Ukufuna Isiphetho Somuntu

KUNGANI isakazeke kangaka inkolelo yokudalelwa? Sekuyiminyaka eminingi umuntu efuna ukwambula izimfihlakalo zokuphila nokuthola injongo yezenzakalo ezithile. Isazi-mlando uHelmer Ringgren siyachaza: “Ivela lapha-ke imibono yokuthi ‘kunonkulunkulu’, ‘isiphetho’ ‘nenhlanhla’, kuye ngokuthi lezo zenzakalo zibangelwa amandla omuntu, isimo esingeyena umuntu noma ziyazenzakalela nje.” Umlando ugcwele izinkolelo, izinganekwane nezinsumansumane ezihlobene nokudalelwa.

Isazi somlando nempucuko yase-Asiriya uJean Bottéro sithi: “Kuzo zonke izici zesiko lethu, sithonywa ngokuyinhloko yisiko laseMesopotamiya,” futhi sinezela ukuthi “izenzo nemibono yesintu ngokuphathelene namandla angaphezu kwawemvelo, okuyisiko elingokwenkolo elidala kakhulu elaziwayo,” kuvela eMesopotamiya noma eBabiloni lasendulo. Imisuka yokudalelwa nayo itholakala kulezi zindawo.

Imisuka Yokudalelwa Yasendulo

Emanxiweni asendulo aseMesopotamiya, manje osekuyi-Iraq, abavubukuli baye bathola eminye yemibhalo yakudala eyaziwayo. Izinkulungwane zezibhebhe ezibhalwe nge-cuneiform zisinika umbono ocacile wokuthi kwakunjani ukuphila emiphakathini yasendulo yaseSumer nase-Akkad kanye nasemzini wodumo waseBabiloni. Ngokwesazi semivubukulo uSamuel N. Kramer, abantu baseSumer “babekhathazwa yinkinga yokuhlupheka kwabantu, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yezimbangela zako ezingaqondakali.” Ukufuna kwabo izimbangela kwabaholela embonweni wokudalelwa.

Encwadini yaso ethi Babylon, isazi semivubukulo uJoan Oates sithi “isakhamuzi ngasinye saseBabiloni sasinonkulunkulu noma unkulunkulukazi waso siqu.” AbaseBabiloni babekholelwa ukuthi onkulunkulu “baqondisa ikusasa laso sonke isintu, njengomuntu ngamunye nanjengesizwe.” NgokukaKramer, abaseSumer babekholelwa ukuthi “onkulunkulu abalawula indawo yonke babehlela futhi benze ukuthi ububi, amanga nobudlova kube yingxenye yomphakathi.” Ukukholelwa ekudalelweni kwakwandile, futhi kwakuhlonishwa.

AbaseBabiloni babecabanga ukuthi umuntu angathola ukuthi ayini amacebo onkulunkulu ngokubhula—“indlela yokukhuluma nonkulunkulu.” Ukubhula kwakuhlanganisa nokuzama ukubikezela ikusasa ngokuqaphela nangokuchaza izinto nezenzakalo. Kwakuhlolwa kakhulu amaphupho, ukuziphatha kwezilwane nezibilini zabantu. (Qhathanisa noHezekeli 21:21; Daniyeli 2:1-4.) Izenzakalo ezingalindelekile noma ezingavamile okwakuthiwa zembula ikusasa zazilotshwa ezibhebheni zobumba.

