Inkolo Nezombangazwe—Ingabe Isesimweni Sokungqubuzana?

UMKHUBA wokuhlanganisa ezombangazwe nezenkolo ngaphansi komuntu oyedwa awuzange usungulwe uHenry VIII. Osukwini lwakhe kwase kuvele kuyinto esebenzayo kwezombangazwe eyayiklanyelwe ukukhuthaza ubunye besizwe.

Ngokwesibonelo, umuzi wasendulo waseGibithe wawunonkulunkulu abaningi. “UFaro ngokwakhe wayengomunye wonkulunkulu, futhi engumuntu omkhulu kubantu ayebabusa,” kusho iThe New Bible Dictionary. UMbuso waseRoma ngokufanayo wawunethempeli lokukhonzela onkulunkulu, kuhlanganise nababusi. Esinye isazi-mlando sichaza ukukhulekelwa kombusi “njengokubaluleke kakhulu enkolweni yezwe laseRoma.”

Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi ukuhlangana kweSonto noMbuso sekuneminyaka engamakhulukhulu kukhona, ukugxambukela kweLobukholwa namuhla kwezombangazwe kuye kwalibeka esimweni sokungqubuzana nalabo kanye elibathandayo. Kungani kunjalo? Ukuze siphendule lombuzo, ake sibheke kuqala indlela eLobukholwa eliye lahileleka ngayo kwezombangazwe.

UbuKristu Beqiniso—Bungobehlukile

UJesu Kristu, umsunguli wobuKristu, wawenqaba onke amandla ezombangazwe. Okungenani esenzakalweni esisodwa, abantu bakhe, beshukunyiswa izimangaliso zakhe, bazama ukumphoqelela ukumbeka inkosi, kodwa “wamonyukela entabeni yena yedwa.” (Johane 6:15) Ebuzwa umbusi wamaRoma ukuthi wayeyinkosi yini, uJesu waphendula: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe. Uma umbuso wami ubungowalelizwe, izikhonzi zami zaziyakulwa ukuba nginganikelwa kubaJuda.”—Johane 18:36.

Ngokwengeziwe uKristu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Kepha lokhu ningesibo abezwe kodwa nganikhetha mina ezweni, kungalokho izwe linizonda.” (Johane 15:19) Ngakho, amaKristu akuqala awazange aphambukiswe izinkinga zezenhlalo noma ezombangazwe. Ubugqila, ngokwesibonelo, yibona obaba yinkinga enkulu, kodwa amaKristu awazange enze umkhankaso wokubuqeda. Kunalokho, izigqila ezingamaKristu zayalwa ukuba zihloniphe amakhosi azo.—Kolose 3:22.

Kunokugxambukela kwezombangazwe, lamaKristu akuqala azimisela ukufeza umsebenzi wokushumayela “ngombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 28:23) Emashumini nje ambalwa eminyaka isigijimi sabo safinyelela emaphethelweni omhlaba wangaleso sikhathi. (Kolose 1:23) Futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela? Abaningi basabela futhi baba ‘abazalwane nodade’ abangokomoya. (Mathewu 23:8, 9) AmaJuda nabeZizwe ababa amaKristu babuyeka ubutha. Ngisho nokwehlukana okungathi sína kwaphela phakathi kwamaJuda namaSamariya ngenxa ‘yothando olunganqamuki’ amaKristu ayenalo komunye nomunye.—1 Petru 4:8.

Nokho, uthando lobuKristu, lwaboniswa ngisho nasezitheni zawo. (Mathewu 5:44) Khona-ke benqaba ukujoyina amabutho empi kaKhesari. ‘Kodwa,’ abanye bangase baphikise, ‘ingabe uJesu akashongo ukuthi “Nikani uKhesari okukaKhesari?”’ Iqiniso. Nokho, ingabe uJesu wayekhuluma ngokujoyina ezempi? Cha, wayemane exoxa ngendaba ‘yokukhokhela uKhesari intela noma ukungayikhokhi.’ (Mathewu 22:15-21) Ngakho amaKristu ayeyikhokha intela. Kodwa abheka ukuphila kwawo njengokunikezelwe kuNkulunkulu futhi enqaba ukulimaza abanye abantu abakanye nawo.

