Imvelaphi Kakhisimusi Wanamuhla
EZIGIDINI zabantu emhlabeni wonke, isikhathi sikaKhisimusi siyisikhathi sonyaka senjabulo enkulu. Siyisikhathi sezibiliboco, samasiko osekuyisikhathi eside ehlonishwa nesokuba ndawonye komkhaya. Futhi iholide likaKhisimusi liyisikhathi lapho abangane nezihlobo bephana amakhadi nezipho.
Nokho, eminyakeni engu-150 nje edlule, uKhisimusi wawuyiholide elihluke kakhulu. Encwadini yakhe ethi The Battle for Christmas, uprofesa wezomlando uStephen Nissenbaum uyabhala: “UKhisimusi . . . wawuyisikhathi sokuphuza ngokweqile lapho imithetho ebusa ukuziphatha kwabantu emphakathini yayishaywa indiva okwesikhashana ukuze kujatshulelwe ‘umkhosi’ ongenakuzithiba, othi awufane neMardi Gras yango-December.”
Lencazelo ingase ibaphazamise labo ababheka uKhisimusi ngokwesaba okunenhlonipho. Kungani umuntu ayengangcolisa iholide okuthiwa elokukhumbula ukuzalwa kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu? Impendulo ingase ikumangaze.
Isisekelo Esonakele
Kusukela ekuqaleni kwawo ekhulwini lesine, uKhisimusi ubulokhu ugcwele izimpikiswano. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunodaba lokuzalwa kukaJesu. Njengoba iBhayibheli lingalusho usuku noma inyanga yokuzalwa kukaKristu, kuye kwasikiselwa izinsuku ezihlukahlukene. Ekhulwini lesithathu, iqembu elithile lezazi zemfundiso yenkolo zaseGibithe labeka u-May 20, kuyilapho abanye babethanda izinsuku ezinganeno kwalolo njengo-March 28, April 2, noma u-April 19. Ngekhulu le-18, ukuzalwa kukaJesu kwase kuhlotshaniswe nazo zonke izinyanga zonyaka! Kwenzeka kanjani-ke ukuba kugcine kukhethwe u-December 25?
Izazi eziningi ziyavuma ukuthi u-December 25 wamiswa iSonto LamaKatolika njengosuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu. Ngani? I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Cishe isizathu siwukuthi amaKristu okuqala ayefisa ukuba lolo suku luqondane nomkhosi wamaRoma wobuqaba ‘wosuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elingenakunqotshwa.’” Kodwa amaKristu ayeshushiswe amaqaba ngonya olukhulu kangaka iminyaka engamakhulu amabili nengxenye ayengavumelana kanjani ngokushesha okungaka nabashushisi bawo?
Ukuqala Kokonakala
Ekhulwini lokuqala, umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa uThimothewu ngokuthi “abantu ababi nabakhohlisi” babeyongena ngesinyenyela ebandleni lobuKristu futhi badukise abaningi. (2 Thimothewu 3:13) Lokhu kuhlubuka okukhulu kwaqala ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli. (IzEnzo 20:29, 30) Ngemva kwalokho okubizwa ngokuthi ukuguquka kukaConstantine ngekhulu lesine, uquqaba lwamaqaba lwathuthelekela ohlotsheni lobuKristu olwalukhona ngaleso sikhathi. Kwaba namuphi umphumela? Incwadi ethi Early Christianity and Paganism ithi: “Iqembu elincane, uma kuqhathaniswa, lamakholwa aqotho ngempela lashabalala phakathi kwesixuku esikhulu salabo ababethi bangamaKristu.”
Yeka ukuthi amazwi kaPawulu aba iqiniso kanjani! Kwaba sengathi ubuKristu beqiniso babugwinywe ukonakala kobuqaba. Futhi lokhu kungcola kwakusobala kakhulu ekugujweni kwamaholide.