Ngokwesazi saseFrance semiphakathi yasendulo u-Édouard Dhorme, “uma sihlehlela emuva emlandweni waseMesopotamiya, sithola ukuthi kwakukhona izangoma nomkhuba wokubhula.” Ukubhula kwakuyisici esivelele sokuphila. Empeleni, uProfesa Bottéro uthi “zonke izici zazibhekwa njengezifanelwe ukuhlolwa nokuhlahlwa ngokubhula . . . Wonke umkhathi obonakalayo wawuthathwa njengobufakazi okungachazwa ngabo ikusasa ngandlela-thile ngemva kokuwuhlolisisa.” Ngakho abaseMesopotamiya babekushisekela ukufunda izinkanyezi njengendlela yokubikezela ikusasa.—Qhathanisa no-Isaya 47:13.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, abaseBabiloni babebhula ngokusebenzisa amadayisi noma ngokwenza inkatho. Encwadini yakhe ethi Randomness, uDeborah Bennett uchaza ukuthi lezi zinto “zaziyonciphisa ithonya lomuntu kanjalo zinikeze onkulunkulu umzila ovulekile wokuveza intando yabo yaphezulu.” Nokho, abantu babengazishintsha izinqumo zonkulunkulu. Usizo lokugwema ishwa lwalungatholakala ngokushweleza konkulunkulu.

Ukudalelwa EGibithe Lasendulo

Ekhulwini le-15 B.C.E., kwakunokuxhumana okukhulu phakathi kwelaseBabiloni nelaseGibithe. Imikhuba engokwenkolo ehlobene nokudalelwa yafakwa emasikweni okwashintshwana ngawo kamuva. Kungani abaseGibithe bámukela inkolelo yokudalelwa? NgokukaJohn R. Baines, uprofesa womlando namasiko aseGibithe e-University of Oxford, “izici eziningi zenkolo [yaseGibithe] zazihilela imizamo yokuqonda nokusabela ezenzakalweni ezingalindelekile namashwa.”

Phakathi konkulunkulu abaningi baseGibithe, u-Isis wayechazwa ngokuthi “inkosikazi yokuphila, umbusi wezenzakalo nekusasa.” AbaseGibithe nabo babebhula futhi befunda izinkanyezi. (Qhathanisa no-Isaya 19:3.) Isazi-mlando esithile sithi: “Ubuhlakani babo bokucela ukukhanyiselwa konkulunkulu babungenamkhawulo.” Nokho, elaseGibithe lalingewona ukuphela komphakathi owamukela imibono yaseBabiloni.

IGreece NeRoma

Uma kuziwa ezindabeni zenkolo, “iGrisi yasendulo ayizange ikwazi ukuligwema ithonya leBabiloni elalandile futhi linamandla,” kuphawula uJean Bottéro. UProfesa Peter Green uchaza ukuthi kungani inkolelo yokudalelwa yayithandwa kangaka eGrisi: “Ezweni elingaqiniseki, elalinabantu ababenqikaza ukuthwala izinqumo zabo, futhi ababezizwa bengelutho, bebuswa yilokho abaKudalelwe okungachazeki futhi okungaguquki, isinqumo saphezulu [lokho okunqunywa onkulunkulu] sasingenye indlela yokunqumela umuntu ikusasa lakhe. Uma umuntu enekhono noma ukuqonda, wayengathola ukuthi yini ayiDalelwe. Kungenzeka babengakuthandi lokho abantu; kodwa okungenani babexwayisiwe.”

Ngaphandle kokuqinisekisa abantu ngekusasa, ukukholelwa ekudalelweni kwakufeza nezinye izinjongo ezimbi. Umbono wokudalelwa wawucindezela abantu, futhi ngenxa yaleso sizathu, isazi-mlando uF. H. Sandbach sithi “inkolelo yokuthi izwe lonke lalibuswa iNhlanhla yayiyosikhanga isigaba sababusi basebukhosini.”

Ngani? UProfesa Green uchaza ukuthi le nkolelo “yayiyizaba ezisobala—ngokokuziphatha, ngokwenkolo nangokwenkulumo—zohlelo olungaguquki lwezenhlalo nezombangazwe: yayiyithuluzi elinamandla kakhulu kodwa elifihlekile lokuziphakamisa elake lasungulwa amaGreki asebukhosini. Lona kanye ithuba lokuba kwenzeke noma yini lalisho ukuthi leyo nto kwakudaliwe ukuba yenzeke; futhi njengoba imvelo yayinomusa kubantu, okudaliwe kwakuyoba kuhle nakanjani.” Eqinisweni, yaba “izaba zobugovu obunonya.”

