AmaMennonite Afuna Iqiniso LeBhayibheli

NGELINYE ilanga ekuseni ngo-November 2000, izithunywa zevangeli ezingoFakazi BakaJehova eBolivia zabona ngefasitela lendlwana yazo iqembu lamadoda nabesifazane ababegqoke izingubo zemibala engachachile bemi esangweni bebukeka bethukile. Lapho lezi zithunywa zevangeli zivula isango, amazwi okuqala ashiwo yilezi zivakashi yilawa, “Sifuna ukuthola iqiniso leBhayibheli.” Lezi zivakashi zazingamaMennonite. Amadoda ayegqoke ama-ovaloli, abesifazane begqoke amaphinifa amnyama futhi uma bekhuluma bodwa babekhuluma ulimi lwesigodi lwesiJalimane. Babebukeka bethukile. Babelokhu bejeqeza ukuthi akekho yini obalandelayo. Noma kunjalo, ngisho nalapho besanyuka izitebhisi eziya endlini, enye insizwa yathi, “Ngifuna ukwazi abantu abasebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu.”

Lezi zivakashi zaqala ukukhululeka lapho sezisendlini sezinikwe nokokusula umlomo. Zazivela emapulazini akude acezile. Kwase kuyiminyaka eyisithupha zithola INqabayokulinda ngeposi. Zathi: “Sifunde ukuthi kuzoba nepharadesi emhlabeni. Kuyiqiniso ngempela lokho?” OFakazi bazibonisa impendulo eBhayibhelini. (Isaya 11:9; Luka 23:43; 2 Petru 3:7, 13; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Omunye umnini-pulazi wathi: “Niyabona-ke! Lizoba khona ngempela ipharadesi emhlabeni.” Abanye babelokhu bethi: “Bakwethu, sengathi silitholile iqiniso.”

Angobani amaMennonite? Yini ayikholelwayo? Ukuze siphendule le mibuzo, kumelwe sibuyele emuva ekhulwini le-16 leminyaka.

Angobani AmaMennonite?

Ngawo-1500, umdlandla owaba khona ekuhumusheni iBhayibheli nasekulinyatheliseni ngezilimi ezivamile zabantu baseYurophu wavusa isithakazelo sokulitadisha. UMartin Luther nabanye abaholi beNguquko bazenqaba izimfundiso eziningi zeSonto LobuKatolika. Noma kunjalo, amasonto obuProthestani ayesanda kumiswa aqhubeka nemikhuba eminingi engekho eBhayibhelini. Ngokwesibonelo, amasonto amaningi ayelindela ukuba zonke izinsana ezizalwayo zibhapathizelwe emasontweni awo. Nokho, abanye abacwaningi ababefuna iqiniso leBhayibheli bathola ukuthi umuntu wenza isinqumo sokuba ilungu lebandla lobuKristu kuphela ngemva kokuba ethole ulwazi, ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Abashumayeli abashisekayo ababambelela kule mfundiso bahamba amadolobha namadolobhana befundisa iBhayibheli futhi bebhapathiza abantu abadala kuphela. Ngakho, babizwa ngokuthi ama-Anabaptist, okusho ukuthi “labo ababhapathiza okwesibili.”

UMenno Simons, umpristi ongumKatolika wasedolobhaneni laseWitmarsum, engxenyeni esenyakatho yeNetherlands wahlola ama-Anabaptist ngesikhathi efunana neqiniso. Ngo-1536 wayesehlukene ngokuphelele nesonto futhi isonto lalimzingela. Ngo-1542, uMbusi Ongcwele WaseRoma uCharles V wathembisa ukuthi umuntu owayengabopha uMenno wayeyomklomelisa ngama-guilder ayikhulu. Noma kunjalo, uMenno wahlanganisa ama-Anabaptist athile wakha amabandla. Yena nabalandeli bakhe bagcina sebaziwa ngokuthi amaMennonite.