Eqinisweni, ukuphela komkhosi amaKristu ayalwa ukuba awugubhe iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Ngenxa yemikhuba yokukhulekela izithombe eyayikhona emikhosini yamaRoma, amaKristu okuqala awazange ahlanganyele kuyo. Ngenxa yalokho amaqaba ekhulu lesithathu leminyaka agxeka amaKristu, ethi: “Aniyi ezindaweni zokukhangisa; aninandaba nemibukiso yomphakathi; nenqaba amadili omphakathi, nenyanya nemincintiswano engcwele.” Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amaqaba ayegabisa ngokuthi: “Sikhulekela onkulunkulu ngokujabula, ngamadili, ngezingoma nangemidlalo.”
Phakathi nekhulu lesine leminyaka, lokho kukhononda kwadamba. Kanjani? Njengoba amaKristu-mbumbulu ayeqhubeka engena ngokunyenya emabandleni, imibono yokuhlubuka yanda. Lokhu kwaholela ekubeni avumelane nomphakathi waseRoma. Iphawula ngalokhu, incwadi ethi The Paganism in Our Christianity ithi: “Kwakuyisimiso esiqinisekile samaKristu ukuba athathe imikhosi yobuqaba ethandwa abantu ngokuvamile, ayenze ibaluleke ngokobuKristu.” Yebo, ukuhlubuka okukhulu kwase kubhidlangile. Ukuzimisela kwalabo ababebizwa ngokuthi amaKristu ukwamukela imikhosi yobuqaba kwenza ukuba bamukeleke kakhudlwana emphakathini. Kungakabiphi, amaKristu abe eseba nemikhosi yaminyaka yonke eminingi njengeyamaqaba. Akumangalisi ukuthi uKhisimusi wawungovelele kuyo.
Iholide Lomhlaba Wonke
Lapho ubuKristu obuyinhloko busakazeka eYurophu, uKhisimusi nawo wasakazeka kanye nabo. ISonto LamaKatolika laba nombono wokuthi kwakufaneleka ukuthuthukisa umkhosi wenjabulo wokudumisa usuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu. Ngakho, ngo-567 C.E., uMkhandlu WaseTours “wamemezela izinsuku ezingu-12 kusuka kuKhisimusi kuya kuyi-Epiphany njengenkathi engcwele neyomkhosi.”—The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home.
Ngokushesha uKhisimusi waba nezici eziningi zemikhosi yokuvuna yezwe yasenyakatho Yurophu. Ukuzijabulisa kwaqhubeka kuvamile kunezenzo ezingokwenkolo njengoba labo ababeba kulemikhosi exokozelayo babezitika ngokudla nophuzo. Kunokuba ligxeke lokho kuziphatha okuxekethile, isonto lakuvuna. (Qhathanisa neyabaseRoma 13:13; 1 Petru 4:3.) Ngo-601 C.E., uPapa Gregory I wabhalela uMellitus, isithunywa sakhe sevangeli esasiseNgilandi, emtshela ukuba “angayinqabeli imikhosi enjalo yobuqaba yasendulo, kodwa ayivumelanise nemikhuba yeSonto, ashintshe nje isizathu sobuqaba sokwenziwa kwayo sibe esobuKristu.” Ubika kanjalo u-Arthur Weigall, owake waba umhloli-jikelele wezinto zasendulo zikahulumeni waseGibithe.
Phakathi neNkathi Ephakathi, abantu ababelangazelela izinguquko babona kunesidingo sokumelana nokweqisa okunjalo. Bathumela izinqumo eziningi ezimelene “nokusetshenziswa kabi komkhosi kaKhisimusi.” UDkt. Penne Restad, encwadini yakhe ethi Christmas in America—A History, uthi: “Abefundisi abathile babegcizelela ukuthi isintu esingaphelele sidinga isikhathi sokuyekelela nokweqisa, uma nje lokho kwenziwa ngaphansi kwesigubuzelo sesiqondiso sobuKristu.” Lokhu kwamane kwandisa ukudideka. Nokho, kwakunganakwa, ngoba amasiko obuqaba kakade ayesehlangene noKhisimusi kangangokuba abantu abaningi babengazimisele ukuwayeka. Umlobi uTristram Coffin wakubeka ngalendlela: “Iningi labantu lalenza kona kanye lokho elalihlale likwenza, lingazishayi-mkhuba izimpikiswano zezazi zokuziphatha kwabantu.”
Lapho abeLungu beqala ukuhlala eNtshonalanga Nenkabazwe, uKhisimusi wawusuyiholide elaziwayo. Nokho, uKhisimusi awuzange wamukeleke kumakoloni. AmaPuritan ayefuna izinguquko abheka lomkhosi njengowamaqaba futhi awuvimbela eMassachusetts phakathi kuka-1659 no-1681.
Ngemva kokuba ukuvinjelwa kususiwe, ukugujwa kukaKhisimusi kwanda kuwo wonke amakoloni, ikakhulukazi eningizimu yeNew England. Nokho, ngenxa yomlando waleli holide, akumangalisi ukuthi abanye babekhathalela kakhulu ukuzijabulisa kunokudumisa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Omunye umkhuba kaKhisimusi owawuphazamisa kakhulu kwakuwukuphuza ngokweqile. Amaqembu ezinsizwa ezinobudlova ayengena emizini yomakhelwane abacebile afune ukudla neziphuzo mahhala. Uma umninikhaya enqaba, ngokuvamile wayethukwa, futhi ngezinye izikhathi indlu yakhe icekelwe phansi.
Izimo zaba zimbi kakhulu ngawo-1820 kangangokuthi uProfesa Nissenbaum uthi “ukungalawuleki kukaKhisimusi” kwaba “usongo olubi kakhulu emphakathini.” Emadolobheni anjengeNew York nePhiladelphia, abanini-zindawo abacebile baqala ukuqasha onogada ukuze baqaphe izindawo zabo. Kuthiwa iNew York City yaze yahlela umbutho wayo wokuqala wamaphoyisa aqeqeshiwe ukuze inqande izibhelu zesikhathi sikaKhisimusi ngo-1827/28!
Ukushintshwa KukaKhisimusi
Ikhulu le-19 laletha ushintsho oluyingqayizivele esintwini. Abantu, impahla nezindaba kwaqala ukuhamba ngokushesha okukhulu lapho kuvela inxanxathela yemigwaqo nojantshi bezitimela. Ushintsho kwezezimboni lwavula izigidi zamathuba emisebenzi, futhi amafektri akhiqiza ngokushesha nangokuqhubekayo. Ukusungulwa kwezimboni kwabangela nezinkinga ezintsha nezinzima ezingokwenhlalo, ezagcina zithonye indlela okwakugujwa ngayo uKhisimusi.
Sekuyisikhathi eside abantu besebenzisa amaholide njengendlela yokuqinisa izibopho zomkhaya, futhi kungokufanayo nangoKhisimusi. Ngokubukeza amanye amasiko amadala kaKhisimusi, abagqugquzeli bawo bawushintsha ngokuphumelelayo uKhisimusi bewususa ekubeni umkhosi onobudlova noweqisayo bawenza iholide eligxile emkhayeni.
Ngempela, ekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, uKhisimusi waqala ukubhekwa njengekhambi lezinkinga zokuphila kwesimanje kwaseMelika. UDkt. Restad uthi: “Kuwo wonke amaholide, uKhisimusi waba ithuluzi eliphumelelayo lokuthuthela inkolo nomuzwa ongokwenkolo emakhaya nokulungisa ukweqisa nokuhluleka komphakathi wezwe.” Unezela ngokuthi: “Ukuphana izipho, ukupha abaswele, ngisho nokufiselana ngobungane izilokotho ezinhle zamaholide nokuhlobisa nokujabulela isihlahla esingabuni esibekwe endaweni yezivakashi, noma kamuva, ehholo likaSonto-sikole, kwakwenza amalungu omkhaya asondelane, futhi asondele esontweni nasemphakathini.”
Ngokufanayo, abaningi namuhla bagubha uKhisimusi njengendlela yokuqinisekisa uthando lwabo ngomunye nomunye nokusiza ekugcineni ubunye bomkhaya. Yiqiniso, izici ezingokomoya nazo akumelwe zithalaliswe. Izigidi zabantu zigubha uKhisimusi zidumisa ukuzalwa kukaJesu. Zingase ziye ezinkonzweni zesonto ezikhethekile, zibeke imifanekiso Yokuzalwa KukaJesu emakhaya, noma zithandaze zibonga uJesu ngokwakhe. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyibheka kanjani lendaba? Ingabe uyavumelana nalezi zinto? Cabangela lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli.
