Ukwelapha Ngokwamasiko EAfrika—Ingabe Kuyavumelana NobuKristu?

Ngezigidigidi zabantu abaNsundu, abelapha ngokwamasiko bawukuphela kwabaya kubo ngezokwelapha zanoma yiluphi uhlobo. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi emaphandleni lapho izibhedlela zimbalwa nodokotela beyindlala. Nokho, ngokuvamile ukwelapha ngokwamasiko kugxile kakhulu ekukholelweni ezeni nasemimoyeni. Yini umKristu okumelwe ayenze ngaphansi kwalezizimo?

“‘NAKANJANI ‘le-agbo’ izombulala futhi iqede ukuhlupheka kwakhe nokwethu.’ Kanjalo, ngokucabangela ukuthi lelikhambi elisha lalizokwenza ukuba ngife bahlukane nami, lesithako sathelwa emphinjeni wami.”

Lokhu kwabhalwa udokotela wezokwelapha eLagos, eNigeria, ohlwini lweSunday Times olwalunesihloko esithi “Ungamedeleli Owelapha Ngokwamasiko.” Wayechaza indlela abazali bakhe abase belahle ngayo ithemba lokululama kwakhe ekuguleni okubi kakhulu lapho enonyaka owodwa nje kuphela. Kwathiwa umuthi, abawuthunyelelwa owelapha ngokwamasiko, yiwo owasindisa ukuphila kwakhe.

Abantu abaningi abaNsundu abathanda ukwelapha ngokwamasiko balandisa ngokuphulukiswa okumangalisayo okuye kwaphumelela lapho ukwelapha kwasesibhedlela kuye kwahluleka khona. Abanye bayakugxeka bethi kuyindlela yokwelapha engahlanzekile ngokwezempilo, eyinkolelo-ze. Phakathi neX ndawo kunalabo abafuna ukuba kwenziwe ukuhlola okungokwesayensi emakhambini abantu ezokwelapha nokuba abelapha ngokwamasiko baqashelwe futhi bamukelwe kakhudlwana. Abaningi bangathanda ukubona ukwelapha ngokwamasiko nokwesimanje kuhlanganiswa, becaphuna ukubambisana okukhona eChina naseNdiya phakathi kwabelaphi bawo womabili amaqembu.

Ngisho noma ungahlali eAfrika, ungase ube nesithakazelo sokwazi ukuthi ingabe ukwelapha kwabantu abaNsundu ngempela kuyaphumelela futhi kuyasiza yini. Kuthiwani ngemikhosi yamasiko evame kangaka kwabaNsundu? Ingabe amandla angaphezu kwawemvelo ayisici esibalulekile noma ayisici esiyingozi okumelwe sinqatshwe? Kumelwe sibe yini isimo somKristu ngasekwelapheni ngokwamasiko okunjalo kwabaNsundu?

Imithi Engamakhambi

Yebo, uhlaza luwumthombo wethu oyinhloko wokudla futhi lubalulekile ukuze siphile. Kunemithi futhi ekhiqiza imilaliso noma ushevu eye yabulala abantu abangenakubalwa abaye bayisebenzisa kabi. Kodwa bewazi yini ukuthi eminye yayo lemilaliso efanayo iyasetshenziswa ekwelapheni namuhla? Ososayensi baye bathola eminye yalemi1aliso ngokuxilonga imithi eyayisetshenziswa emithini yabantu noma ezithakweni zezinyanga. Baqoqa lezozinhlobo zemithi, bazihlaziya ngokucophelela, base behlola ukusebenza kwayo emzimbeni nasezilwaneni ezincane ezibangela izifo. Umphumela uye waba ukukhiqizwa kwemilaliso ethile yezokwelapha ebalulekile, njengequinine, reserpine, digitalis, necodeine.

Abantu basendulo bathola amakhambi okwelapha amaningi ngengozi, ngokuzama nangokwehluleka, noma ngokuhlola lokho okwenzeka ezilwaneni lapho zidle izitshalo ezithile. Ngokuvamile labo abenza ukuhlola okunjalo futhi baba abelaphi babeligcina emikhayeni yabo lelokhono. Ngaleyondlela ulwazi lwamakhambi lwaludluliswa lusuka kuyise luya endodaneni noma kwabanye abantu ababekhethelwa ukuqeqeshwa. Abaningi abelapha ngokwamasiko namanje basakuthanda ukufihla, ngokuvamile bakwenqena kakhulu ukwembula izitshalo abenza ngazo imithi yabo. Kodwa kunokwengeziwe ekwelapheni ngokwamasiko kwabaNsundu kunamakhambi ezokwelapha kuphela.