Ukuba Umngane Wezwe

Abanye bangase bathi, ‘kodwa bheka eLobukholwa namuhla. Lingelihlukene kakhulu, amalungu alo ngokuvamile abulalana wodwa, abefundisi balo bazigaxa kwezombangazwe. Kwenzekeni ebuKristwini?’ Nokho, uJesu waxwayisa ukuthi amaKristu amanga ‘ayeyotshaleka’ phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso. (Mathewu 13:24-30) UPawulu ngokufanayo waprofetha: “Mina ngiyazi ukuthi . . . kuzakungena kini izimpisi ezihahayo . . . naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvela amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo, ahunge abafundi ukubalandela.”—IzEnzo 20:29, 30.

Ngisho nasekhulwini lokuqala lomkhuba wawusuqalile. Umfundi uJakobe wakubona kudingekile ukubhala lamazwi acacile: “Kanithembekile njengabafazi abayiziphingi; anazi yini ukuthi ukwenza izwe umngane wenu kuwukwenza uNkulunkulu abe yisitha senu?” (Jakobe 4:4; The Jerusalem Bible; omalukeke sizenzele.) Abaningi bakhetha ukungawunaki lomyalo waphezulu—kangangokuthi ekhulwini lesine impisi egqokise okwemvu uMbusi uConstantine wakwazi futhi ukuvumela “ubuKristu” obonakele ngokubenza bube inkolo engokomthetho yoMbuso waseRoma. Kodwa ngokuba ‘umngane wezwe,’ eLobukholwa laba isitha noNkulunkulu. Ukungqubuzana kokugcina kwaba okungenakuvinjelwa.

Ngekhulu le-13 iSonto, elalibuswa “upapa” noma “ufata” walo, lase “lidlondlobele ekubuseni kwalo,” livula indlela yomshado obumbene weSonto noMbuso. Upapa uInnocent III waba ngokholelwa ukuthi “iNkosi ayinikezanga uPetru ukubusa iSonto lomhlaba wonke kuphela kodwa futhi ukubusa wonke umhlaba.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Kwethi The Empire and the Papacy, uprofesa wezomlando uT. F. Tout uyaqhubeka: “Umsebenzi omsulwa kwakuyilowo wombusi wezwe ongumfundisi, . . . ukubeka nokwehlisa esikhundleni amakhosi nababusi ngokwentando yakhe.” Kodwa umlobi ofanayo uyanezela: “Lapho igunya likapapa laliqhubeka liba namandla kwezombangazwe, kwakuyilapho futhi kubanzima kakhulu ngalo ukuba lizigcine linesithunzi njengomthombo womthetho, wokuziphatha, nowenkolo.”

Inkolo Nempi

Impi ingumbangazwe osesilinganisweni sobudlova obukhulu. Nokho, uPapa Innocent III, yena ngokwakhe wahlela amabutho empi ukuba alwe nama-Albigenses aseningizimu France. Lokhu kwaholela ekubulaweni okushaqisayo kwezinkulungwane eBéziers ngo-1209 nokushiswa kwezisulu eziningi iNkantolo eNgcwele yamaRoma Katolika. Impi yokulwela inkolo, ekuqaleni eyayihloselwe ukuhlasela iPalestine, yaphazanyiswa icebo lezombangazwe ukuba ihlanganise neConstantinople. Lapho amaqhawe “angamaKristu” ahileleka “ekuphangeni, ekubulaleni, enkanukweni, nasekwebeni izinto ezingcwele okubi kakhulu kwezinsuku ezintathu.” Zobani? “ZamaKristu” akanye nawo! Esinye isazi-mlando sithi: “Wona kanye amasonto aphangwa ngonya olukhulu.”

