Inkululeko Engokwenkolo—Isibusiso Noma Isiqalekiso? — Watchtower UMTAPO OKUYI-INTHANETHI

Inkululeko Engokwenkolo—Isibusiso Noma Isiqalekiso?

Ukuqala komcabango wenkululeko engokwenkolo kwakuhambisana nezinhlungu ezinkulu kweLobukholwa. Kwakuwukulwisana nobushiqela, ukubandlululwa nokucwaswa. Kwafa izinkulungwane ezingenakubalwa zabantu ezingxabanweni ezingokwenkolo ezichitha igazi. Lo mlando obuhlungu kangaka usifundisani?

“SELOKHU kwathi nhló, amaKristu ayashushiswa,” kubhala uRobin Lane Fox encwadini ethi Pagans and Christians. AmaKristu akuqala ayebizwa ngokuthi ihlelo futhi ayemangalelwa ngokuthi aphazamisa ukuthula komphakathi. (IzEnzo 16:20, 21; 24:5, 14; 28:22) Ngenxa yalokho, abanye babekezelela ukuhlushwa futhi babulawa izilwane zasendle ezinkundleni zaseRoma. Bebhekene nokushushiswa okunzima kanjalo, abanye, njengesazi semfundiso yenkolo uTertullian (bheka isithombe ekhasini 8), banxusa ukuba kube nenkululeko engokwenkolo. Ngo-212 C.E., wabhala: “Kuyilungelo lomuntu eliyinhloko, ilungelo azalwa nalo, ukuthi kufanele akhulekele ngokuvumelana nezinkolelo zakhe.”

Ngo-313 C.E., ukushushiswa kwamaKristu ngamaRoma kwaphela ngaphansi kokubusa kukaConstantine, ngokukhishwa kweSimemezelo SaseMilan, esanikeza inkululeko engokwenkolo kumaKristu nakumaqaba ngokufanayo. Ukuba semthethweni ‘kobuKristu’ eMbusweni WamaRoma kwabangela ukujika kwesondo. Nokho, cishe ngo-340 C.E., umbhali oyingcweti owayethi ungumKristu waqala ukushushisa amaqaba. Ekugcineni, ngo-392 C.E., ngeSimemezelo SikaConstantinople, uMbusi uTheodosius I waqeda ubuqaba embusweni futhi inkululeko engokwenkolo yaphela kungakabiphi. Njengoba “ubuKristu” bamaRoma babuyinkolo yoMbuso, iSonto noMbuso kwagxila emkhankasweni wokushushisa owathatha amakhulu eminyaka, wafinyelela umvuthwandaba eZimpini Zenkolo ezachitha igazi ngekhulu le-11 kuya kwele-13 leminyaka futhi kwafinyelela naseziNkantolo Zamacala Ezihlubuki ezinonya, ezaqala ngekhulu le-12 leminyaka. Labo ababelokotha bangabaze ukusungulwa kobu-orthodox negunya lokubusa ngobushiqela, kwakuthiwa bayizihlubuki futhi bafakwe emshungwini wokuhlukunyezwa wangaleso sikhathi. Yini eyayishoshozela leso sinyathelo?

Ukucwaswa okungokwenkolo kwakuthiwa kulungile ngenxa yokuthi ubunye benkolo babakha isisekelo esiqine kakhulu soMbuso nokuthi ukuhlukana kwezinkolo kwakuphazamisa ukuthula komphakathi. ENgilandi, ngo-1602, enye yezinceku zeNdlovukazi u-Elizabeth yaphikisa yathi: “UMbuso awusoze wavikeleka uma uvumela izinkolo ezimbili.” Empeleni, kwakulula ukuvimbela labo ababengavumelani nenkolo kunokuthola ukuthi bawusongo ngempela yini eMbusweni noma enkolweni eqashelwayo. I-Catholic Encyclopedia iyaphawula: “Emagunyeni ezwe noma esonto abekho ababezihlupha ngokuthola ngisho umehluko omncane phakathi kwezihlubuki eziyingozi nezingenangozi.” Nokho, kwakuzoshintsha ngokushesha.