Ukuthi ukudalelwa kwakwamukelwa kabanzi kusobala ezincwadini zamaGreki. Phakathi kwezindaba okwakubhalwa ngazo endulo kwakukhona izinkondlo ezibonga amaqhawe, izinganekwane nezigemegeme—ukudalelwa okwakunengxenye eyinhloko kuzo. Ezinganekwaneni zamaGreki, isiphetho somuntu sasimelelwa onkulunkulukazi abathathu okuthiwa amaMoirai. UClotho wayephotha umucu wokuphila, uLachesis wayenquma ukuthi umuntu uzophila isikhathi eside kangakanani, bese u-Atropos ebulala umuntu lapho isikhathi esinqunyiwe sesiphelile. AmaRoma ayenonkulunkulu abathathu abafanayo ayebabiza ngokuthi amaParca.

AmaRoma namaGreki ayekushisekela ukwazi ukuthi ikusasa lawo liyoba yini. Ngakho, amukela ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi nokubhula kwaseBabiloni futhi akuthuthukisa. AmaRoma ayebiza izenzakalo ezazisetshenziselwa ukubikezela ikusasa ngokuthi ama-portentum, noma izibonakaliso. Imiyalezo yalezi zimpawu kwakuthiwa ama-omen. Ngekhulu lesithathu B.C.E., ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi kwase kuthandwa eGrisi, futhi ngo-62 B.C.E., kwavezwa uhlelo lwamaGreki lokuqala olwaziwayo lwezinkanyezi zesibikezelo. AmaGreki ayenesithakazelo esikhulu ekufundeni izinkanyezi kangangokuba uProfesa Gilbert Murray uthi ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi “kwathonya izingqondo zamaGreki njengesifo esisha esihlasela abantu besiqhingi esisemajukujukwini.”

Ezama ukwazi ikusasa, amaGreki namaRoma asebenzisa izangoma kakhulu. Kwakuthiwa onkulunkulu basebenzisa zona ukuze bakhulume nabantu. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 16:16-19.) Waba yini umphumela walezi zinkolelo? Isazi sefilosofi uBertrand Russell sathi: “Ukwesaba kwanda, abantu baphelelwa yithemba; injongo yokuphila yayiwukubalekela ishwa kunokuba umuntu afinyelele ubuhle obakhayo.” Izindaba ezifanayo zabangela izimpikiswano kweLobukholwa.

Izimpikiswano “ZobuKristu” Ngokuphathelene Nokudalelwa

AmaKristu okuqala ayephila emphakathini owawuthonywe kakhulu imibono yamaGreki namaRoma ngokudalelwa. Ngokwesibonelo, labo okuthiwa oFata Besonto babecaphuna kakhulu izincwadi zezazi zefilosofi ezingamaGreki ezinjengo-Aristotle noPlato. Enye inkinga abazama ukuyixazulula ukuthi, UNkulunkulu ohlakaniphile, onamandla onke, ‘omemezela ngaphambili okuyakuza,’ angaba kanjani uNkulunkulu wothando? (Isaya 46:10; 1 Johane 4:8) Babecabanga ukuthi uma uNkulunkulu ayazi ukuphela kwendaba kwasekuqaleni, khona-ke ngokuqinisekile wayazi ukuthi isintu sasizowela esonweni kanye nemiphumela eyinhlekelele eyayizoba khona.

U-Origen, omunye wabalobi abavelele kumaKristu okuqala, waveza ukuthi esinye sezici ezibalulekile okufanele zikhunjulwe yinkululeko yokuzikhethela. Wabhala: “Ngempela, kunamavesi amaningi emiBhalweni akuveza ngokucacile ukuthi kukhona inkululeko yokuzikhethela.”

