Indlela Inkolo Eyasinda Ngayo
NGESIKHATHI iJalimane yobuNazi ihlasela iRussia ngo-June 1941, abaseSoviet base beliqothule ngokuphelele iSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia. Kodwa ngemva kokuhlasela kwamaNazi, abaseSoviet baqala ukushintsha isimo sabo sengqondo ngenkolo. Kwakubangelwa yini lokhu?
Encwadini yakhe ethi Russia’s War—Blood Upon the Snow, uRichard Overy, uprofesa womlando wanamuhla eKing’s College, eLondon, wachaza: “UMbhishobhi omkhulu uSergei [uSergius], umholi weSonto, wanxusa amalungu ebandla ngalo kanye usuku amaJalimane ahlasela ngalo ukuba enze konke okusemandleni ukuze anqobe. Wanyathelisa izincwadi ezingaphezu kwamashumi amabili nantathu eminyakeni emibili eyalandela, enxusa umhlambi wakhe ukuba ulwele izwe elingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu owawuphila kulo.” Ngakho, njengoba u-Overy eqhubeka, ‘uStalin wavumela inkolo ukuba iphinde ichume.’
Ngo-1943, uStalin wagcina evumile ukuqaphela iSonto Lobu-Orthodox ngokomthetho ngokumisa uSergius njengomphathi walo omusha. U-Overy waphawula: “Abaphathi beSonto basabela ngokuqongelela imali emalungwini esonto ukuze baxhase ibutho elihlomile laseSoviet. Abapristi nababhishobhi bakhuthaza amabandla abo ukuba agcine ukholo, kuNkulunkulu nakuStalin.”
Sichaza le nkathi yomlando weRussia, isazi senkolo saseRussia uSergei Ivanenko sabhala: ‘Incwadi engokomthetho yeSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia, i-Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, yadumisa uStalin njengomholi omkhulu nomfundisi emlandweni nasezizweni, othunyelwe nguNkulunkulu ukuba asindise isizwe engcindezelweni, kubanikazi bezwe nakubantu abashisekela ukuzimela ngaphandle kukahulumeni. Yanxusa amakholwa ukuba adele igazi lawo ukuze avikele i-USSR ezitheni zayo futhi azidele ukuze athuthukise ubuKhomanisi.’
“Babeyigugu Kuyi-KGB”
Ngisho nangemva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II ngo-1945, iSonto Lobu-Orthodox lahlala liwusizo kumaKhomanisi. Incwadi ethi The Soviet Union: The Fifty Years, eyahlelwa nguHarrison Salisbury, yembula ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani: “Lapho kuphela impi, abaholi besonto bazivumelanisa nokwakufunwa yiMpi Yomshoshaphansi yesimiso sikaStalin sokusebenzelana namazwe angaphandle.”
Incwadi yamuva nje ethi The Sword and the Shield ichaza indlela abaholi besonto abakhonza ngayo izithakazelo zabaseSoviet. Ichaza ukuthi uMphathi u-Alexis I, owayelandele uSergius njengomphathi ngo-1945, “wajoyina uMkhandlu Wokuthula Komhlaba, inhlangano yamaSoviet eyasungulwa ngo-1949.” Le ncwadi iphawula nokuthi yena kanye noMbhishobhi omkhulu uNikolai “babeyigugu kuyi-KGB [iKomiti Yezokulondeka KaHulumeni WaseSoviet] njengamanxusa anethonya.”
Ngokuphawulekayo, ngo-1955, uMphathi u-Alexis I wamemezela: “ISonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia lisekela isimiso sikahulumeni wethu esinokuthula ngokuphelele sokusebenzelana namanye amazwe, hhayi ngenxa yokuthi iSonto alinayo inkululeko, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi isimiso seSoviet sinobulungisa futhi sivumelana nemibono yobuKristu iSonto elishumayela ngayo.”
Ohlelweni luka-January 22, 2000 lwe-Guardian yaseLondon, eNgilandi, umpristi wama-Orthodox oyimbuka uGeorgi Edelshtein ucashunwa ethi: “Bonke laba babhishobhi bakhethwa ngokucophelela ukuze babambisane nohulumeni waseSoviet. Bonke babengamanxusa e-KGB. Kwaziwa kahle ukuthi uMphathi u-Alexy wayebuthelwe kuyi-KGB, esebenzisa isifekethiso esithi Drozdov. Namuhla, basagcine isimo sezombangazwe ababenaso eminyakeni engu-20 noma engu-30 edlule.”
Ithuluzi Likahulumeni WaseSoviet
Ukhuluma ngobuhlobo phakathi kweSonto Lobu-Orthodox nabaseSoviet, umagazini i-Life ka-September 14, 1959, waphawula: “UStalin wathambisa isandla enkolweni, futhi isonto lamphatha njengenkosi. Ukubambisana kobu-Orthodox nohulumeni kuqinisekiswa umkhandlu okhethekile kahulumeni futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi amaKhomanisi aye asebenzisa isonto njengethuluzi likahulumeni waseSoviet.”
