Yini Abantu Abayikholelwayo Ngokuphila Ngemva Kokufa?
“Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?”—JOBE 14:14.
1, 2. Abaningi bayifuna ngaziphi izindlela induduzo lapho belahlekelwe othandekayo ngokufa?
ENDAWENI yabangcwabi eNew York City, abangane nomndeni bashaya ujenga bethule, badlula eceleni kwebhokisi lomngcwabo elivuliwe lomfana oneminyaka engu-17 ubudala, obulawe umdlavuza esemncane. Unina olusizi ulokhu ephindaphinda ngezinyembezi: “UTommy ujabula kakhulu manje. UNkulunkulu ubefuna uTommy eze kuye ezulwini.” Yilokho aye wafundiswa ukuba akukholelwe.
2 Endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-11 000, eJamnagar, eNdiya, indodana endala kwamathathu yokhela izinkuni zokushisa isidumbu sikayise oshonile. Njengoba umlilo uqhuqhuza, iBrahman ihlabelela umthandazo wesiSanskrit: “Kwangathi umphefumulo ongafi nhlobo ungaqhubeka nemizamo yawo yokuhlangana nokuphila kokugcina.”
3. Yimiphi imibuzo abantu abaye bacabanga ngayo phakathi neminyaka edlule?
3 Ubufakazi bokuthi ukufa kungokoqobo busizungezile. (Roma 5:12) Kuyinto evamile ukuba sizibuze ukuthi ingabe ukufa kusho ukuphela kwayo yonke into. Ecabanga ngomjikelezo wezitshalo ongokwemvelo, uJobe, inceku ethembekile kaJehova uNkulunkulu yasendulo, wathi: “Kukhona ithemba emthini: uma unqunywa, ungabuye uhlume, nehlumela lawo aliyikuphela.” Kuthiwani-ke ngabantu? “Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?” kubuza uJobe. (Jobe 14:7, 14) Phakathi neminyaka edlule, kuyo yonke imiphakathi abantu baye bacabanga ngale mibuzo: Ingabe kukhona ukuphila ngemva kokufa? Uma kukhona, luhlobo luni lokuphila? Yini-ke abantu abayikholelwayo? Futhi ngani?
Izimpendulo Eziningi Endabeni Eyodwa
4. Yini abantu bezinkolo ezihlukahlukene abayikholelwayo ngokuphila ngemva kokufa?
4 AmaKristu amaningi okuzisholo akholelwa ukuthi ngemva kokufa, abantu baya ezulwini noma esihogweni. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amaHindu anenkolelo yokuphind’ ukuzalwa. Ngokwenkolelo yeNkolo YamaSulumane, kuyoba nosuku lokwahlulela ngemva kokufa, lapho u-Allah eyohlaziya inkambo yokuphila yomuntu ngamunye, abese emdlulisela epharadesi noma esihogweni somlilo. Kwamanye amazwe, izinkolelo eziphathelene nabafileyo zingamasiko endawo axutshwe ngendlela exakayo nobuKristu bokuzisholo. Ngokwesibonelo, eSri Lanka amaBuddha namaKatolika ashiya iminyango namafasitela kuvuleke gengelezi lapho kushoniwe emikhayeni yawo, abese ebeka ibhokisi ngendlela yokuthi izinyawo zikamufi zibheke ngasemnyango ongaphambili. Akholelwa ukuthi lokhu kwenza ukuba umoya, noma umphefumulo, woshonile uphume kalula. KumaKatolika namaProthestani amaningi eNtshonalanga ye-Afrika, kuyisiko ukumboza izibuko lapho kushona othile ukuze kungabibikho muntu obuka isibuko abese ebona umoya wofileyo. Kube sekuthi ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40 umndeni nabangane bagubhe umkhosi wokwenyukela komphefumulo ezulwini.
5. Iyiphi inkolelo eyisisekelo izinkolo eziningi ezivumelana ngayo?
5 Naphezu kwalokhu kuhlukahluka, kubonakala sengathi izinkolo eziningi okungenani zivumelana ngento eyodwa. Zikholelwa ukuthi okuthile okungaphakathi kumuntu—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kubizwa ngomphefumulo noma ngomoya—akufi futhi kuyaqhubeka kuphila ngemva kokufa komzimba. Cishe amakhulukhulu azo zonke izinkolo namahlelo eLobukholwa ayayisekela inkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo. Le nkolelo iyimfundiso engokomthetho naseNkolweni YobuJuda. Iwumgogodla wemfundiso yeNkolo YobuHindu yokuphind’ ukuzalwa. AmaSulumane akholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo uyaqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa komzimba. AboMdabu base-Australia, abase-Afrika abakholelwa emimoyeni, abeNkolo YobuShinto, ngisho namaBuddha, bonke bafundisa yona le nkolelo ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.