U-Origen wathi ukusola amandla angabonakali ngezenzo zethu “akulona iqiniso futhi akunangqondo, kodwa kungamazwi omuntu ofisa ukuchitha iqiniso lokuthi umuntu unenkululeko yokuzikhethela.” U-Origen waveza ukuthi nakuba uNkulunkulu engase akwazi ukulandelana kwezenzakalo, lokhu akusho ukuthi ubangela isenzakalo noma ukuthi leso senzakalo kufanele senzeke nakanjani. Nokho, akubona bonke abavumelana naye.

UFata owayenethonya, u-Augustine (354-430 C.E.), wenza le ndaba yaxaka ngisho nakakhulu ngokuphika ukuthi inkululeko yokuzikhethela inendima ezintweni ezenzekayo. U-Augustine wabeka isisekelo senkolelo yokudalelwa kweLobukholwa. Izincwadi zakhe, ikakhulukazi ethi De libero arbitrio, zaziwundabamlonyeni eNkathini Ephakathi. Ekugcineni le mpikiswano yafinyelela umvuthwandaba eNkathini Yenguquko, futhi eLobukholwa lahlukana phakathi endabeni yokudalelwa.a

Inkolelo Esakazekile

Nokho, imibono ephathelene nokudalelwa ayigcini nje emazweni aseNtshonalanga. Okwembula ukuthi amaSulumane ayakholelwa ekudalelweni yinkulumo yamaningi awo ethi “mektoub”—okusho ukuthi kumiselwe—lapho ebhekene nenhlekelele. Nakuba kuyiqiniso ukuthi izinkolo eziningi zaseMpumalanga zigcizelela ukuthi umuntu unendima ayifezayo ngekusasa lakhe, kunezici zokudalelwa ezimfundisweni zazo.

Ngokwesibonelo, enkolweni yamaHindu namaBuddha i-Karma iyisiphetho esingenakugwenywa esibangelwa yizenzo zomuntu ekuphileni okwandulele. EChina imibhalo yokuqala eyatholwa yayigcinwe emagobolondweni ezimfudu ayesetshenziselwa ukubhula. Futhi ukudalelwa kwakuyingxenye yezinkolelo zabantu bomdabu basemazweni aseMelika. Ngokwesibonelo, ama-Aztec aklama amakhalenda okubhula ayesetshenziselwa ukubonisa ikusasa labantu. Izinkolelo zokudalelwa zikhona futhi nase-Afrika.

Ukwamukelwa kabanzi kwenkolelo yokudalelwa eqinisweni kubonisa ukuthi umuntu unesidingo esiyisisekelo sokukholelwa emandleni aphakeme. Encwadini yakhe ethi Man’s Religions, uJohn B. Noss uyavuma: “Ngandlela-thile, zonke izinkolo ziveza ukuthi umuntu akaphili, futhi akanakuphila ngaphandle kosizo. Uncike ngokuphelele emandleni angabonakali aseMvelweni naseMphakathini. Ngandlela-thile, uyazi ukuthi akawona amandla akwazi ukuziphilela ngaphandle kwezwe.”

Ngaphandle kwesidingo sokukholelwa kuNkulunkulu, sinesidingo futhi sokuqonda ukuthi kwenzekani ekuphileni kwethu. Nokho, kunomehluko phakathi kokuqaphela ukuthi kunoMdali onamandla onke nokukholelwa ukuthi unquma ikusasa lethu ngokungaguquki. Iyiphi ngempela indima esiyifezayo thina ekunqumeni ikusasa lethu? UNkulunkulu ufeza yiphi indima?

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Ikhalenda lokufunda izinkanyezi laseBabiloni, lango-1000 B.C.E.

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Musée du Louvre, Paris

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AmaGreki namaRoma ayekholelwa ekutheni ikusasa lomuntu linqunywa onkulunkulukazi abathathu

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Musée du Louvre, Paris

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U-Isis waseGibithe, “umbusi wezenzakalo nekusasa”

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Musée du Louvre, Paris

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Imibhalo yasendulo yamaShayina esema-gobolondweni ezimfudu yayisetshenziselwa ukubhula

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Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taipei

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Izimpawu zomumo wezinkanyezi ziyabonakala kuleli bhokisi lasePheresiya

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Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum