“Kodwa Wona Uyahamba!”

“IBHAYIBHELI lifundisa ngendlela yokuya ezulwini, hhayi ngokuthi amazulu asebenza kanjani,” kwasho usosayensi nomsunguli wezinto ongumNtaliyane wekhulu le-16 leminyaka uGalileo Galilei. Izinkolelo ezinjengalena zamenza wangezwana neSonto LamaRoma Katolika, elamsongela ngokuhlushwa nokuboshwa. Eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-350 kamuva, isonto labuyekeza impatho elamphatha ngayo uGalileo. Lokho okwenzeka osukwini lukaGalileo kuye kwabizwa ngokuthi “impikiswano phakathi kwesayensi yezinto ezibonwayo nemibono ewubuwula.”

Namuhla, abantu abafuna iqiniso bangafunda kokuhlangenwe nakho kukaGalileo. Kodwa kungani kwaba khona impikiswano enjalo? Ukuhlola imibono engokwesayensi eyayamukelwa esikhathini sakhe kuzonikeza impendulo.

Phakathi nekhulu le-16 leminyaka, kwakucatshangwa ukuthi umhlaba uphakathi nendawo endaweni yonke. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi amaplanethi azungeza enze iziyingi eziphelele. Nakuba yayingafakazelwe ngezindlela zesayensi, lemibono yayamukelwa ngokholo njengeyiqiniso elamukelwayo. Ngempela, isayensi kanye “nemibono” yayo “eyimfihlakalo” kwakungenakwehlukaniswa nenkolo.

UGalileo wazalelwa ezweni elinjalo emkhayeni ohloniphekile ePisa ngo-1564. Uyise wayefuna ukuba afundele ezokwelapha, kodwa lomfana onelukuluku lokwazi wakhangwa yizibalo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, esenguprofesa wesayensi, wathola izimiso ezithile ezingokwemvelo ezilawula izinto ezimiyo nezinyakazayo. Lapho esechazelwe ngezibona-kude zakuqala zamaDashi, wasithuthukisa kakhulu isimo sokwakheka futhi wazakhela elakhe siqu ithuluzi eliwedlula wonke. Walibhekisa emazulwini wayesesakaza lokho akuthola encwadini yakhe yokuqala ethi, Sidereus Nuncius, (Isithunywa Esinezinkanyezi), etshela isizukulwane sakhe ngokokuqala ngqá ngezinyanga ezine zeJupiter. Ngo-1611 wabizelwa eRoma, lapho afike wachaza khona izinto ayezitholile eCollegio Romano (Ikolishi LaseRoma) yamaJesuit. Wahlonishwa ngokuthi kube nomhlangano wokuvuma lokho ayekutholile.

Izimfundiso Ezaphikiswa YiSonto

Ngeshwa, ngaphambi kokuba uGalileo ahambe eRoma, umJesuit onethonya, uCardinal Bellarmine, wagqugquzela ukuhlolisiswa kwezimfundiso zikaGalileo. UGalileo wayekholelwa ekutheni indalo ibuswa imithetho umuntu angase ayazi ngokuhlolisisa. ISonto LamaKatolika lawuphikisa lombono.

Ngisho nezinye izazi zesayensi yokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi zamelana nombono kaGalileo. Zazikholelwa ukuthi kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba isibona-kude sikhulise izinto ezingokoqobo nokuthi lelithuluzi elalisunguliwe laliyinkohliso. Omunye umpristi waze wasikisela ngisho nokuthi lezinkanyezi ezazibonakala zazakhelwe ngaphakathi engilazini yesibona-kude! Lapho uGalileo ethola izintaba ezibonakala enyangeni, ezazifakazela ukuthi izindikimba zasezulwini zazingezona izindilinga eziphelele, umpristi uClavius waphikisa ngokuthi inyanga yayivaleleke engilazini, ukuze kuthi, nakuba umuntu ayengabona ngalé kwezintaba, ihlale iyibhola eliphelele! “Lokhu,” kusho uGalileo ephendula, “kumane kuyiphupho nje.”

Ilukuluku likaGalileo lokufunda “iNcwadi Yemvelo,” njengoba ayekubiza kanjalo ukuhlolwa kwendalo, lamholela encwadini eyabhalwa isazi sesayensi yokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi sasePoland uNicolaus Copernicus. Ngo-1543, uCopernicus wayekhiphe incwadi eyayikhuluma ngokuthi umhlaba wawuzungeza ilanga. UGalileo wakuqinisekisa lokhu. Nokho, lokhu kwaqhatha uGalileo nabezesayensi, ezombangazwe, nabezenkolo bosuku lwakhe.