Ithonya Elinamandla Lemimoya

Ukwelapha ngokwamasiko okuningi kwabaNsundu kuye kwahlangana eduze namandla angaphezu kwawemvelo. Abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi izitshalo zinemizwa, amandla okukhuluma, nokuhlakanipha okukhulu. Abanye abelaphi bathi bayaluqonda ulimi lwezitshalo futhi bayakwazi ukukhuluma nazo. Abanye ababoni ukukhulumisana kuvela ezitshalweni, ngoba bathi imimoya engabonakali iye yabaqondisa kulawo makhambi aphilisayo.

Khona-ke imimoya iye yafeza indima enkulu ekwelapheni ngokwamasiko eAfrika. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abaningi baseNigeria bakholelwa ukuthi izifo nokufa kubangelwa ukucasuka kwabaphansi (noma imimoya yawokhokho) noma izitha ezisebenzisa ubuthakathi. Khona-ke kwenziwa imihlatshelo yokushweleza, futhi kwenziwe imicikilisho nezindlela zemimoya.

UAsuquo, umelaphi waseNigeria, wayekukholelwa ngokunamandla lokhu. Uthi: “Ukwelapha ngamakhambi ngakufundiswa ubaba futhi ngangivame ukuhlabela abaphansi nemimoya yokhokho bethu lapho ngithaka izithako zami. Ngangikholelwa ukuthi ibona abaphilisayo nokuthi ukungabahlabeli kungabangela ukugula nokufa. ”

Eqinisweni, kuvame ukusebenza ngokuphambene nalokho. Izinkolelo ezinjalo ziye zabangela izigidi zabantu ukuba zisabe izinkolelo eziyize nokuba yizigqila zemimoya engabonakali. Abaningi baye bakhathazwa futhi bahlushwa imimoya. Lokhu kukodwa kuyisizathu esinamandla sokwenqaba noma ikuphi ukwelapha okuhlanganisa imihlatshelo noma imikhosi yemimoya. Futhi imimoya engakhathaza futhi ihluphe abantu noma ibakhohlisele ekucabangeni ukuthi okhokho babo basaphila noma ukuthi izitshalo zingakhuluma ngokusobala iyakhohlisa futhi mibi. IBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Lokho okuhlatshwa ngabezizwe bakuhlabela amademoni, kabakuhlabeli uNkulunkulu. Kepha angithandi ukuba nibe-nenhlanganyelo namademoni.”—1 Korinte 10:20.

Amademoni, izingelosi ezingalaleli uNkulunkulu azibekele ukubhujiswa esikhathini esizayo, alwela ukuphambukisa abantu ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. (2 Petru 2:4; Juda 6) Ngezinye izikhathi azishaya sengathi angonkulunkulu abawusizo. (2 Korinte 11:14) Eqhubela phambili ukukhohlisa kwawo, azenza abantu asebafa futhi aholela abantu ekucabangeni ukuthi okhokho babo basaphila ezweni lemimoya. Nokho, iBhayibheli lithi ngokucacile: “Abafileyo abazi-lutho, . . . ngokuba akukho-msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha endaweni yabafileyo, lapho uya khona.”—UmShumayeli 9:5, 10.

Khona-ke kuyoba okungalungile ngabakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso ukwamukela ezinyangeni noma imaphi amakhambi ahilela ukusetshenziswa kwemimoya. Ngokufanayo, izinyanga ezifisa ukunikela kuNkulunkulu ukukhulekela okwamukelekayo kumelwe zihlukane nanoma ikuphi ukusetshenziswa kwemimoya. Yiqiniso, labo abaphendukela emimoyeni balahlekelwa umusa nesivikelo sikaNkulunkulu futhi abanayo indawo ebandleni lobuKristu. (Galathiya 5:19-21; IsAmbulo 21:8) Baningi abaye bahlukana nemimoya, futhi baye bathola ukuthi ukwelapha ngamakhambi kungaphumelela kahle ngaphandle kokusetshenziswa kwemimoya.

Ukuguqukela EbuKristwini

Ekhuluma ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe siqu, uErhabor, udokotela oqashelwa ngokomthetho onesibhedlela samakhambi, uthi: “Ekuqaleni ngangikholelwa ukuthi imihlatshelo kwakumelwe ihlanganiswe nokwelapha ukuze kulwiwe nomoya obangela isifo. Kodwa ngemva kokuba sengitadishe iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova futhi ngaba umKristu, ngahlukana nalezinqubo futhi manje ngihambisana nezimiso zeBhayibheli. Ngiye ngathola ukuthi amandla okuphilisa asezitshalweni ngokwazo.”

