Kungani Isonto Liphelelwa Ithonya?

“Yilowo nalowo mStoyiku wayengumStoyiku; kodwa ukuphi umKristu kweLobukholwa?”

URALPH WALDO EMERSON, UMBHALI WEZINDABA NEZINKONDLO WASEMELIKA WEKHULU LE-19.

“NGINGUMKATOLIKA—kodwa hhayi osontayo,” kuchaza umama othile osemusha. “Anginandaba nenkolo,” kunezela othile osemusha. Amazwi abo avamile esizukulwaneni sentsha saseYurophu. Nakuba abazali babo—noma ngokunokwenzeka ogogo nomkhulu babo—besasonta, ukholo olungokwenkolo alukalivali igebe lesizukulwane.

Kungani iye yayekwa imikhuba engokwenkolo eye yathandwa izizukulwane zabantu baseYurophu?

Ukwesaba Akusesona Isisusa

Amakhulu eminyaka ukwesaba isihogo somlilo noma isihlanzo kwakunethonya elinamandla kubantu baseYurophu. Izintshumayelo ezivuthayo nemidwebo egqamile yasesontweni yesihogo esivuthayo esingenakucinywa kwabangela abantu abavamile ukuba bacabange ukuthi ukuya esontweni ngokuzinikela kuphela okwakungabasindisa embubhisweni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-Catechism of the Catholic Church ithi “iSonto liphoqelela abathembekile ‘ukuba babambe iqhaza eMidantini Yesidlo ngamaSonto nangezinsuku zemikhosi.’”a Ezindaweni zasemaphandleni ukucindezela komphakathi kwakukukhulu—kwakulindeleke ukuba wonke umuntu aye esontweni ngamaSonto.

Kodwa izikhathi sezishintshile. Abantu manje bazizwa bekhululekile ukwenza abakufunayo. Ukwesaba akuseyona imbangela. Isihogo asisagcizelelwa, njengoba amaKatolika amaningi aseYurophu engasikholelwa nokusikholelwa.

Eqinisweni, “isono” sokungayi eMiseni ngeSonto asibhekwa njengesingathi sína. UTirso Vaquero, umpristi ongumKatolika eMadrid, eSpain, uyavuma: “Uma umKristu [ongumKatolika] engabi khona eMiseni ngeSonto, simdabukela ngobuqotho ngoba uye walahlekelwa yilomzuzu wokukhulumisana noNkulunkulu nabafowabo, hhayi ngoba enzé isono. Lokho kuza kamuva.”

Ngakho ukwesaba akusabangeli ukuzinikela. Kuthiwani ngegunya lokuziphatha okuhle kwaleli sonto nabaholi balo—ingabe bangakulawula ukuthembeka kwemihlambi yabo?

Isimo Esibucayi Segunya

Ukuphela kokwesaba okungokwenkolo kuye kwaqondana nokuwohloka okuphawulekayo kokuziphatha kwesonto. “Emakhulwini eminyaka siye saba . . . nabafundisi abaningi bokuziphatha okuhle nabafundisi abambalwa abaziphethe kahle,” kukhononda isazi-mlando sase-Italy uGiordano Bruno Guerri. Lokhu kuntuleka kokuziphatha okuhle kubaholi kwaqokonyiswa izimpi zezwe ezimbili ezenza eLobukholwa incithakalo. Amasonto aseYurophu ayengenamandla okuvimbela amakholwa ekuchitheni igazi. Okubi nakakhulu, amasonto ahileleka ngentshiseko emzamweni wempi—nhlangothi zombili.

“IMpi Yezwe Yokuqala, impi yombango phakathi kwamahlelo obuKristu, yaqala inkathi yenhlekelele nehlazo ebuKristwini,” kuphawula isazi-mlando uPaul Johnson. “IMpi Yezwe Yesibili yagadla kanzima nakakhulu ekuziphatheni kokholo lobuKristu kuneMpi Yokuqala. Yadalula ubuze bamasonto eJalimane, indabuko yeNkathi Yenguquko, nobugwala nobugovu beSifunda Sikapapa.”