Nakuba iSonto LamaKatolika lalisebenzisa isayensi yokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi kaCopernicus ekumiseni izinsuku, njengamaIsta, imibono kaCopernicus yayingazange yamukelwe ngokomthetho. Isigungu sesonto sasekela umbono ka-Aristotle wokuthi umhlaba wawuphakathi nendawo endaweni yonke. Nokho, imibono emisha kaGalileo yabekela inselele idumela laso namandla.

Nakuba ososayensi abazimele kulo lonke elaseYurophu babefuna ukuqinisekisa isimiso sikaCopernicus, babaneliswe ukuxoxa ngaso emkhakheni wezesayensi kuphela. Ngenxa yaleso sisekelo iSonto LamaKatolika lahlukana nabo. UGalileo akazange abhale ngesiLatini kuphela kodwa wabhala ngesiNtaliyane esikhulunywa umuntu ovamile futhi kanjalo wenza izinto ayezitholile zathandwa abantu. Abefundisi baba nomuzwa wokuthi wayengabekeli bona bodwa inselele kodwa neZwi likaNkulunkulu.

Aliyona Incwadi Yesayensi

Yiqiniso, ukuthola amaqiniso ngendawo yonke empeleni akuyona inselele eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Abafundi baleloZwi bayaqaphela ukuthi iBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yesayensi, nakuba linemba lapho likhuluma ngezindaba eziphathelene nesayensi. Lalotshelwa ukuthuthukisa ingokomoya labakholwayo, hhayi ukubafundisa isayensi ephathelene nezinto zemvelo. (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) UGalileo wavuma. Wasikisela ukuthi kunezinhlobo ezimbili zolimi: amagama anembile esayensi namazwi ansukuzonke abalobi abaphefumlelwe. Wabhala: “Kudingekile emiBhalweni . . . ukwenza ukuba lemiBhalo iqondakale kubantu abavamile, ukusho izinto eziningi ezibonakala zihlukile (ngokuqondene nencazelo yamagama) eqinisweni elisobala.”

Kunezibonelo zalokhu emibhalweni ehlukahlukene yeBhayibheli. Esinye isibonelo umbhalo kaJobe 38:6, lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma khona ngokuthi umhlaba ‘unezisekelo’ kanye ‘netshe legumbi.’ Abanye baye bakusebenzisa kabi lokhu njengobufakazi bokuthi umhlaba awunyakazi. Amazwi anjengalawo awaklanyelwe ukuba abe incazelo engokwesayensi yomhlaba, kodwa kunalokho, ngokusankondlo afanisa ukwakhiwa komhlaba nokumiswa kwesakhiwo, uJehova enguMakhi wawo oyiNgcweti.

Njengoba umbhali wemilando yokuphila kwabantu uL. Geymonat ekuveza encwadini yakhe ethi Galileo Galilei: “Izazi zenkolo ezingacabangi ezazifuna ukuba isayensi igcine ezisekelweni zokucabanga ngendlela yeBhayibheli zamane zalulaza iBhayibheli ngokwalo. Ngezizathu zobugovu amadoda anenkani enza lokho kanye. Kwathunyelwa incwadi eHhovisi Elingcwele icela ukuba kuphenywe uGalileo.

NgoFebruary 19, 1616, izazi zenkolo zamaKatolika zanikezwa iziphakamiso ezimbili: (1) “ilanga liphakathi nendawo endaweni yonke” nesithi (2) “umhlaba awukho phakathi nendawo endaweni yonke.” NgoFebruary 24 zathi lemibono ingeyobuwula neyokuhlubuka. UGalileo wayalwa ukuba angakholelwa noma afundise ngemibono enjalo.

UGalileo wathuliswa. Akulona iSonto LamaKatolika kuphela elaliphikisana naye kodwa nabangane bakhe babengenamandla okusiza. Wamane wazinikela ekuhloleni. Ukuba akuzange kushintshe upapa ngo-1623, ngabe asizange siphinde sizwe utho ngaye. Nokho, lopapa omusha, u-Urban VIII, wayengumuntu ohlakaniphile futhi engumsekeli kaGalileo. UGalileo wezwa ukuthi upapa ngeke amelane nokuba uGalileo akhiphe incwadi entsha. Waze waba phambi kwezilaleli ezazina lopapa. Ngenxa yalokhu okwakubonakala kuwukuhluzeka kwengqonolo kukapapa, uGalileo waqala ukubhala leyoncwadi.

Nakuba incwadi kaGalileo ethi Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems ekuqaleni yanyatheliswa ngemvume yamaKatolika ngo-1632, intshiseko kapapa ngokushesha yanyamalala. Lapho eneminyaka engu-70 ubudala, uGalileo wayalwa ukuba avele phambi kweNkantolo Yamacala Ezihlubuki ngokwesibili. Icala lokusolelwa ukuhlubuka lenza kwafuneka ukuba kuchazwe kuqala isizathu sokugunyaza kwesonto ukunyatheliswa kwalencwadi, futhi kwagonyelwa ngokuthi uGalileo ngokukhohlisa wayekufihlile ukuvinjelwa kokuqala kokufundisa ngemibono kaCopernicus. Njengoba incwadi ethi Dialogue yayiqhathanisa izimiso zesayensi yokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi, kuhlanganise nesikaCopernicus, kwathiwa yayiphula umthetho wokuvinjelwa.

