Ukuziphatha Okuhle Kobulili—Ingabe Kungenzeka Ngempela?

SIPHILA ezweni eligcwaliswe ubulili, futhi lokhu kuye kwathinta abasha nabadala. Ungase ube nomuzwa ofana nowenye insizwa, eyathi: “Yonke into esizungezile igxile ebulilini. Kujwayelekile njengokuphefumula nokulala. Sonke isikhathi uma uthatha umagazini, noma uvula iTV, bukhona. Lapho usesitolo, ushayela imoto, emsebenzini, esikoleni—bukhona! Indlela abantu abenza ngayo, bakhulume bagqoke ngayo idonsa ukunakekela njalo emzimbeni womuntu nasebulilini. Buyisihloko esihamba phambili engxoxweni.” Izibalo zamuva ezikhomba umumo wendaba zibonisa ukuthi, emhlabeni kabanzi, inani elingazange libe khona emlandweni labeve eshumini elinambili—ngisho nabancane kunalokho—bahileleka ebuhlotsheni bobulili ngaphambi kokushada.

EGREAT BRITAIN: “Intombazane eyodwa kuphela kwayisithupha edlula eminyakeni eyi-19 ubudala iseyintombi emsulwa futhi eyodwa kwamane iye yamazi owesilisa ngaphambi kokuba ibe ne-16,” kwembula ukuhlola kwango-1980.

ECANADA: “Omama ‘abaningi ngokwedlulele’ abangashadile abeve eshumini elinambili,” kusho umbiko kahulumeni ka-1979.

EUNITED STATES: ‘Izinsizwa ezine kwezinhlanu nezintombi ezimbili kwezintathu ziye zahileleka ebuhlotsheni bobulili sezine-19,’ kubonisa ukuhlola kwango-1981.

EJAPHANI: Kweminye imizi ‘omama abangaganile asebeyohlanganisa iminyaka engamashumi amabili nabasaqala iminyaka engamashumi amabili kuye kwabikwa ukukhula okuphindwe kamashumi ayisithupha phakathi kuka-1970 no-1979.’

EFRANCE: “Amantombazane esikole angaphezu kwesigamu athi ahlanganyela njalo ebuhlotsheni bobulili,” kubonisa ukuhlola kwango-1980.

“Ukukhulelwa Kwabeve Eshumini Elinambili Kuyinkinga Eyandayo Yomhlaba,” kusho isihloko sephephandaba lamuva iBrazil Herald. Isihloko saveza imibhalo ewubufakazi balokhu kukhula eNgilandi, eWales, eMpumalanga Jalimane naseRussia. Amaphesenti angaba ama-85 azo zonke izindaba ezibikiwe zesifo sokubhajwa aphakathi kwabasha. Izifo ezinjalo ziye zaba ubhememe emhlabeni kabanzi.

Kodwa akubona bonke abantu abasha abaye bazitshela ukuthi “Ubumsulwa abunamsebenzi.” Abaningi baye banquma ukuthi bazolinda kuze kube semshadweni ngaphambi kokujabulela ubuhlobo bobulili. Kodwa akulula ukuba bagcine ubumsulwa babo futhi ‘babalekele ubufebe,’ njengoba iBhayibheli liyala. (1 Thesalonika 4:3) Bangase babuze ngokuqondile: ‘Ingabe akhona amandla atholakalayo okusiza umuntu ukuba abhekane negagasi elisabekayo lobundindwa?

Yebo, akhona. Ubufakazi obumangalisayo balamandla babonwa eminyakeni eyizi-2 000 edlule phakathi nezikhathi ezonakele kakhulu ngokokuziphatha emlandweni ogciniwe.

“UKUZIPHATHA OKUBI KAKHULU KWABASEROMA”

Isazi sezokuphathwa kwezwe saseRoma uSeneca wayengufakazi wokuzibonela wezimo ezweni laseRoma ngesikhathi ubuKristu buqala. Wavuma: ‘Isifiso sokwenza okubi sikhulu nsuku zonke. Ububi buye baba nethonya lamandla anjalo ezinhliziyweni zabo bonke kangangokuba ukuba msulwa akuvamile—akusekho.’ Abasha, abaphila phakathi nalesosikhathi, babhala ngo“kuziphatha okubi kakhulu kwabaseRoma.”

“Bazinikela emanyaleni” yileyo indlela umbhali weBhayibheli achaza ngayo abantu bosuku lwakhe. (Efesu 4:19) Ubundindwa babubhekwa njengesiko. Isazi-mlando sasendulo uLampridius wathi ngalesosikhathi somlando umuntu ongashadile kwakumelwe abe nentombi ayengaba nobuhlobo bobulili nayo njalo, “ngoba kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba aphile ngaphandle kweyodwa.” Kodwa yini eyayenza kube nesimo esingcole kanjalo?