Ukuqala Okubuhlungu Kokubekezelelana

Okwabangela ushintsho eYurophu kwakuyisiyaluyalu esabangelwa ubuProthestani, ihlelo elingazange liphele. Ngokushesha okumangalisayo, iNguquko yamaProthestani yahlukanisa iYurophu ngokwezinkolo, iqokomisa umbono wenkululeko kanembeza. Ngokwesibonelo, uMholi weNguquko odumile uMartin Luther, washintsha umbono wakhe ngo-1521, ethi: “Unembeza wami ulawulwa yiZwi likaNkulunkulu.” Ukuhlukana kwabangela ukuqala kweMpi Yeminyaka Engamashumi Amathathu (1618-48), uchungechunge lwezimpi zenkolo zonya olwahlasela iYurophu.

Nokho, phakathi nempi abaningi baqaphela ukuthi izingxabano azibayisi ndawo. Ngaleyo ndlela, uchungechunge lwezimemezelo, njengeSimemezelo SaseNantes eFrance (1598), lwenza imizamo eyaphelela emoyeni yokusungula ukuthula eYurophu eyayicekelwe phansi yimpi. Umbono wokubekezelelana wakhula kancane kancane ngenxa yalezi zimemezelo. Ekuqaleni, elithi “ukubekezelelana” lalinencazelo engaqondile. “Uma ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile kwakudingeka sibekezelele amahlelo . . . , ngokungangabazeki, kwakuzoba ububi—ububi obukhulu ngempela—kodwa hhayi obubi njengempi,” kubhala u-Erasmus, isazi esidumile sezifundo eziphathelene nabantu, ngo-1530. Ngenxa yalo mbono ongaqondile, abanye, njengoPaul de Foix waseFrance ngo-1561, babekhetha ukukhuluma ‘ngenkululelo engokwenkolo’ kunokuba bakhulume ‘ngokubekezelelana.’

Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ukubekezelelana akubange kusabhekwa ngisho nanjengobubi obuncane kunalobu obunye obubili, kodwa njengomvikeli wenkululeko. Kwakungasabhekwa njengokwehlulwa ubuthakathaka kodwa njengesiqinisekiso. Lapho ukuhlukahluka kwezinkolelo nelungelo lokucabanga ngendlela ehlukile sekuqala ukwaziswa njengesisekelo somphakathi wanamuhla, ukushiseka ngokweqile kwaphoqeleleka ukuba kuphele.

Ekupheleni kwekhulu le-18 leminyaka, ukubekezelelana kwaqala ukuhlanganiswa nenkululeko nokulingana. Lokhu kwabonakaliswa ngemithetho nangezimemezelo, njenge-Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), eFrance, noma i-Bill of Rights (1791) e-United States. Njengoba lezi zincwadi zaziqala ukuthonya abantu abangenalo ubandlululo kusukela ngekhulu le-19 leminyaka kuqhubeke, ukubekezelelana kanjalo nenkululeko kwakungasabhekwa njengesiqalekiso kodwa njengesibusiso.

Inkululeko Elinganiselwe

Nakuba inkululeko iyigugu, ilinganiselwe. Ngenxa yenkululeko eyengeziwe yabo bonke, uMbuso ukhipha imithetho elinganisela inkululeko yabanye abantu. Lokho okulandelayo ezinye izimpikiswano eziphathelene nenkululeko okusaphikiswana ngazo emazweni amaningi aseYurophu: Imithetho kahulumeni kufanele igamanxe kangakanani ekuphileni komuntu siqu? Iphumelela kangakanani? Iyithinta kanjani inkululeko?