6. Ezinye izazi ziwubheka kanjani umqondo wokuthi umphefumulo awufi?
6 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kukhona labo abanombono wokuthi ukuphila kuyaphela ngemva kokufa. Kubona ubonakala ungenangqondo umqondo wokuthi imizwelo nengqondo kuyaqhubeka kusebenza emphefumulweni ongeyena umuntu nosasithunzi ohlukene nomzimba. Isazi saseSpain sekhulu lama-20 uMiguel de Unamuno siyabhala: “Ukukholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo kuwukufisa ukuba umphefumulo ungafi, kodwa kuwukufisa kakhulu kangangokuba uze uwashalazele ngokuphelele amaqiniso.” Abanye abanenkolelo ecishe ifane nalena bahlanganisa abantu abahlukene njengezazi zefilosofi ezidumile zasendulo u-Aristotle no-Epicurus, udokotela uHippocrates, isazi sefilosofi saseScotland uDavid Hume, isazi esingumArabhu u-Averroës kanye nondunankulu wokuqala waseNdiya ngemva kokuthola uzibuse, uJawaharlal Nehru.
7. Yimiphi imibuzo ebalulekile osekumelwe icatshangelwe mayelana nenkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo?
7 Njengoba sibhekene nemibono nezinkolelo okungqubuzana ngale ndlela, kumelwe sibuze: Sinawo ngempela yini umphefumulo ongafi? Uma umphefumulo ufa, imfundiso engamanga ngale ndlela ingaba kanjani-ke yingxenye ebalulekile yezinkolo eziningi kangaka zanamuhla? Waqalaphi lo mbono? Kubalulekile ukuba sithole izimpendulo eziyiqiniso nezanelisayo zale mibuzo ngoba ikusasa lethu lixhomeke kukho. (1 Korinte 15:19) Kodwa, ake siqale sihlole indlela imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo eyaqala ngayo.
Umsuka Wale Mfundiso
8. Iyiphi indima eyafezwa uSocrates noPlato ekuthuthukiseni umbono wokuthi umphefumulo awufi?
8 Izazi zefilosofi ezingamaGreki zekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E. uSocrates noPlato kuthiwa zaziphakathi kwabokuqala abathuthukisa umbono wokuthi umphefumulo awufi. Nokho, zazingebona abasunguli balo mbono. Kunalokho, zawuphucula futhi zawushintsha zawenza waba yimfundiso yefilosofi, kanjalo zawenza wakhanga kakhudlwana ezigabeni zezifundiswa zosuku lwazo nakwezakamuva. Empeleni, amaZoroaster asePheresiya lasendulo nabantu baseGibithe bangaphambi kwawo nabo babekholelwa emphefumulweni ongafi. Khona-ke, umbuzo uwukuthi uyini umthombo wale mfundiso?
9. Wawuyini umthombo wethonya kuwo wonke amasiko asendulo aseGibithe, ePheresiya naseGrisi?
9 Incwadi ethi The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, ithi: “Endulo, iGibithe, iPheresiya neGrisi kwathonywa yinkolo yaseBabiloni.” Ngokuqondene nezinkolelo ezingokwenkolo zabaseGibithe, le ncwadi iqhubeka ithi: “Ngenxa yokusebenzelana kwangaphambili kweGibithe neBabiloni, njengoba kuvezwa yizibhebhe zase-El-Amarna, ayemaningi impela amathuba okungena kwemibono namasiko aseBabiloni emahlelweni abaseGibithe.”a Kungokufanayo nangamasiko asePheresiya nawaseGrisi akudala.
10. Wawuyini umbono waseBabiloni wokuphila ngemva kokufa?
10 Kodwa ingabe abaseBabiloni lasendulo babekholelwa emphefumulweni ongafi? Kuleli phuzu, uProfesa Morris Jastrow, Jr., wase-University of Pennsylvania, e-U.S.A., wabhala: “Abantu nabaholi benkolo [baseBabiloni] babengakaze bacabange ukuthi kwakungenzeka ukuba ukuphila okwake kwaba khona kuphele nyá. [Ngokombono wabo] ukufa kwakuyibhuloho eliyisa kolunye uhlobo lokuphila, futhi ukuphika ukungafi [kulokhu kuphila] kwakumane kugcizelela ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukukubalekela ukushintshela kwesinye isimo ekufeni.” Yebo, abaseBabiloni babekholelwa ukuthi uhlobo oluthile lokuphila luyaqhubeka ngemva kokufa lusesimweni esithile. Lokhu babekuveza ngokungcwaba abafileyo nezinto ezithile ukuze bazisebenzise ekuPhileni Ngemva Kokufa.
