Liyini Iqiniso Ngezulu?
YEKA indlela okhanga ngayo umcabango wokuyophila ezulwini! AmaSulumane, amaHindu, amaBuddha, amalungu amasonto eLobukholwa, ngisho nabantu abaningi abangayithakaseleli inkolo banezinkolelo ezihlukahlukene ngokuphila ngemva kokufa. Ngokuvamile, izulu libhekwa njengendawo enhle nejabulisayo lapho abantu bekhululwa khona ekuhluphekeni futhi bahlangane “nabantu ababathandayo ababashiya ngokufa.” Noma kunjalo, lesi saga esidala siyiqiniso kwabaningi: Wonke umuntu ufuna ukuya ezulwini, kodwa akekho ofuna ukufa ukuze aye khona. Kungani kunjalo?
Uma sasidalelwe ukufa bese siya ezulwini, bebengeke yini babe baningi abantu abakufisayo ukufa njengoba nje ingane encane ifisa ukukhula noma osemusha elangazelela ukushada? Kodwa abantu abaningi abakufuni ukufa.
Yize kunjalo, abefundisi bathi ngemva kokuphila isikhathi esifushane emhlabeni, izulu liyindawo esidalelwe ukuyophila kuyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ukhadinali Theodore McCarrick, umbhishobhi omkhulu waseWashington, D.C., wacashunwa ethi: “Asidalelwanga lokhu kuphila. Sadalelwa ukuphila ezulwini.” Ngokufanayo, owayengumongameli we-U.S. National Association of Evangelicals, wacashunwa ethi: “Injongo yokuphila iwukukhazimulisa uNkulunkulu nokuya ezulwini . . . ngoba izulu liyikhaya lethu.”
Labo abakholelwa ukuthi bazoya ezulwini ngemva kokufa bavame ukusekela le nkolelo yabo olwazini olungaphelele. UGeorge Barna, umongameli wenhlangano ecwaninga ngemibono yezinkolo ezihlukahlukene, wathola ukuthi abantu abaningi baba “nemibono ethile ekuphileni kuhlanganise naleyo yangemva kokufa ngenxa yokuthonywa imithombo ehlukahlukene, njengamabhayisikobho, umculo nezincwadi zikaqedisizungu.” Umfundisi wesonto lase-Episcopal (isonto elaphuma kwelaseSheshi) eFlorida wacashunwa ethi: “Ukuphela kwento esiyaziyo ngezulu ukuthi liyindawo kaNkulunkulu yokuhlala.”
Nokho, izulu liyindaba esemqoka iBhayibheli elikhuluma ngayo. Ngokusho kwezwi likaNkulunkulu, linjani izulu? Ingabe umuntu wayedalelwe ukuyophila ezulwini? Uma ngempela abantu beya ezulwini, yini abayoyenza lapho?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 3]
Kungani bebaningi abafuna ukuya ezulwini, kodwa bembalwa abafisa ukufa ukuze baye khona?