Abezindaba baye baqokomisa impikiswano ngenkululeko yomphakathi neyomuntu siqu. Amanye amaqembu ezinkolo aye amangalelwa ngokuthi alawula ukucabanga kwabantu, aphange imali, axhaphaze izingane, enze nobunye ubugebengu obukhulu, ngokuvamile amangalelwa ngaphandle kobufakazi obuphathekayo. Izindaba ezintsha ezihilela amaqembu amancane enkolo ziye zasakazwa kabanzi abezindaba. Amagama ajivazayo anjengokuthi “ihlelo” manje asesetshenziswa nsuku zonke. Becindezelwa umbono womphakathi, ohulumeni baye baze benza ngisho uhlu lwalokho okubizwa ngokuthi amahlelo ayingozi.

IFrance izwe elizigqajayo ngesiko lalo lokubekezela nokuhlukanisa inkolo noMbuso. Ngokuzigqaja lizibiza ngokuthi liyizwe “leNkululeko, Ukulingana Nobuzalwane.” Nokho, ngokwencwadi ethi Freedom of Religion and Belief—A World Report, kulelo lizwe sekutuswe ukuba kube “nomkhankaso wokufundisa ukwenqatshwa kwamaqembu ezenkolo amasha ezikoleni.” Nokho, abantu abaningi bacabanga ukuthi uhlobo olunje lwesenzo lusongela inkululeko engokwenkolo. Kanjani?

Izinsongo Enkululekweni Engokwenkolo

Inkululeko yangempela engokwenkolo iba khona kuphela uma uMbuso uwaphatha ngendlela efanayo wonke amaqembu enkolo ahlonipha futhi alalele umthetho. Ayibi khona uma uMbuso uvele nje uzikhethela ukuthi iliphi iqembu phakathi kwamaqembu ezenkolo elingeyona inkolo, bese ulincisha izinzuzo ezithile uMbuso ozinikeza ezinye izinkolo. “Umbono osemqoka wenkululeko engokwenkolo awusizi ngalutho uma umbuso uzithathela ilungelo lokugunyaza inkolo sengathi unikeza abashayeli izincwadi zokushayela,” kuphawula umagazini i-Time ngo-1997. Enye inkantolo yokudlulisa amacala eFrance muva nje imemezele ukuthi ukwenza kanjalo “kuholela ekubuseni kobushiqela, ngamabomu noma ngephutha.”

Izinhlobo zenkululeko ezivelele ziyasongelwa uma iqembu elilodwa lingundlovu kayiphikiswa kwezezindaba. Ngeshwa, lokhu kuya kuba njalo emazweni amaningi. Ngokwesibonelo, zizama ukuchaza lokho okulungile ngokwenkolo, izinhlangano ezimelene namahlelo ziye zazimisa ngokwazo ukuba zibe abashushisi, amajaji nabalekeleli bamajaji futhi zabe sezizama ukuphoqelela umbono wazo ophambene emphakathini zisebenzisa abezezindaba. Nokho, njengoba iphephandaba laseFrance i-Monde lasho, ngokwenza kanjalo, lezi zinhlangano ngezinye izikhathi zizibonisa “ziyiwo kanye la mahlelo ezithi zilwa nawo futhi zizifaka engozini ‘yokuhlaselwa.’” Leli phephandaba labuza: “Ingabe ukuhlukanisa amaqembu enkolo amancane . . . akuzisongeli izinhlobo zenkululeko ezibalulekile?” UMartin Kriele, owacashunwa kuyi-Zeitschrift für Religionspsychologie (Umagazini Wezengqondo Nenkolo), wathi: “Ukuhlaselwa kwamahlelo kubangela ukukhathazeka kakhulu kunenqwaba yalokho ‘okubizwa ngokuthi amahlelo namaqembu ahlanyayo.’ Kalula nje: Izakhamuzi ezingaweqi umthetho kufanele zingakhathazwa. Inkolo nezinkolelo ezithile kufanele kukhululwe futhi kuhlale kukhululekile, kanjalo naseJalimane.” Ake sicabangele isibonelo esisodwa.

