwe isikhathi nakancane kodwa ziyosindisa isintu phakade. Ngaphandle kukaJehova, asinakuqhubeka siphila, ngoba ‘umthombo wokuphila ukuJehova.’—IHubo 36:9.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 11]
Indlela esiziphatha ngayo, ngisho noma iphoqelelwa ekuqaleni, ithonya imizwa yangaphakathi futhi ishintshe inhliziyo
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 10] Imikhuba Yokudla Emihle Engase Ilingiswe Abantu
Ama-cedar waxwing, amahle, aziphethe kahle, anobungane kakhulu, ajabulela idili ndawonye esihlahleni esikhulu esinamajikijolo avuthiwe. Njengoba emi umugqa egatsheni, adla izithelo, kodwa awazidli ngobugovu nakancane. Adluliselana ijikijolo kuze kube yilapho ekugcineni enye ilidla ngesizotha. Awalokothi akhohlwe “abantwana” bawo, eletha ukudla ngokungakhathali, amajikijolo elakanyana, kuze kube yilapho yonke imilomo engenalutho isigcwalisiwe.
[Umthombo]
H. Armstrong Roberts
[Isithombe ekhasini 8]
Abanye bathi: ‘Lahla iBhayibheli nezindinganiso zokuziphatha’
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
“UNkulunkulu ufile.”
“Ukuphila akunanjongo!”
“Bhema insangu, bhema i-‘coke’”
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 7]
Left: Life; Right: Grandville