11, 12. Ngemva kweSikhukhula, yavelaphi imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo?
11 Kuyacaca ukuthi imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo isuka emuva eBabiloni lasendulo. Ingabe lokho kubalulekile? Yebo, ngoba ngokweBhayibheli, umuzi waseBabele, noma waseBabiloni, wasungulwa uNimrode, indodana yomzukulu kaNowa. Ngemva kweSikhukhula sembulunga yonke sangosuku lukaNowa, bonke abantu babekhuluma ulimi olulodwa futhi benenkolo eyodwa. UNimrode akagcinanga ‘ngokumelana noJehova’ kodwa futhi yena nabalandeli bakhe babefuna ‘ukuzenzela igama.’ Kanjalo ngokusungula lo muzi nokwakha umbhoshongo kuwo, uNimrode waqala inkolo ehlukile.—Genesise 10:1, 6, 8-10; 11:1-4.
12 Kuthiwa uNimrode wafa ngobudlova. Ngemva kokufa kwakhe, kungaqondakala ukuthi abaseBabiloni babeyothambekela ekumhlonipheni kakhulu njengomsunguli, umakhi nenkosi yokuqala yomuzi wabo. Njengoba unkulunkulu uMarduk (Merodaki) ayebhekwa njengomsunguli weBabiloni futhi amakhosi amaningana aseBabiloni aze ethiwa ngaye, ezinye izazi ziye zasikisela ukuthi uMarduk ufanekisela uNimrode owenziwe waba unkulunkulu. (2 AmaKhosi 25:27; Isaya 39:1; Jeremiya 50:2) Uma kunjalo, khona-ke, umbono wokuthi umuntu unomphefumulo osindayo ekufeni kumelwe ukuba wawusukhona okungenani ngesikhathi sokufa kukaNimrode. Noma yikuphi, umlando wembula ukuthi ngemva kweSikhukhula, indawo okwavela kuyo imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo yiBabele, noma iBabiloni.
13. Imfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi yasakazekela kanjani kuwo wonke umhlaba, futhi waba yini umphumela?
13 IBhayibheli libonisa nokuthi uNkulunkulu wabhuntshisa imizamo yabakhi bombhoshongo eBabele ngokuphambanisa ulimi lwabo. Njengoba babengasakwazi ukukhulumisana, bawuyeka umsebenzi wabo futhi basakazekela “emhlabeni wonke.” (Genesise 11:5-9) Kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi yize yayisishintshiwe inkulumo yalaba bantu ababezoba abakhi bombhoshongo, ukucabanga nemiqondo yabo akushintshwanga. Ngenxa yalokho, nomaphi lapho babeya khona, babehamba nemiqondo yabo engokwenkolo. Ngale ndlela, izimfundiso zenkolo zaseBabiloni—kuhlanganise neyokungafi komphefumulo—zasakazekela emhlabeni futhi zaba yisisekelo sezinkolo ezinkulu zomhlaba. Kanjalo kwasunguleka umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga, ochazwa ngokufanelekile eBhayibhelini ngokuthi “iBabiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowezinengiso zomhlaba.”—IsAmbulo 17:5.
Umbuso Wezwe Wenkolo Yamanga Wenabela EMpumalanga
14. Izinkolelo ezingokwenkolo zaseBabiloni zasakazekela kanjani ezwekazini laseNdiya?
14 Ezinye izazi-mlando zithi eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-3 500 edlule, igagasi lokuthutha laletha abantu abanesikhumba esimhloshana abangama-Aryan bevela enyakatho-ntshonalanga, beza eSigodini Sase-Indus, manje ngokuyinhloko abasePakistan naseNdiya. Kusukela lapho basakazekela emathafeni oMfula iGanges futhi beqela ngalé kwelaseNdiya. Ezinye izazi zithi imiqondo engokwenkolo yalaba bantu ababethutha yayisekelwe ezimfundisweni zase-Iran yasendulo nezaseBabiloni. Le miqondo engokwenkolo yabe isiba umsuka wobuHindu.
15. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba umqondo womphefumulo ongafi uthonye ubuHindu banamuhla?