Izindlela zeSonto ezingezona ezobuKristu ekugcineni zaholela ekubetheleni kukaMartin Luther imibono yakhe eyinselele emnyango wesonto elikhulu eWittenberg ngo-1517—futhi Inkathi Yenguquko yayisiqalile. Kodwa, kusho uH. A. L. Fisher, kwethi History of Europe: “Ukholo olusha . . . lwase lunamathele kakhulu ekujabuliseni ababusi nohulumeni.” IJalimane lahlukana laba amaqembu ahlukahlukene ezinkolo ezingokombangazwe. EFrance, abebandla laseHabe [amaCalvinists] ngokufanayo bahlangana nabaholi bezombangazwe. Khona-ke izimpi zenkolo ezaziwuchungechunge zazingalwelwa kuphela ukuba kutholwe inkululeko engokwenkolo kodwa futhi ngenxa “yombango phakathi kwamaProthestani nababusi bamaRoma Katolika wokuphatha izintambo zoMbuso.” Khona-ke, umlando wenkolo eYurophu ugcwele ukuchitheka kwegazi!

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 amaNgisi namaBhunu atholana phezulu eNingizimu Afrika. Abefundisi ezinhlangothini zombili babeqhubela phambili impi “ngezikhuthazo zasepulpitini.” Isazi-mlando uR. Kruger sithi: “Ubuningi bemikhuleko eyayiyiswa ezulwini izinhlangothi zombili ngesikhathi sempi babumane buya ngokuhlukahlukana kogqozi lwamahlelo.” “AmaKristu” amhlophe ayebulalana, ngesikhathi esifanayo ecela uNkulunkulu ukuba awasize!

Lomkhuba waphindwa ngokwengxenye enkulu ngo-1914 lapho amabutho aseJalimane eya eBelgium egqoke amabhande abhalwe ukuthi “Gott mit uns” (UNkulunkulu unathi). Ezinhlangothini zombili iSonto laliqinile emkhulekweni ukuze linqobe futhi libe nesihlungu ekuphathweni kabi kwesitha.

Abaningi baphaphanyiswa ingxenye eyayifezwa inkolo eMpini Yezwe I. Bebiza inkolo ngokuthi “umlaliso wabantu,” abantu abangakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu namakhomanisi banda. Naphezu kwalokho, abefundisi baqhubeka behileleka kwezombangazwe, besekela ababusi abangomashiqela njengoMussolini noFranco. Ngo-1933 iSonto lamaRoma Katolika lenza ngisho nesivumelwano namaNazi. Ukhadinali uFaulhaber wabhalela uHitler: “Lokhu kuxhawulana noPapa . . . kuyisenzo esibalulekile sezibusiso ezingenakulinganiswa . . . Sengathi uNkulunkulu angayigcina iNkosi eNkulu [uHitler].”

Ngisho nokusongela kwenye impi yezwe akubagudlulanga abefundisi kwezombangazwe. Omunye umkhuba wamuva wamasonto athile uye waba ukuphendukela eqenjini eliphikisayo lezombangazwe. Omunye umlobi uthi: “Isizukulwane samanje sabefundisi baseLatin America . . . sigcizelela ukuthi ubuMarxism buyigama lobuKristu lezombangazwe elingenakugwenywa.” Kodwa iBhayibheli liyaxwayisa “ngokuba bahlwanyele umoya, bayakuvuna isivunguvungu.”—Hoseya 8:7.