AmaMennonite Namuhla

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ushushiso lwaxosha amaMennonite amaningi ayishiya iNtshonalanga Yurophu aya eNyakatho Melika. Kule ndawo akwazi ukuqhubeka efuna iqiniso futhi asakaza isigijimi sawo kwabanye abantu. Kodwa empeleni ayengasakushisekeli kangako ukutadisha iBhayibheli nokushumayela obala njengoba kwakunjalo ngamaMennonite okuqala. Amaningi anamathela ezimfundisweni ezingekho eBhayibhelini, njengoZiqu-zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo nesihogo somlilo. (UmShumayeli 9:5; Hezekeli 18:4; Marku 12:29) Namuhla, abavangeli abangamaMennonite bagxile kakhulu ekushumayeleni ivangeli lezempilo nezenhlalo kunokushumayela ivangeli leBhayibheli.

Kulinganiselwa ukuthi manje kunamaMennonite angu-1 300 000 ahlala emazweni angu-65. Kodwa amaMennonite anamuhla ayakhala ngokuntula kwawo ubunye njengoba nje noMenno Simons akhala ngale ndaba emakhulwini eminyaka amaningi adlule. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, imibono engafani ngezingxabano ezazisemhlabeni kwenza laba bantu bahlukana kakhulu. Abaningi eNyakatho Melika benqaba ukungenela inkonzo yezempi ngenxa yezizathu ezisemiBhalweni. Kodwa incwadi ethi An Introduction to Mennonite History ithi: “Kwathi kuqambe kuba unyaka ka-1914 kwase kuyinganekwane nje emasontweni amaMennonite aseNtshonalanga Yurophu ukuthi kwakungafanele angenele ezempi.” Namuhla, amanye amaqembu amaMennonite aphila ukuphila kwawo ngendlela yesimanje ngamazinga angafani. Abanye basafasa izingubo zabo ngezinkintsho kunokuzifasa ngezinkinobho futhi bakholelwa ukuthi akufanele amadoda ashefe intshebe.

Ngenxa yokungafuni nhlobo ukuhlangana nezwe lesimanje, amanye amaqembu amaMennonite aye athuthela ezindaweni ezinohulumeni owavumelayo ukuba aphile ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, eBolivia, amaMennonite alinganiselwa ku-38 000 akha imiphakathi eminingana esezindaweni ezicezile. Umphakathi ngamunye unemithetho yawo ehlukile yokuziphatha. Eminye imiphakathi iyakwenqabela ukuba nemoto, ivumela amahhashi namakalishi kuphela. Eminye iyakwenqabela ukuba nemisakazo, ama-TV, kanye nomculo. Eminye ize yenqabele ngisho nokufunda ulimi lwezwe ehlala kulo. Esinye isakhamuzi sathi: “Izikhulu zesonto azifuni sifunde iSpanishi ukuze zihlale zisilawula. Abaningi bazizwa becindezelwe futhi bahlalela ovalweni lokuthi bazoxoshwa emphakathini—into engaba nzima ngempela kumuntu ongakaze aphile ngenye indlela.”

Indlela Imbewu Yeqiniso Eyatshaleka Ngayo

Kuyo le mpilo, umnini-pulazi ongumMennonite, uJohann, wabona ikhophi ye-Nqabayokulinda kwamakhelwane. Abakubo kaJohann babesuke eCanada baya eMexico, kamuva bathuthela eBolivia. Kodwa uJohann wayelokhu efise njalo ukuba athole usizo njengoba ayefuna iqiniso leBhayibheli. Wawuboleka lo magazini.

Kamuva, lapho esedolobheni eyodayisa imikhiqizo yakhe, uJohann waya kuFakazi othile owayehambisa INqabayokulinda emakethe. Lo Fakazi wamyisa kwesinye isithunywa sevangeli esikhuluma isiJalimane, futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uJohann wayesethola omagazini be-Nqabayokulinda ngesiJalimane eposini. Umagazini nomagazini owawufika babewutadishisisa bese bewudlulisela kwabanye ababehlala endaweni uze uvithike. Ngezinye izikhathi, imikhaya yayihlangana itadishe umagazini INqabayokulinda ndawonye kuze kube kwelamabili, ibheke amavesi angacashuniwe. Kwamkhanyela uJohann ukuthi kumelwe ukuba ngoFakazi BakaJehova abenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngobunye emhlabeni wonke. Ngaphambi kokuba afe, uJohann watshela umkakhe nezingane zakhe: “Kumelwe nihlale nifunda INqabayokulinda. Izonisiza ukuba niqonde iBhayibheli.”