‘UMA UNKULUNKULU EKWENZA, MINA NGINGAYEKELANI?’

Onkulunkulu bamaRoma, abaningi babo abathathwe kumaGreki, babebhekwa njengesibonelo sokuziphatha. Kodwa yeka abalingiswa bokuziphatha okubi! UVenus noFlora babeyizindindwa ezivelele, uBacchus wayeyisidakwa, uMercury wayeyisigebengu futhi uApollo engumyengi wabesifazane abaningi. Ngisho noJupiter, unkulunkulu omkhulu futhi ohlakaniphe kunabo bonke, kuthiwa waphinga noma walala nezihlobo, abesifazane abangama-59!

Lezibonelo zabathinta kanjani abantu? Omunye wemidlalo phakathi nalesosikhathi somlando uveza insizwa ezindlayo ukuthi kumelwe noma akumelwe ihlobonge nentombi enhle esencane. Yabe isibona isithombe sikaJupiter eyenga owesifazane. “Uma unkulunkulu ekwenza, kungani mina ngingakwenzi, ngingumuntu?” icabanga, futhi “ngakho nganquma ukukwenza.” Lomdlalo wabonisa ukuphila okungokoqobo, ngakho uSeneca wabhala ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi kwakungasalethi hlazo kumuntu “uma ebona onkulunkulu bengengcono kunaye.” Akungabazeki ongqondongqondo abangabonakali ababengemuva kwalemiqondo yonkulunkulu kwakungama‘madodana kaNkulunkulu’ ahlubuka osukwini lukaNowa, eza emhlabeni ukuba abe nobuhlobo bobulili namadodakazi abantu. Nakuba labonakalisi bobulili beye babuyela esimweni somoya, baye baqhubeka begcwalisa umphakathi wesintu ngomoya wokuziphatha okubi.—Genesise 6:1-4; Juda 6, 7.

“INDAWO YOBUFEBE”

Umbhali wekhulu lesibili uAthenagoras wathi abanye ngalesosikhathi base benze “indawo yobufebe, futhi bamisela abasha indawo yobubi obusabekayo balo lonke uhlobo lokuzijabulisa okwenyanyekayo.” Okuhlanganiswe kule“ndawo” eyayi“thengisa” ngobulili kubo bonke abantu ngokungemthetho kwakuyinkundla yezemidlalo. Izihloko zemibukiso zaziphathelene nothando olungcolile lokuphila konkulunkulu. Abadlali ngokuvamile babegqoka “izingubo ezimpintshayo” ezibonisa ubunqunu. Ngokungaphezulu, ezindongeni zasemakhaya nezasemathempelini, ngokuvamile ezindaweni ezibonwa abantu bonke, kwakunemifanekiso “yokungcola kobulili okungachazeki,” ngezinye izikhathi ngisho nokudweba imifanekiso yokulalana. Imifanekiso yonkulunkulu abaziphatha kabi, ngokuvamile befanekiswa benqunu, yayibonwa yibo bonke abantu ngisho nabancane. Futhi, izincwadi ezazinolunye lwezilimi ezingcole kakhulu nemifanekiso eyayilotshiwe zazitholakala mahhala phakathi kwentsha. Izingqondo zazingcoliswe kwasebuntwaneni ngokufunda, noma ngokuba abanye babafundele, ukuziphatha okubi konkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi.

Okwenezela kulokhu amachibi ayedume kakhulu omphakathi, ayesetshenziswa iningi, ayebhekwa enobungcono obungasho lutho kune“zindlu zobundindwa ngaphansi kwegama elihloniphekile;” nezindlu zokunyakazisa umzimba, lapho abancane nabadala bezelula imizimba benqunu, futhi ezaba umhume wobungqingili; nemicimbi, ngokuvamile eyayiwukuzitika ngokobulili kwawo wonke umuntu. Isimo saba esifana nsé nesichazwe encwadini kamphostoli uPawulu kumaKristu aseRoma. Ebhekisela kwa‘banikela inkonzo engcwele kokudaliweyo kunoMdali’ futhi abalandela ukuziphatha kwabantu bangalesosikhathi, wabhala: “UNkulunkulu wabanikela ekuhuhekeni okuyihlazo; ngokuba abesifazane babo baguqula ukwenza kwemvelo kwabangokuphambene nemvelo; ngokunjalo nabesilisa bayeka ukwenza kwemvelo kowesifazane, basha ngokukhanukelana, abesilisa benza okuyichilo kwabesilisa, bezitholela umvuzo ofanele ukuduka kwabo.” (Roma 1:24-27) Ukuchaza kukaPawulu kwakuqonde ngokwesabekayo, ngoba ukonakala kokuziphatha kwezwe laseGraeco-Roman kwaholela kweminye yemikhuba enyanyeka kakhulu emlandweni—ukusetshenziswa kabi kobulili kwabafana abancane namadoda amadala. Lomkhuba ongcolile wadunyiswa izinkondlo nemidlalo yasesiteji, futhi wonke umphakathi wawonakaliswe yiwo.