Ukuvuna Isivunguvungu

Yebo, iBhayibheli linikeza isixwayiso esiqinile: Ukungqubuzana okukhulu phakathi kwenkolo nezombangazwe kuyeza. KusAmbulo isahluko 17 iBhayibheli lichaza umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga ogcwele igazi ‘njengesifebe esikhulu esihlezi phezu kwamanzi amaningi.’ ‘Lamanzi’ amelela ‘abantu nezizwe.’ (Amavesi 1, 15) Isifebe esibizwa ngokuthi “IBABILONI ELIKHULU, UNINA WEZIFEBE NOWAMANYALA OMHLABA,” futhi ‘sidakwe yigazi labangcwele.’ (Amavesi 5, 6) “IBabiloni” igama elifaneleka kahle lenkolo ehleliwe, kangangokuthi izimfundiso zalo eziningi zisuka emzini wasendulo iBabiloni.a Liye lazuza udumo lwayo lokubulala ngokushushisa amaKristu eqiniso kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka.

Umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga ngokwengeziwe ufanekiselwa njengogibele isilo ‘esinamakhanda ayisikhombisa nezimpondo eziyishumi . . . [okungukuthi] zingamakhosi ayishumi.’ (Amavesi 3, 12) Izihloko ezidlule zalomagazini ziye zachaza ‘lesilo’ njengethuluzi elisetshenziselwa ukugcina ukuthula komhlaba, iZizwe Ezihlangene. Amasonto aye aqopha umlando ekusekeleni lenhlangano. Ngo-October 1965, uPapa Paul VI wachaza iUN “njengethemba lokugcina lesivumelwano nokuthula.” Ngo-1979, uPapa John Paul II wakhuluma eMhlanganweni Omkhulu weUN. Ngaphandle kokukhuluma ngoKristu noma ngoMbuso wakhe, wakhuluma ngeUN “njengethuluzi eliyinhloko lokuletha ukuthula nokulunga.”

Kodwa kungani ukuhlangana kwenkolo neUN kuyingozi kangaka? Ngenxa yokuthi “izimpondo eziyishumi . . . nesilo, lezi ziyakusizonda isifebe, zisenze incithakalo, sibe yize, zisishise ngomlilo, zisiqede.” (Ivesi 16) Ngakho inkolo yamanga ibheke enhlekeleleni yokungqubuzana nezombangazwe. Lapho seyenziwe nqunu, ububi bayo obukhulu sebembuliwe, iyoqedwa phakade.

Lokho kuyoqalisa “usizi olukhulu” uJesu akhuluma ngalo, oluyophelela empini yeArmagedoni. UKristu, esekelwa yimpi yasezulwini engabonakali, ‘uyakuchoboza aqede’ isimiso somhlaba wonke sikaSathane, eshiya kuphela ‘abathobekileyo abazokudla ifa lomhlaba.’ Laba kuyoba amaKristu eqiniso, lawo, phakathi kwezinye izinto, aye azigcina engenabala kwezombangazwe ezahlukanisayo.—Mathewu 24:21; Daniyeli 2:44; IHubo 37:10, 11; Mathewu 5:5; IsAmbulo 6:2; 16:14-16.

Uma ungomunye okhathazwa ukuphathwa kabi nokuhlanjalazwa kwegama likaNkulunkulu lokho inkolo yamanga eye yakwenza, yini okumelwe uyenze manje? IBhayibheli liyayala: ‘Phumani kuyo [inkolo yamanga], bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nayo izono zayo.’ (IsAmbulo 18:4) OFakazi BakaJehova kuphela abakhuthaza abantu ukuba baqaphele lomyalo. Bona, njengamaKristu okuqala, abahlanganyeli empini nakwezombangazwe futhi khona-ke ngeke babhujiswe lapho inkolo ingqubuzana nezombangazwe. Khona-ke bonana nabo. Ngenjabulo bayokubonisa indlela yokuthola ‘isango elincane’ elingaholeli ekubhujisweni kodwa ekuphileni okuphakade.—Mathewu 7:13, 14; Johane 17:3.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ngo-1914, ealtare eliwumphongolo ezitebhisini zikaSt. Paul, uMbhishobhi waseLondon wavusa ubuzwe emabuthweni aseBrithani