Abanye emndenini kaJohann baqala ukuxoxela omakhelwane izinto ababezifunda eBhayibhelini. Babethi: “Umhlaba ngokwawo ngeke ubhujiswe. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uzowenza ube ipharadesi. Futhi uNkulunkulu akahluphi abantu esihogweni.” Kungekudala, izikhulu zesonto zezwa ngalokhu, futhi zatshela umndeni kaJohann ukuthi uma ungayeki ukukhuluma ngalezi zinto ngeke ube nobudlelwano nomphakathi. Kamuva, lapho umndeni uxoxa ngokuthi izikhulu zamaMennonite ziyawucindezela, enye insizwa yathi: “Angazi ukuthi kungani sikhononda ngezikhulu zethu. Sonke siyazi ukuthi iyiphi inkolo yeqiniso, kodwa asikenzi lutho ngalokho.” La mazwi angena ajula enhliziyweni kayise wale nsizwa. Akudlulanga isikhathi esingakanani, amalungu ayishumi alo mndeni aqala uhambo kungaziwa eyofuna oFakazi BakaJehova futhi agcina esesekhaya lalezi zithunywa zevangeli njengoba kushiwo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, izithunywa zevangeli zahamba zayovakashela abangane bazo abasha endaweni abahlala kuyo. Imoto yezithunywa zevangeli yiyo yodwa eyayisemgwaqweni. Njengoba izithunywa zevangeli zazihamba kancane ngemoto zidlula amakalishi adonswa amahhashi, amehlo azo ayehlangana nawezakhamuzi ezazibonakala zimangele njengazo izithunywa zevangeli. Zaxoxa namaMennonite ayishumi amelele imikhaya emibili.

Ngalolo suku, kwathatha amahora amane ukufunda isahluko 1 sencwadi ethi Ulwazi Oluholela Ekuphileni Okumi Phakade.a Laba balimi base beyibhekile imiBhalo yeBhayibheli esigabeni ngasinye futhi base befuna ukwazi ukuthi babeyisebenzisa ngakhona yini. Ngemva kombuzo, kwakuke kumiwe imizuzwana lapho laba balimi besakhuluma bodwa ngolimi okuthiwa iLow German ngemva kwalokho ongumkhulumeli abese ephendula ngeSpanishi. Kwakuwusuku olungasoze lwalibaleka, kodwa kwakukhona okwakusina kubajeqeza. Babezobhekana nobunzima, njengoMenno Simons ngesikhathi eqala ukufuna iqiniso leBhayibheli cishe emakhulwini amahlanu eminyaka adlula.

Ukubhekana Nobunzima Ngenxa Yeqiniso

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, izikhulu zesonto zafika ekhaya likaJohann zizobanqumela ugwayi katiki bonke ababefunda noFakazi. Zathi: “Sizwile ukuthi kade nivakashelwe oFakazi BakaJehova. Nibatshele ukuthi bangaphinde balubhade lapha, futhi uma ningasiniki izincwadi abaninike zona ukuze ziyoshiswa, ngeke nibe nobudlelwano nomphakathi.” Babesafunde kanye vo noFakazi, ngakho kwacaca ukuthi kwakusinda kwehlela.

Enye inhloko yomkhaya yaphendula: “Asinakukwenza lokho enikushoyo. Labo bantu beza la ukuzosifundisa iBhayibheli.” Zenzenjani izikhulu? Zabaxosha ngenxa yokutadisha kwabo iBhayibheli! Lokho kwakusho ubunzima bodwa. Ikalishi lasefektri yomphakathi kashizi elalilanda ubisi ladlula komunye umkhaya lingalulandanga, ngaleyo ndlela bewulambisa ngoba kwakuwukuphela kwendlela owawuziphilisa ngayo lena. Enye inhloko yomkhaya yaxoshwa emsebenzini. Enye kwathiwa ingaphinde ithenge esitolo sendawo, futhi indodakazi yayo eneminyaka eyishumi yaxoshwa esikoleni. Omakhelwane bazungeza umuzi wenye insizwa bethi bazothatha inkosikazi yayo, bathi ngeke ihlale nomyeni oxoshiwe endaweni. Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, le mikhaya eyayitadisha iBhayibheli ayizange iyeke ukufuna iqiniso.