Ngokufanayo, uAsuquo uthi: “Izinto engazifunda ngoJehova zaletha injongo entsha ekuphileni kwami. Ukwesaba kwami okhokho kwaphela, futhi ngamazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngabona futhi ukuthi imihlatshelo yayingadingekile nokuthi kuwumpe lwamagxolo nolwamahlamvu oluphilisa abantu. Abantu abaningi manje beza kimi ukuze belashwe ngoba angikusebenzisi kabi ukukholelwa kwabo ezeni ngokufuna imihlatshelo. Ukwelapha kwami akubabizi kakhulu njengoba kuba njalo lapho beya kwabelapha ngemilingo.”

Ngenxa yokuthi uOkon, naye futhi owelapha ngamakhambi, akayisebenzisi imilingo noma imihlatshelo ekwelapheni kwakhe, ezinye izinyanga zamakhambi zimbeka icala ‘lokona umsebenzi wazo.’ Uthi: “Ezinye zeziguli zami, zeza njengezinhloli ukuze zizobona ukuthi ngisayisebenzisa yini imihlatshelo ngasese. Ngemva kokuba zelashwe ngokuphumelelayo emasontweni amabili, zavuma ukuthi alukho uhlobo lwemilingo engilusebenzisayo. Futhi zazuza ezingxoxweni ezingokomBhalo engangizenza nazo. Ngamangala ukubona abantu ababeyiziguli zami eMhlanganweni WoFakazi BakaJehova ‘Wothando Lwaphezulu’ ngoDecember 1980. Banganga futhi bathi: ‘Seza kuwe ukuze sizokwelashwa ngokomzimba. Wasiphilisa futhi ngokomoya.’”

AmaKristu anjengalawa kuye kwadingeka amelane nalabo abafisa ukuba abuyele ekwelapheni ngemimoya. Ayazi ukuthi uma ehlanganisa izindlela zawo zokwelapha nanoma iluphi uhlobo lwemimoya, ngeke asafaneleka ukuhlala ebandleni lobuKristu. Ngakho awayenzi imihlatshelo noma asebenzise imilingo. Awaqambi amanga ngokuthi angelapha zonke izinhlobo zezifo, futhi awazami ukunikeza umbono wokuthi anamandla akhethekile. Agwema nesimo semimoya.

Ukuphilisa Kweqiniso Kuvela KuNkulunkulu

Ezizweni eziningi ezisathuthuka, iningi labantu lithembele ekwelapheni okunikezwa abelapha ngokwamasiko, abathenjwa kakhulu ngabantu abaningi. Ngaphandle kwalokho, izibhedlela nodokotela bezokwelapha bancane kakhulu ukuba babhekane nabantu abaningi abadinga ukwelashwa. Khona-ke, cishe abantu abaningi abakulezindawo bazoqhubeka beya kulabelaphi, abaningi babo abasebenzisa imimoya. Kodwa yini wena ozoyenza?

UJesu wathi, “iqiniso liyakunikhulula.” (Johane 8:32) Ngokwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli liyayilahla imikhuba enjalo, umKristu uyokwenqaba ukuba ngongathembekile kuNkulunkulu ngokuya kubabhuli noma ngokufuna enyangeni ukwelapha okuhilela ukubhula. (Duteronomi 18:10-13; qhathanisa noNumeri 23:21, 23.) Futhi uma egula, akunakuba ukuhlakanipha ngomKristu ukuthatha ngokuthi izinkinga zivela emimoyeni. Umuntu kumelwe angakwesabi ukuthakathwa umthakathi uma emi eqinile ngasohlangothini lukaNkulunkulu ngokwenqaba noma yini ehlangene nemimoya. Uma, ngenxa yokungapheleli sonke esinakho, kuhlangatshezwana nokugula, khona-ke kumelwe kwenziwe isinqumo somuntu siqu ngokuqondene nezindlela zokwelapha okumelwe zisetshenziswe.a

Umhlatshelo wesihlengo owanikelwa uJesu uwukuphela kwendlela yokukhululwa esonweni nasekuguleni nokufa okuwumphumela. (Johane 3:16; IzEnzo 4:12) Ukuphela kwawo ovula indlela ngabantu abathembekile ukuba bazuze ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi lapho “abakhe khona abayikusho ukuthi: Ngiyagula.”—Isaya 33:24.

Kuze kube yilolosuku olujabulisayo, uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke usiqinisekisa ngokuthi uyobavikela bonke abamethembayo. Khona-ke wonke amaKristu kudingeka athembele kuJehova, ahlale eseduze naye ngomthandazo nangokunxusa. Lokhu kuzophumela empilweni engcono manje, futhi kuzoqinisekisa ukwamukela kwethu ukuphila okuphelele emhlabeni oyiPharadesi othenjisiwe.—2 Petru 3:10-14; 1 Johane 2:17.

[Umbhalo waphansi]