15 KwelaseNdiya, umqondo womphefumulo ongafi waba yimfundiso yokuphind’ ukuzalwa. Izazi ezingamaHindu, ezazishikilisana nenkinga yendawo yonke yobubi nokuhlupheka kwabantu, zafinyelela kulokho okubizwa ngokuthi umthetho weKarma, umthetho wembangela nomphumela. Zihlanganisa lo mthetho nenkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo, zafinyelela emfundisweni yokuphind’ ukuzalwa, ethi izenzo ezinhle nezimbi ekuphileni ziyavuzwa noma zibangele isijeziso ekuphileni okulandelayo. Umgomo wabathembekile yi-moksha, noma ukukhululeka emjikelezweni wokuzalwa kabusha nokuthola lokho okuthiwa ukuphila kokugcina, noma iNirvana. Njengoba ubuHindu babanda phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, nemfundiso yokuphind’ ukuzalwa yanda. Futhi le mfundiso iye yaba yinsika yobuHindu banamuhla.
16. Iyiphi inkolelo yokuPhila Ngemva Kokufa eyavelela ekucabangeni nasemikhubeni engokwenkolo yabantu abaningi baseMpumalanga ye-Asia?
16 ENkolweni YobuHindu kwavela ezinye izinkolo, njengobuBuddha, ubuJain nobuSikh. Nalezi zikholelwa emfundisweni yokuphind’ ukuzalwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ubuBuddha babenabela engxenyeni enkulu yeMpumalanga Asia—eChina, eKorea, eJapane nakwezinye izindawo—bawathonya kakhulu amasiko nenkolo yayo yonke leyo ndawo. Lokhu kwazala izinkolo ezaziyinhlanganisela yezinkolelo, ezihlanganisa izimfundiso zobuBuddha, ukusebenzisa imimoya nokukhulekela okhokho. Ezinethonya kakhulu kulezi ubuTao, ubuConfucian nobuShinto. Ngale ndlela inkolelo yokuthi ukuphila kuyaqhubeka ngemva kokufa komzimba iye yavelela ekucabangeni nasemikhubeni engokwenkolo yabantu abaningi abakuleyo ngxenye yomhlaba.
Kuthiwani NgobuJuda, ELobukholwa NobuSulumane?
17. Yini amaJuda asendulo ayeyikholelwa ngokuphila ngemva kokufa?
17 Yini abayikholelwayo abantu bezinkolo zobuJuda, eLobukholwa neyobuSulumane mayelana nokuphila ngemva kokufa? Kulezi zinkolo, ubuJuda budala kakhulu kunazo zonke. Busuka emuva esikhathini sika-Abrahama, eminyakeni engaba ngu-4 000 edlule—ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba uSocrates noPlato bathuthukise inkolelo-mbono yokungafi komphefumulo. AmaJuda asendulo ayekholelwa ekuvukeni kwabafileyo hhayi ekungafini esizalwe nako. (Mathewu 22:31, 32; Heberu 11:19) Khona-ke, le mfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo yangena kanjani ebuJudeni? Umlando unayo impendulo.
18, 19. Imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo yangena kanjani eNkolweni YobuJuda?
18 Ngo-332 B.C.E., u-Alexander Omkhulu wanqoba iMpumalanga Ephakathi, kuhlanganise neJerusalema. Njengoba abalandeli baka-Alexander babeqhubeka nohlelo lwakhe lokuGuqulela Abantu EbuGrekini, kwaxubana amasiko amabili—elamaGreki nelamaJuda. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaJuda ajwayelana nendlela yamaGreki yokucabanga, futhi amanye aze aba yizazi zefilosofi imbala.
19 UPhilo wase-Alexandria, wekhulu lokuqala C.E., wayengesinye salezi zazi zefilosofi ezingamaJuda. Wayemhlonipha uPlato futhi wazama ukuchaza ubuJuda ngefilosofi yamaGreki, kanjalo ezicabela indlela izihlakaniphi zakamuva ezingamaJuda. ITalmud—imibhalo yaworabi ehlaziya imithetho edluliselwa ngomlomo—nayo ithonywe yindlela yokucabanga yamaGreki. I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Orabi beTalmud babekholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo uyaqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa.” Imibhalo yakamuva yamaJuda eyindida, njengeCabala, ize ifundise nangokuphind’ ukuzalwa. Umbono wokungafi komphefumulo wangena kanjalo ebuJudeni, wangena ngesinyenyela ngefilosofi yamaGreki. Yini engase ishiwo ngokungena kwale mfundiso kweLobukholwa?
20, 21. (a) Sasiyini isimo samaKristu okuqala ngokuphathelene nefilosofi kaPlato, noma yamaGreki? (b) Yini eyaholela ekuhlanganisweni kwemibono kaPlato nezimfundiso zobuKristu?