“Thandani Iqiniso Nokuthula”
Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, watshela abalandeli bakhe: “UNkulunkulu uwuMoya, futhi labo abamkhulekelayo kumelwe bakhulekele ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) UJesu waphila ngokuvumelana nalawo mazwi. Wakhuluma iqiniso njalo. Wamlingisa ngokuphelele uYise, ‘uJehova uNkulunkulu weqiniso.’—IHubo 31:5, NW; Johane 14:9.
Esebenzisa iBhayibheli, uJehova uye wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi uyazizonda zonke izinhlobo zokukhohlisa. (IHubo 5:6) Ngakho, akuyona yini indida ukuthi izici eziningi ezihlobene noKhisimusi zisekelwe emangeni? Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngenganekwane ephathelene noSanta Claus. Ingabe wake wazama ukuchazela ingane ukuthi kungani uSanta ekhetha ukungena ngoshimula kunokuba angene ngomnyango, njengoba kukholelwa kanjalo emazweni amaningi? Futhi uSanta uwavakashela kanjani amakhaya ayizigidi eziningi kangaka ngobusuku obubodwa nje? Kuthiwani ngezinyamazane ezinkulu ezindizayo? Lapho ingane ithola ukuthi iye yakhohliswa ngokuphathelene nokukholelwa kwayo ukuthi uSanta ungumuntu wangempela, ingabe lokho akukonakalisi ukwethembela kwayo kubazali bayo?
I-Catholic Encyclopedia ikubeka ngokungagwegwesi: “Imikhuba yobuqaba . . . yaphenduka uKhisimusi.” Khona-ke kungani iSonto LamaKatolika namanye amasonto eLobukholwa eqhubeka egqugquzela iholide elinemikhuba enomsuka ongewona owobuKristu? Ingabe lokho akubonisi ukuvuna izimfundiso zobuqaba?
Lapho esemhlabeni uJesu akazange akhuthaze abantu ukuba bamkhulekele. UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.” (Mathewu 4:10) Ngokufanayo, ngemva kokukhazinyuliswa kukaJesu kwasezulwini, ingelosi yatshela umphostoli uJohane ukuba ‘akhulekele uNkulunkulu,’ okubonisa ukuthi akukho okwase kushintshile ngokuphathelene nalendaba. (IsAmbulo 19:10) Lokhu kuholela embuzweni othi, Ingabe uJesu angakwamukela konke ukuzinikela kokukhulekela okuqondiswa kuye, hhayi kuYise, ngesikhathi sikaKhisimusi?
Ngokusobala, amaqiniso aphathelene noKhisimusi wanamuhla awamahle. Ubufakazi obuningi bubonisa ukuthi ngokuyinhloko uyiholide elisekelwe emlandweni owonakele. Khona-ke, ngonembeza omuhle izigidi zamaKristu ziye zakhetha ukungawugubhi uKhisimusi. Ngokwesibonelo, osemusha othile okuthiwa uRyan uthi ngokuphathelene noKhisimusi: “Abantu bajabulela izinsukwana ezimbalwa zonyaka lapho umkhaya uhlangana ndawonye futhi wonke ujabulile. Kodwa yini ekhethekile ngalokho? Abazali bami bangipha izipho unyaka wonke!” Omunye osemusha, oneminyaka engu-12, uthi: “Anginawo umuzwa wokuthi ngincishwa okuthile. Ngithola izipho unyaka wonke, hhayi ngosuku olulodwa olukhethekile lapho abantu bezizwa bephoqelekile ukuthenga izipho.”
Umprofethi uZakariya wakhuthaza ama-Israyeli akubo ukuba ‘athande iqiniso nokuthula.’ (Zakariya 8:19) Uma thina, njengoZakariya namanye amadoda athembekile asendulo, ‘silithanda iqiniso,’ akufanele yini sigweme noma imuphi umkhosi wenkolo ongamanga ohlambalaza ‘uNkulunkulu ophilayo noweqiniso,’ uJehova?—1 Thesalonika 1:9.
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
“Anginawo umuzwa wokuthi ngincishwa okuthile. Ngithola izipho unyaka wonke”