Izivumelwano zeVatican nombuso kaHitler wamaNazi nohulumeni kaMussolini wobuFascist e-Italy nokaFranco eSpain nakho kwalonakalisa igunya lesonto lokuziphatha okuhle. Ekugcineni, umphumela wokungena kanjalo kwenkolo kwezombangazwe waba ukuphela kokwethenjelwa.

ISonto NoHulumeni—Ukuqaqa Ifindo

Phakathi nekhulu lama-20, amazwe amaningi aseYurophu ekugcineni aye aliqaqa ifindo elihlanganisa iSonto noHulumeni. Eqinisweni, alikho izwe elikhulu laseYurophu elisabheka ubuRoma Katolika njengenkolo yalo engokomthetho.

Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi amasonto amakhulu asaxhaswa uhulumeni, aye alahlekelwa ithonya lezombangazwe ake aba nalo. Akubona bonke abefundisi abaye basamukela lesi simo esisha esingokoqobo. UmJesuit odumile waseSpain uJosé María Díez-Alegría ukholelwa ukuthi “abaholi besonto [lamaKatolika] bacabanga ukuthi—iningi labo ngobuqotho—ngeke bawenze umsebenzi wabo wobufundisi ngaphandle ‘kwamandla’ kahulumeni.”

Kodwa “ ‘lamandla’ kahulumeni” aye awohloka. ISpain, eyayinohulumeni “wezwe wamaKatolika” kwaze kwaba ngo-1975, iyisibonelo salesi simo. Eminyakeni yamuva nje isigungu sabefundisi baseSpain siye saba nempikiswano eqhubekayo nohulumeni obusa ngeSimiso Sokusebenzela Uhulumeni ngokuqondene nokuxhaswa kwesonto ngokwezimali. Umbhishobhi waseTeruel, eSpain, muva nje wakhononda kubantu besifunda sakhe ngokuthi uzizwa “eshushiswa njengomKatolika” ngoba uhulumeni waseSpain awulixhasi ngokwanele leli sonto ngokwezimali.

Ngo-1990 ababhishobhi baseSpain bamemezela ukuthi “inhlekelele enkulu kanembeza nokuziphatha okuhle” yayihlasela umphakathi waseSpain. Babesola bani ‘ngalenhlekelele yokuziphatha okuhle’? Laba babhishobhi bathi enye yezimbangela eziyinhloko ‘kwakuyisimo sengqondo esingaqondakali esivame ukukhuthazwa abaqondisi bomphakathi [uhulumeni waseSpain].’ Ngokusobala, laba babhishobhi balindele ukuba uhulumeni akhuthaze izimfundiso zamaKatolika futhi abaxhase ngokwezimali.

Ingabe Abefundisi Bayakwenza Abakushumayelayo?

Umnotho omkhulu weSonto LamaKatolika ububahlazisa ngaso sonke isikhathi abapristi abasebenza ezifundeni ezinobumpofu. Wabahlazisa nakakhulu lapho iVatican Bank ihileleka kulokho umagazini i-Time owakubiza ngokuthi “ihlazo elingokwezimali elibi kunawo wonke e-Italy yangemva kwempi.” Ngo-1987, izimantshi zase-Italy zakhipha izincwadi zokubopha umbhishobhi omkhulu nezinye izikhulu ezimbili zebhange leVatican. Nokho, ngenxa yesikhundla esikhethekile seVatican embusweni, laba befundisi ababemangalelwe abazange baboshwe. IVatican Bank yaphikelela ngokuthi laba befundisi abenzanga lutho olubi kodwa yahluleka ukuqeda umbono wokuthi leli sonto lalingakwenzi elikushumayelayo.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 23:3.

Ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili okukhishwa kakhulu abezindaba kuye kwadala umonakalo omkhulu nakakhulu. Ngo-May 1992 umbhishobhi wase-Ireland, owaziwa kakhulu ngokusekela kwakhe ubumpohlo, wacela isifunda sakhe ukuba “simthethelele” futhi “simthandazele.” Waphoqeleka ukuba ashiye ngemva kokuvela kokuthi wayenguyise womfana oneminyaka engu-17 ubudala nokuthi wayesebenzise imali yesonto ukuze amfundise. Enyangeni eyodwa ngaphambili umpristi othile ongumKatolika wavela kuthelevishini yaseJalimane “nomngane” wakhe nezingane zabo ezimbili. Wathi ufisa “kuxoxiswane” ngendaba yokushendeza kwabapristi abaningi.