UGalileo waphendula ngokuthi incwadi yakhe yayimgxeka uCopernicus. Kwakuwukuzivikela okubuthaka, ngoba kulencwadi kwakunendaba ekholisayo eyayikhulunywe ngoCopernicus. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amazwi kapapa enziwa ashiwo umlingiswa oyisiwula kulencwadi, uSimplicio, ngakho kwamcasula uPapa Urban VIII.

UGalileo Umangalelwa Ngokuhlubuka

UGalileo walahlwa icala. Njengoba ayesegula kakade futhi eye wasongelwa ngokuhlushwa uma engahoxi, wahoxa. Eguqile wafunga: “Ngiyawaphika . . . amaphutha aseshiwo kanye nokuhlubuka . . . ngeke ngiphinde ngikhulume . . . izinto ezinjalo ngoba zingase zibangele ukuba ngisolwe ngendlela efanayo.” Ngokuthakazelisayo, abasiki bebunda bathi lapho ephakama, washaya umhlabathi futhi wavungama, “Eppur si muove! [Kodwa wona uyahamba!]”

Wathola isigwebo sokuboshwa nokuba ajeziswe kuze kube sekufeni, okwenzeka eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye kamuva. Encwadini ayibhala ngo-1634 wathi: “Akuwona umbono wami owaqalisa impi, kodwa ukungawutholi kwami umusa wamaJesuit.”

Ngo-1822 ukuvinjelwa kwasuswa ezincwadini zakhe. Kodwa kwaze kwaba ngo-1979 kuphela lapho uPapa John Paul II aphinde wayivusa khona lendaba futhi wavuma ukuthi uGalileo “wahlushwa kakhulu . . . amadoda nezinhlangano zeSonto.” Ephephandabeni laseVatican, iL’Osservatore Romano, uMario D’Addio, ilungu elaziwayo lesigungu esamiswa uPapa John Paul II sibukeze ukulahlwa kukaGalileo ngecala ngo-1633, wathi: “Lokho okubizwa ngokuthi ukuhlubuka kukaGalileo akubonakali kunesisekelo, akuvumelani nezimfundiso zenkolo noma nomthetho wesonto.” NgokukaD’Addio, iNkantolo Yamacala Ezihlubuki yeqela ngalé kwegunya layo—imibono kaGalileo ayizange iphikise noma iyiphi indaba yokholo. Leliphephandaba laseVatican lavuma ukuthi ukumangalelwa kukaGalileo ngecala lokuhlubuka kwakungenasisekelo.

Sifundani kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho kukaGalileo? UmKristu kufanele aqaphele ukuthi iBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yesayensi. Lapho kubonakala kukhona ukuphikisana phakathi kweBhayibheli nesayensi, akudingeki ukuba azame ukuvumelanisa konke “ukungefani.” Kakade, ukholo lobuKristu lusekelwe ‘ezwini likaKristu,’ hhayi egunyeni lesayensi. (Roma 10:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isayensi ishintsha njalo. Umbono obonakala uphikisana neBhayibheli nothandwayo namuhla esikhathini esizayo ungase utholakale uyiphutha bese uyalahlwa.

Nokho, lapho bebhekisela endabeni kaGalileo ukuze babonise indlela inkolo eye yayicindezela ngayo isayensi, ososayensi bayobe benza kahle uma bengakhumbula ukuthi lokho okwatholwa uGalileo kwakungamukelwa inhlangano yokucwaninga yosuku lwakhe. Ngokuphambene nalokho okwakucatshangwa ngesikhathi sakhe, iBhayibheli alizange lingavumelani naleloqiniso. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lalingadingi ukubukezwa. Kwakuyindlela engaqondile iSonto LamaKatolika elalichaza ngayo iBhayibheli eyabangela inkinga.

Wonke umuntu kufanele ashukunyiswe ukuvumelana okukhulu kanye nomthetho wemvelo okukhona endaweni yonke ukuze amazise ngokwengeziwe uMdali, uJehova uNkulunkulu. UGalileo wabuza: “Ingabe iZwi lihlonipheke ngaphezu koMsebenzi?” Umphostoli uyaphendula: “Okungabonwayo [kukaNkulunkulu], kuthi amandla akhe aphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe kubonakala kwasekudalweni kwezwe, ngokuba kuqondakala ngezenzo zakhe.”—Roma 1:20.