Izithunywa zevangeli zaqhubeka nokushayela ibanga elide ziyoqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli masonto onke. Yeka indlela lezi zifundo ezayiqinisa ngayo le mikhaya! Amalungu eminye imikhaya ayehamba amahora amabili ngamakalishi ukuze abe khona kulezi zifundo. Kwaba isenzakalo esithinta inhliziyo lapho le mikhaya icela ukuba isithunywa sevangeli sithandaze. Kule miphakathi, amaMennonite awalokothi athandaze ngokuzwakalayo, ngakho ayeqala ngqa ukuzwa umuntu ewafaka emthandazweni. Kwagcwala izinyembezi emehlweni amadoda. Futhi ungacabanga ukuthi kwaba njani mhla izithunywa zevangeli zifika nesiqopha-mazwi! Phela awuvunyelwe umculo kule ndawo. Yajabula kakhulu le mikhaya lapho izwa ama-Kingdom Melodies amnandi kangangokuthi anquma ukucula izingoma zoMbuso ngemva kwesifundo ngasinye! Noma kunjalo, umbuzo wawusalokhu uwukuthi, Azophila kanjani njengoba ayesekulesi simo?

Ukuthola Ubuzalwane Obunothando

Njengoba le mikhaya yayisikhishwe inyumbazane, yaqala ukuzenzela ushizi. Izithunywa zevangeli zayitholela amakhasimende. Omunye uFakazi weminyaka waseNyakatho Melika owakhulela emphakathini wamaMennonite eNingizimu Melika wezwa ngobunzima bale mikhaya. Wayefuna ukuyisiza ngokukhethekile. Lingakapheli isonto, wahamba ngebhanoyi waya eBolivia eyoyivakashela. Ngaphandle kokuyikhuthaza kakhulu ngokomoya, lo mzalwane wasiza le mikhaya ukuba ithenge iveni yokuya esifundweni eHholo LoMbuso nokuyothengisa imikhiqizo yayo yobisi emakethe.

Elinye ilungu lomkhaya liyakhumbula: “Ukuphila kwakunzima ngemva kokuba umphakathi usikhiphe inyumbazane. Sasiya eHholo LoMbuso singajabule, kodwa sasibuya sijabule.” Empeleni, oFakazi bendawo bazenza batholakala babasekela. Abanye bafunda isiJalimane, futhi oFakazi abaningana abakhuluma isiJalimane basuka eYurophu beza eBolivia bezosiza ukuqhuba imihlangano yobuKristu ngesiJalimane. Akuphelanga isikhathi esingakanani, abangu-14 kulo mphakathi wamaMennonite base beshumayeza abanye izindaba ezinhle.

Ngo-October 12, 2001, ungakapheli unyaka bevakashele izithunywa zevangeli okokuqala, abangu-11 balabo ababengama-Anabaptist babhapathizwa futhi, kulokhu bebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kuye kwabhapathizwa abengeziwe. Omunye washo lokhu kamuva: “Njengoba sesifunde iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini, sizizwa njengezigqila ezikhululiwe.” Omunye wathi: “AmaMennonite amaningi akhala ngokuthi alukho uthando emiphakathini yawo. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova banesithakazelo komunye nomunye. Ngizizwa ngilondekile phakathi kwabo.” Uma ufuna ukuliqonda kangcono iqiniso eliseBhayibhelini, nawe ungase ubhekane nobunzima. Kodwa uma ufuna usizo lukaJehova futhi ubonise ukholo nesibindi njengoba kwenza le mikhaya, nawe uyophumelela futhi uyothola injabulo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Bajabula lapho bethola izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngesiJalimane

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Nakuba ngaphambili babengahlabeleli, manje bayahlabelela ngemva kwesifundo seBhayibheli ngasinye