UMatthew Spinka, oyingcweti ezindabeni zamasonto eRussia, waqinisekisa ukuba khona kobuhlobo obuseduze phakathi kweSonto noHulumeni encwadini yakhe yango-1956 ethi The Church in Soviet Russia. Wabhala: “UMphathi wamanje u-Alexei ngamabomu uye wenza iSonto lakhe laba yithuluzi likahulumeni.” Yebo, eqinisweni iSonto Lobu-Orthodox lasinda ngokuba yithuluzi likaHulumeni. Kodwa ungase ubuze: ‘Kodwa ingabe lokho kubi kangako?’ Cabangela indlela uNkulunkulu noKristu abayibheka ngayo le ndaba.
Ekhuluma ngabafundi bakhe beqiniso, uJesu Kristu wathi: “Aniyona ingxenye yezwe, kodwa nginikhethile kulelizwe.” Futhi iZwi likaNkulunkulu libuza ngokuqondile: “Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ubungane nezwe buwubutha noNkulunkulu?” (Johane 15:19; Jakobe 4:4) Ngakho, njengoba iBhayibheli likubeka, isonto lazenza isifebe esingokwenkolo “amakhosi omhlaba enza naso ubufebe.” Liye laziveza liyingxenye yalokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi “iBabiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowezinengiso zomhlaba.”—IsAmbulo 17:1-6.
Indlela OFakazi Abasinda Ngayo
Ngokuphambene, uJesu Kristu wembula indlela abalandeli bakhe beqiniso ababeyokwaziwa ngayo, ethi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:35) Lolu thando lwaluyisici esiyinhloko ekusindeni koFakazi ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union, njengoba kuboniswa umbiko olandelayo kuyi-Sword and the Shield. “Abalandeli bakaJehova banikeza zonke izinhlobo zosizo kwabakholwa kanye nabo abasemakamu [okugqilazwa] noma abadingisiwe, bebanikeza imali, ukudla nokokugqoka.”
Phakathi kwalokho “kudla” okwalungiselelwa iziboshwa zasemakamu kwakukhona nokudla okungokomoya—amaBhayibheli nezincwadi zeBhayibheli. IBhayibheli liqukethe ‘amazwi kaNkulunkulu,’ uJesu athi siyawadinga ukuze silondoloze ukuphila kwethu okungokomoya. (Mathewu 4:4) Lezi zincwadi zangeniswa emakamu ngokuzidela okukhulu, ngoba noma ubani owayetholwa enza lokhu wayejeziswa kanzima.
UHelene Celmina waseLatvia, wayeboshwe ekamu lokujeziswa lasePotma eRussia kusukela ngo-1962 kuya ku-1966. Wabhala incwadi ethi Women in Soviet Prisons, achaza wathi kuyo: “OFakazi BakaJehova abaningi bathola isigwebo sokusebenza kanzima iminyaka eyishumi ngenxa yokuba namakhophi ambalwa e-Nqabayokulinda ezindlini zabo. Njengoba abantu beboshwa uma bephethe lezi zincwadi, kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abaphathi babekhathazekile futhi bethukuthele ngokuba khona kwalezi zincwadi ekamu.”
Ngokuqinisekile, ukudela inkululeko nokuphepha ukuze unikeze usizo olungokomoya kwakuwubufakazi bothando lobuKristu! Kodwa nakuba lokhu kwakuyisici esibalulekile ekusindeni koFakazi, kwakukhona esinye isici esasibaluleke ngisho nakakhulu. UHelene Celmina waphawula: “Akekho owayeqonda ukuthi kule ndawo enezingcingo ezihlabayo nalapho abantu bengavunyelwe khona ukuba nobudlelwane zazingena kanjani lezi zincwadi ezenqatshelwe.” Kwakubonakala kungenakwenzeka, ngoba wonke umuntu owayengena ejele wayeseshwa ngokucophelela. Lo mlobi wabhala: “Kubonakala sengathi kwakufika izingelosi ebusuku zizishiye.”
Yebo, uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuthi wayengeke abashiye noma abalahle abantu bakhe. Ngakho oFakazi BakaJehova ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union bayavuma, njengoba kwavuma umhubi waseBhayibhelini, ukuthi: “Bheka, uNkulunkulu ungumsizi wami.” (IHubo 54:4; Joshuwa 1:5) Ngempela, usizo lwakhe lwalubalulekile ekusindeni koFakazi ezweni elaliyiSoviet Union.