Ukuba wawuphila ngalesosikhathi, futhi noma kuphi lapho uphendukela khona ubona ukuziphatha okungcolile, yeka ukuthi kwakungaba nzima kanjani ukuhlala ucocekile! Yebo, ukuze izinsizwa nezintombi zihlale ziqotho ngempela kwakudinga amandla okuziphatha okuhle nokunamathela esimisweni. Kodwa, phakathi kwakho konke lokhu, futhi ngokungathi isimangaliso, abanye babubonisa ubumsulwa obunjalo.

ISIMANGALISO SOKUZIPHATHA OKUHLE

Ngemva kokubala uhide lwabantu abaziphatha kabi abagcwalisa umuzi waseKorinte lasendulo—izifebe, iziphingi, ongqingili nabanye abanjalo—umphostoli uPawulu, encwadini yakhe ebandleni lamaKristu elalilapho, wabhala: “Babenjalo abanye kini, kepha senahlanzwa.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Izimfundiso zobuKristu beqiniso zafaka amandla okuziphatha okuhle ukuze ababenamathele kuzo bashintshe futhi bahlale bekhululekile ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili.

“Mhlawumbe isisusa esikhulu ngokuphawulekayo semfundiso yamaKristu kwakuwukugcizelela ubumsulwa,” kuphetha uWilliam Sanger encwadini yakhe iThe History of Prostitution, ekhuluma kabanzi ngokuziphatha kwasendulo. Uyenezela: “Kusukela ekuqaleni, imiphakathi yamaKristu yaqhosha ngokufaneleyo ngobumsulwa bokuziphatha kwayo.” Yini eyenza idumela elinjalo? Ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu bakwazi ukulingisa “umfanekiso” ongcono kunowonkulunkulu ababehlanyiswa ubulili.

“UMFANEKISO” ONGCONO

‘Yembathani umuntu omusha,’ kweluleka umphostoli uPawulu, “owenziwa-musha abe-nokwazi ngokomfanekiso walowo owamdalayo.” (Kolose 3:10) Ngolwazi oluvela emiBhalweni ephefumlelwe nasezimfundisweni nasesibonelweni sikaJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, amaKristu akwazi ukufinyelela ‘elwazini oluqondile’ lwezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. “Umfanekiso” wakhe wama ngokumelene kakhulu nalowo wonkulunkulu bamaRoma.

AmaKristu eqiniso abona uMdali wawo njengoBaba wawo wasezulwini owathandayo futhi owanakekelayo. (1 Petru 5:6, 7) Afunda indlela enza ngayo ngobuqotho, ngokulunga nangesihawu. Wayemsulwa futhi engcwele. (Duteronomi 32:4; 1 Petru 1:15, 16) Ashukunyiswa izimfanelo zakhe, futhi alwela ukulandela iseluleko esiphefumlelwe: “Yibani-ngabalingisa uNkulunkulu njengabantwana abathandekayo.” (Efesu 5:1) Abona uNkulunkulu njengoba ambulwa ngoKristu njengomngane ohlale ekhona njalo. Amthanda. Umoya wothando lweqiniso wagcwalisa izinhliziyo zawo futhi wawashukumisela emisebenzini yobuKristu.

UNkulunkulu wawasiza lamaKristu okuqala ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele, owawanikeza ‘amandla angaphezu kwavamile.’ Futhi, emihlanganweni yawo engokwenkolo ayekhunjuzwa ngesidingo sokuhlala emsulwa. Ngokunamathelana eduze njengabangane bobuzalwane bobuKristu akwazi ukuba qotho. (2 Korinte 4:7; Heberu 10:24-26) “Esasikade sizijabulisa ngobufebe, manje silwela ubumsulwa,” kwasho umKristu oqinile wekhulu lesibili uJustin Martyr. Kodwa, umzamo onjalo wobumsulwa bokuziphatha wawungelula.