20 UbuKristu bangempela baqala ngoJesu Kristu. Ngokuphathelene noJesu, uMiguel de Unamuno, ocashunwe ngaphambili, wabhala: “Wayekholelwa ekuvukeni kwenyama, ngokwendlela yamaJuda, hhayi ekungafini komphefumulo, ngokwendlela [yamaGreki] kaPlato.” Waphetha: “Ukungafi komphefumulo . . . kuyimfundiso yefilosofi yamaqaba.” Ngenxa yalokhu, singabona ukuthi kungani umphostoli uPawulu awaxwayisa ngokunamandla amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala “ngefilosofi nenkohliso eyize ngokwesiko labantu, ngokwezinto zokucathula zezwe futhi hhayi ngokukaKristu.”—Kolose 2:8.
21 Nokho, le “mfundiso yefilosofi yamaqaba” yangena kanjani futhi nini kweLobukholwa? I-New Encyclopædia Britannica iyachaza: “Kusukela maphakathi nekhulu lesibili AD, amaKristu ayefundelé ifilosofi yamaGreki aqala ukubona isidingo sokuchaza ukholo lwawo ngayo, ukuze anelise izingqondo zawo futhi aguqule amaqaba afundile. Ifilosofi eyawafanela kangcono kwakungekaPlato.” Izazi zefilosofi ezimbili zakuqala ezinjalo ezaba nethonya elikhulu ezimfundisweni zeLobukholwa kwakungu-Origen wase-Alex-andria no-Augustine waseHippo. Zombili zazithonywe kakhulu yimibono kaPlato futhi zaba nesandla ekuhlanganiseni leyo mibono nezimfundiso zobuKristu.
22. Imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo iye yaqhubeka kanjani ivelele eNkolweni YamaSulumane?
22 Nakuba umqondo wokungafi komphefumulo ebuJudeni nakweLobukholwa waba khona ngenxa yethonya likaPlato, eNkolweni YobuSulumane le mfundiso yafakwa ekuqaleni kwayo le nkolo. IKoran, incwadi engcwele yamaSulumane, ifundisa ukuthi umuntu unomphefumulo oqhubeka uphila ngemva kokufa. Ikhuluma ngokuthi indawo yokugcina yomphefumulo kungaba ukuphila engadini yasezulwini eyipharadesi noma ukujeziswa esihogweni esivuthayo. Lokhu akusho ukuthi izazi ezingama-Arabhu azizange zizame ukulumbanisa izimfundiso zobuSulumane nefilosofi yamaGreki. Empeleni, ama-Arabhu athonywa umsebenzi ka-Aristotle ngokwezinga elithile. Nokho, amaSulumane asalokhu ekholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo.
23. Yimiphi imibuzo enamandla ephathelene nokuphila ngemva kokufa okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?
23 Kucacile ukuthi izinkolo emhlabeni wonke ziye zakha izinkolelo ezihlukahlukene ezixakayo zokuPhila Ngemva Kokufa, ezisekelwe emfundisweni yokuthi umphefumulo awufi. Futhi izinkolelo ezinjalo ziye zathonya, yebo, zaze zabusa futhi zagqilaza izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu. Njengoba sesizwe konke lokhu, siyaphoqeleka ukuba sibuze: Kungenzeka yini silazi iqiniso ngokuthi kwenzekani lapho sifa? Ingabe kukhona ukuphila ngemva kokufa? Lithini iBhayibheli ngako? Loku sizoxoxa ngako esihlokweni esilandelayo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a I-El-Amarna yindawo enamanxiwa omuzi waseGibithe i-Akhetaton, okuthiwa wakhiwa ngekhulu le-14 B.C.E.
Ungachaza?
◻ Siyini isici esifanayo ezinkolelweni zezinkolo eziningi mayelana nokuphila ngemva kokufa?
◻ Umlando neBhayibheli kubonisa kanjani ukuthi imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo yavela eBabiloni lasendulo?
◻ Izinkolo zaseMpumalanga zathonywa kanjani yinkolelo yaseBabiloni yomphefumulo ongafi?
◻ Imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo yangena kanjani eNkolweni YobuJuda, kweLobukholwa naseNkolweni YamaSulumane?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12, 13]
Ukunqoba kuka-Alexander Omkhulu kwaholela ekuhlanganeni kwamasiko amaGreki nawamaJuda
U-Augustine wazama ukuhlanganisa ifilosofi kaPlato nobuKristu
[Imithombo]
Alexander: Musei Capitolini, Roma; Augustine: From the book Great Men and Famous Women