Indlela Izimo Ezashintsha Ngayo
Ngo-March 27, 1991, oFakazi BakaJehova baba yinhlangano eqashelwa ngokomthetho eSoviet Union lapho kusayinwa umthetho-sisekelo ohlanganisa lesi simemezelo esilandelayo: “Injongo yale Nhlangano Yenkolo iwukuqhuba umsebenzi ongokwenkolo wokwazisa ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu namalungiselelo akhe othando azowenzela isintu ngoMbuso wakhe wasezulwini ophethwe nguJesu Kristu.”
Phakathi kwezindlela ezishiwo kulo mthetho-sisekelo zokwenza lo msebenzi ongokwenkolo kubalwa ukushumayela obala nokuhambela imizi yabantu, ukufundisa abantu abazimisele ukulalela amaqiniso eBhayibheli, ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zamahhala ngosizo lwezincwadi zokutadisha iBhayibheli nokusakaza iBhayibheli.
Kusukela kwasayinwa lowo mbhalo eminyakeni engaphezu kweshumi edlule, iSoviet Union iye yahlakazeka, futhi isimo senkolo siye sashintsha kakhulu emazweni angu-15 ayengama-republic aseSoviet. Kuthiwani ngekusasa lenkolo kulelo zwe nakuwo wonke umhlaba?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 11]
Ukubambisana KweSonto NabaseSoviet
Encwadini yakhe yango-1945, ethi Russia Is No Riddle, u-Edmund Stevens wabhala: “ISonto laqikelela ukuthi lingasilumi isandla elalifunzwa yiso. Laqaphela ngokuphelele ukuthi ngenxa yomusa elaliwubonisiwe, uHulumeni wawulindele ukuba iSonto lisisekele ngokuqinile isimiso sikahulumeni futhi lisebenze ngaphakathi kwemingcele ethile.”
UStevens waqhubeka echaza: “Isiko lokuba yinkolo kaHulumeni elase linamakhulu eminyaka, laligxile kakhulu eSontweni Lobu-Orthodox, ngakho kwaba lula ukuba lingene endimeni yalo entsha yokubambisana eduze noHulumeni waseSoviet.”
I-Keston Institute yaphenyisisa ukubambisana kwangesikhathi esidlule phakathi kwabaseSoviet no-Alexis II, umphathi wanamuhla weSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia. Umbiko wayo waphetha ngokuthi: “Ukubambisana no-Aleksi kwakungesona isimanga—cishe bonke abaholi bezinkolo ezazaziwa ngokomthetho—kuhlanganise amaKatolika, amaBaptist, amaSabatha, amaSulumane namaBuddha—babengamanxusa asebenzela i-KGB. Yebo, umbiko waminyaka yonke ochaza ukubuthwa kuka-Aleksi uhlanganisa namanye amanxusa amaningi, amanye awo aseSontweni LamaLuthela Lase-Estonia.”
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Ukufinyelela Abasemakamu
UViktors Kalnins, intatheli yaseLatvia, wachitha ingxenye enkulu yesigwebo sakhe seminyaka eyishumi (1962-72) ekamu laseMordovia, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-400 eningizimu-mpumalanga yeMoscow. Lapho exoxa nomlobeli we-Phaphama! ngo-March 1979, uKalnins wabuzwa: “Ingabe oFakazi abavalelwe bayazi ukuthi kwenzekani lapha kwelase-United States noma kwamanye amazwe ngokuphathelene nale nhlangano?”
UKalnins waphendula: “Yebo bayazi, ngenxa yezincwadi abazitholayo. . . . Baze bangibonisa ngisho nomagazini babo. Ngangingazi ukuthi zifihlwa kuphi lezi zincwadi; kwakushintshashintsha njalo. Kodwa bonke babazi ukuthi izincwadi zikhona ekamu. . . . Onogada noFakazi BakaJehova babenjengekati negundane, abanye bezama ukufihla izincwadi kuyilapho abanye bezama ukuzithola!”
Lapho ephendula umbuzo othi “Ingabe oFakazi BakaJehova bazama ukukutshela ngezinkolelo zabo?” uKalnins waphendula: “Akubuzwa! Bayaziwa. Siyazi nge-Armagedoni . . . Babevame ukukhuluma ngokuphela kokugula.”
[Isithombe]
OFakazi ababesemakamu aseMordovia bahlanganyela nabanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli ngesibindi
[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]
AbakwaVovchuk badingiselwa e-Irkutsk, eSiberia, ngo-1951 futhi basaqhubeka bengamaKristu athembekile nanamuhla
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ngenxa yokusekelwa yisonto phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, uStalin wavumela inkolo ukuba ichume okwesikhashana
[Umthombo]
U.S. Army photo
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UMphathi u-Alexis I (1945-70) wathi: ‘Isimiso seSoviet sivumelana nemibono yobuKristu iSonto elishumayela ngayo’
[Umthombo]
Central State Archive regarding the film/photo/phono documents of Saint-Petersburg