“Izakhamuzi Eziyisibonelo” Kuthiwa Ziyingozi

Iliphi iqembu lenkolo okwathiwa “liyingozi kunawo wonke amahlelo” ngokombono wabaphathi bamaKatolika abacashunwa ephephandabeni elidumile laseSpain i-ABC? Uzomangala ukuzwa ukuthi i-ABC yayikhuluma ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Ingabe izinto abamangalelwa ngazo zazinesisekelo esingakhethi nesingabandlululi? Phawula izimemezelo ezilandelayo ezivela kweminye imithombo:

“OFakazi bafundisa abantu ukuba bakhokhe intela ngokwethembeka, ukuba bangahlanganyeli ezimpini noma ekulungiseleleni impi, bangantshontshi futhi baphile ngendlela obekungathi uma abanye bephila ngayo ithuthukise amazinga okuhlalisana kahle kwabantu.”—USergio Albesano, kuyi-Talento, ka-November-December 1996.

“Ngokuphambene nokusikisela okuye kusakazwe ngezikhathi ezithile, [oFakazi BakaJehova] kimina ababonakali beyingozi ngisho nencane ezinhlanganweni zoMbuso. Bayizakhamuzi ezithanda ukuthula, ezinonembeza nezihlonipha amagunya.”—Iphini likamongameli waseBelgium.

“Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bangabantu abathembeke kakhulu eFederal Republic.”—Iphephandaba laseJalimane i-Sindelfinger Zeitung.

“[OFakazi BakaJehova] ungababheka njengezakhamuzi eziyisibonelo. Bakhokha izintela ngenkuthalo, banakekele abagulayo, balwe nokungafundi.”—Iphephandaba lase-United States i-San Francisco Examiner.

“OFakazi BakaJehova bayaphumelela kakhulu kunamalungu ezinye izinkolo ekulondolozeni izibopho zomshado eziqinile.”—American Ethnologist.

“OFakazi BakaJehova baphakathi kwezakhamuzi ezithembekile nezikhuthele kakhulu emazweni ase-Afrika.”—UDkt. Bryan Wilson, wase-Oxford University.

“Amalungu aleyo nkolo aye abamba iqhaza elikhulu emashumini eminyaka ekwandiseni inkululeko kanembeza.”—UNat Hentoff, kwethi Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee.

“Baye . . . babamba iqhaza ngempela ekulondolozweni kwezinye izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu ekubuseni ngentando yeningi.”—UProfesa C. S. Braden, kwethi These Also Believe.

Njengoba lezi zingcaphuno ezingenhla zibonisa, oFakazi BakaJehova baqashelwa umhlaba wonke njengezakhamuzi eziyisibonelo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, baziwa ngomsebenzi wabo wokufundisa ngeBhayibheli mahhala nokuthuthukisa ukuziphatha komkhaya. Amakilasi abo okufundisa ukufunda aye asiza amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu, kuyilapho imisebenzi yabo yokuthuthukisa inhlalakahle phakathi namashumi eminyaka iye yasiza izinkulungwane zabantu, ikakhulukazi e-Afrika.

Ukubaluleka Kokungakhethi

Umphakathi ugcwele abantu abangenazimiso abasizakala ngezisulu ezingenacala. Ngenxa yalokho, kunesidingo ngempela sokuqapha ezintweni ezishiwo ngenkolo. Kodwa kungokungakhethi kangakanani futhi kunaliphi igalelo enkululekweni engokwenkolo uma izintatheli, esikhundleni sokuxoxa nabaziyo abangakhethi, zithembele ekwazisweni ezikuthola emasontweni abona inani labantu bawo lincipha noma ezinhlanganweni ezimelene namahlelo, ezizinjongo zazo ziyangabazeka? Ngokwesibonelo, iphephandaba elabiza oFakazi BakaJehova ngokuthi “ihlelo eliyingozi kunawo wonke” lavuma ukuthi izincazelo zalo zazivela ‘kubefundisi beSonto [lamaKatolika].’ Ngaphezu kwalokho, omunye umagazini waseFrance waphawula ukuthi iningi lezihloko ezazikhuluma ngalokho okuthiwa amahlelo, lalivela ezinhlanganweni ezimelene namahlelo. Ingabe kuwe lokhu kuzwakala kuyiyona ndlela efanele yokuthola ukwaziswa okungakhethi?