UMZAMO WANSUKU ZONKE

Akumelwe sikhohlwe ukuthi amaKristu okuqala aphila ezweni elonakele. Abanye ababa amaKristu babenga“bendlu kaKesari.” (Filipi 4:22) Ngalesosikhathi, uNero wayenguKesari, futhi amanyala akhe okuziphatha kabi aziwa kahle. Walungiselela ezokuzijabulisa zokuziphatha okungcole kakhulu. Waze “washada” nensizwa “ngazo zonke izinhlobo zokushada ezijwayelekile.”a Kodwa labo “bendlu” yakhe ababengamaKristu (mhlawumbe izikhulu zikahulumeni noma izinceku) bahlala bemsulwa naphezu kwezimo ezazibazungezile.

AmaKristu eRoma ayeyizisulu zokucindezela okukhulu kontanga nokuhlekwa usulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uSeneca ubonisa umbono ovamile lapho ebhala: “Noma ubani ongenazindaba zothando uyadelelwa.” “Ubumsulwa bumane buwubufakazi bokuthi umubi.” Kubikwa ukuthi abanye babekhononda: ‘Yeka owesifazane ayenguye! Yeka indlela ayeheha ngayo, ejabulisa? Yeka isoka ayeyilo! Yeka indlela ababetholakala kalula ngayo, behunga ngayo! Manje sebengamaKristu—yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo!’

Kodwa labobafundi bokuqala babengebona abokudatshukelwa. Babengaziqhenya ngokuzihlonipha. Babenonembeza ohlanzekile. “Njengabantwana bokukhanya” basakaza isigijimi esihlanzekile kuyo yonke indawo ngaphandle kokukhungatheka. (Efesu 5:8) Ubungeke yini ukubize ngokuthi kuyilungelo ukuba ukhonjwe njengomunye wabanga“madwala” kulezozimo ezinzima? Indlela yabo yokuphila eyanelisa ngempela yaphambana kakhulu neyabantu bezizwe ‘abangamazanga uNkulunkulu futhi bezifaka ekuhuhekeni bevumela izinkanuko zabo’ kube sekulimaleni kwabo.—1 Thesalonika 4:5.

Ngokwesibonelo, phakathi nekhulu lokuqala, ukuphila kwabaningi kwase kungenanjongo. Babephuze endebeni edakisayo yenjabulo kwaze kwaba sesicetheni—beqeda zonke izindlela zokuzijabulisa. Akukho kuzijabulisa, noma izibiliboco ezasalayo—futhi akukho ukwaneliseka. Ngokuqondene nokwabhalwa uJuvenal, omunye ungqingili, owaliwa isithandwa sakhe esemdala, wakhala: “Kuyini manje okungcono okumelwe ngikwenze ngemva kwayo yonke leminyaka echithekile namathemba aphule inhliziyo? Ubusha buyophela ngokushesha, ukuphila kwethu okulusizi emhlabeni kuyaphela: Lapho siphuza, siphumela imiqhele yezimbali namakha nezintombi, iminyaka yobudala iyasigaqela, singayinakile.” Nokho, akukho kudumazeka noma usizi olwehlela lawomaKristu athembekile.

Ngisho nakuba abalandeli beqiniso bakaJesu kwakumelwe balwe nsuku zonke ukuze bazigcine becocekile ngokokuziphatha, ukuthula kwengqondo kwakuwufanele umzamo. Ukuziphatha okuhle ngokobulili kwakunokwenzeka.

Ingabe siyawabona amandla okuziphatha kahle afanayo namuhla? Yebo. Abantu abasha abangenakubalwa emhlabeni kabanzi bayothi ukuziphatha okuhle kobulili kungenzeka. Laba bangabasha abahlanganyela emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova. Naphezu kwamathonya okuziphatha okungcolile ekuzijabuliseni nasekuphileni nabantu okuhlaliswana nabo namuhla—okungasilele ngisho nakanye kulokho kwaseRoma lasendulo—labantu abasha, njengeqembu, bavelele njengezibonelo ezikhazimulayo zobumsulwa.

Kodwa abanye abasha abasemandleni obuKristu banobunzima ngokuqondene nalokhu. Ngisho nabanye abakhuliswe emakhaya obuKristu ngezinye izikhathi balahlekelwa ukwazisa kokuziphatha kahle okungokweBhayibheli. Intsha engamaKristu ingabugcina kanjani ubumsulwa obufanayo njengalobo obusobala phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso phakathi nekhulu lokuqala—naphezu kwezithiyo ezimangalisayo? Abazali bangasiza kanjani? Izihloko ezimbili ezilandelayo ziklanyelwe ukunikeza usizo olungokoqobo.—Bheka ikhasi 8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 4]

Izibalo zamuva zibonisa inani elingazange libe khona emlandweni labantu abasha abangenela ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

Naphezu “kokuziphatha okubi kakhulu” kwabaseRoma lasendulo, amaKristu akuqala ayeyizimangaliso zobumsulwa bokuziphatha