Izinkantolo nezinhlangano zomhlaba wonke ezibhekela amalungelo abantu ayinhloko, njenge-UN, zithi “umehluko phakathi kwenkolo nehlelo uyinto eqanjiwe okungafanele yamukelwe.” Pho, kungani abanye bephikelela ekusebenziseni igama lokweyisa elithi “ihlelo”? Kuwubufakazi obengeziwe bokuthi inkululeko engokwenkolo iyasongelwa. Pho, ingavikelwa kanjani-ke le nkululeko ebalulekile?

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 8]

Abalweli Benkululeko Engokwenkolo

Ukunxusa okunamandla kokufuna inkululeko engokwenkolo kwavela ngezingxabano zenkolo ezachitha igazi eYurophu ngekhulu le-16 leminyaka. Lokhu kunxusa kusafanele kuxoxwe ngakho ezingxoxweni zenkululeko yenkolo.

USébastien Chateillon (1515-63): “Yini isihlubuki? Angiyitholi enye incazelo ngaphandle kokuthi sithi izihlubuki yibo bonke abangavumelani nombono wethu. . . . Uma kuleli dolobha noma kulesi sifunda ubhekwa njengekholwa leqiniso, kwelinye uzobhekwa njengesihlubuki.” Umhumushi weBhayibheli lesiFulentshi odumile nomlweli wamalungelo onamandla, uChateillon, wathinta esinye sezici eziyinhloko kuyinkulumo-mpikiswano eyayimayelana nenkululeko engokwenkolo: Ubani onqumayo ukuthi ubani oyisihlubuki?

UDirck Volckertszoon Coornhert (1522-90): “Sifunda ukuthi esikhathini esidlule . . . ngisho noKristu imbala eJerusalema, bese kulandela abafel’ ukholo abaningi eYurophu . . . baphazamisa [umphakathi] ngamazwi abo eqiniso. . . . Incazelo yegama elithi ‘baphazamisa’ idinga ukuchazwa ngokunembile nangokucacile.” UCoornhert waphikisa ngokuthi ukuhluka okungokwenkolo akufanele kufaniswe nokuphazamisa ukuthula komphakathi. Wabuza: Ingabe labo abawulalela futhi bawuhloniphe ngokucophelela umthetho ngempela bawusongo ekuthuleni komphakathi?

UPierre de Belloy (1540-1611): “Kubonisa ukungabi nalwazi ukukholelwa ukuthi ukuhlukana kwezinkolo kuletha futhi kubhebhezele isiyaluyalu eMbusweni.” UBelloy, ummeli waseFrance, ebhala ngesikhathi seziMpi Zenkolo (1562-98), waphikisa ngokuthi ukuvumelana koMbuso akuncikile ebunyeni benkolo ngaphandle-ke uma uhulumeni evuna ukucindezelwa kwenkolo.

UThomas Helwys (c. 1550–c. 1616): “Uma abantu bayo [inkosi] belalela futhi bethobela ngokwethembeka yonke imithetho, akukho lutho okufanele ibuye ilufune kubo.” UHelwys, omunye wabasunguli be-English Baptists, wabhala ngokuhlukaniswa kweSonto noMbuso, enxusa inkosi ukuba inike wonke amasonto namahlelo inkululeko engokwenkolo futhi yaneliswe ngamandla ombuso enawo kubantu nasezintweni. Umbhalo wakhe wagcizelela umbuzo esizibuza wona: UMbuso kufanele ulilawule ngezinga elingakanani ingokomoya labantu?

Umbhali ongaziwa (1564): “Ukuze kube khona inkululeko kanembeza, akwanele nje ukuvumela umuntu ukuba angazenzi izinto zenkolo angavumelani nayo uma, ngesizathu esifanayo, kwenqatshelwa ukuba enze izinto zenkolo avumelana nayo.”

[Izithombe]

UTertullian

UChateillon

UDe Belloy

[Umthombo]