Lamahlazo ngokungagwemeki ahlala isikhathi eside. Isazi-mlando uGuerri, encwadini yaso ethi Gli italiani sotto la Chiesa (Abantu Base-Italy Ngaphansi KweSonto), sigomela ngokuthi “sekungamakhulu eminyaka iSonto lihlazisa abantu base-Italy.” Sithi omunye umphumela “ukwanda okusakazekile kokumelana nokungenela kwabefundisi ezindabeni zezwe, ngisho nakubantu abathembekile abasontayo.” AmaKatolika athukuthele angase afise ukubuza abefundisi bawo imibuzo efana naleyo umphostoli uPawulu ayibuza abaseRoma: “Ngokwesibonelo, ushumayela ngokumelene nokweba, kodwa ingabe uyaqiniseka ngokwethembeka kwakho siqu? Uyawulahla umkhuba wokuphinga, kodwa ingabe uyaqiniseka ngobumsulwa bakho siqu?”—Roma 2:21, 22, Phillips.

Igebe Phakathi Kwabefundisi Nabantu Abavamile

Inkinga engabonakali kodwa ngokunokwenzeka ethena amandla kakhulu igebe phakathi kwabefundisi nabantu abavamile. Izincwadi zababhishobhi zibonakala zibacasula abantu bezifunda zababhishobhi kunokuba zibaqondise. Ekuhloleni okuthile kwaseSpain, bangamaphesenti angu-28 kuphela kulabo okwaxoxwa nabo “ababevumelana namazwi ababhishobhi.” Inani elifanayo “lalingenandaba,” futhi amaphesenti angu-18 athi “awakuqondi lokho [ababhishobhi] abakhuluma ngakho.” Umbhishobhi omkhulu u-Ubeda waseMajorca, eSpain, wavuma: “Nathi thina babhishobhi kumelwe silivume icala lethu enqubweni yokuqeda ubuKristu—leyo eyiqiniso.”

Ukuntuleka kwesigijimi esingokomBhalo esicacile kubaqhelisa ngokwengeziwe abantu abavamile. Ngokwe-Catholic Herald, “abapristi abaningi [eFrance] baye baphendukela kwezombangazwe ukuze babe ‘nethonya ezindabeni,’” nakuba iningi labantu bezifunda zabo lingakhetha ukuba bagxile ezindabeni ezingokomoya. Umpristi wase-Italy oyisazi sezokuhlalisana kwabantu uSilvano Burgalassi uyavuma: “Mhlawumbe [intsha] iye yazihlukanisa noNkulunkulu ngenxa yesibonelo sethu esibi. Siye sayinikeza ‘inhlanganisela’ yokuyekethisa, inkolo nebhizinisi, ubugovu nokonakala.” Akumangalisi ukuthi abapristi balahlekelwa isikhundla sabo emphakathini. Amazwi avame ukuzwakala eshiwo amaKatolika aseSpain athi: “NgingumKatolika kodwa angikholelwa kubapristi.”

Amanye amaKatolika akuthola kunzima ukuthulula isifuba kubapristi, futhi amanye azingabaza kakhulu izimfundiso zesonto—ikakhulukazi lezo azibheka njengezingenangqondo noma ezingelona usizo.

Izimfundiso Ezingaqondakali

Isibonelo esisobala imfundiso engokomthetho yamaKatolika ngendaba yesihogo. I-Catechism of the Catholic Church ithi: “Imfundiso yesonto iqinisekisa ubukhona besihogo nobuphakade baso.” Nokho, ukuhlola kwamuva nje kubonisa ukuthi ingxenye yesine kuphela yamaKatolika aseFrance nengxenye yesithathu yamaKatolika aseSpain ekholelwa ukuthi isihogo sikhona.

Ngokufanayo, lapho kuziwa ezindabeni zokuziphatha, abantu baseYurophu bathambekele ekubeni “amaKristu azenzelayo.” UMimmi, osemusha ongumLuthela waseSweden, ukholelwa ukuthi izindaba zokuziphatha, njengokuba nabantwana ngaphandle komshado, “zingokuthile umuntu angazinqumela kukho.” AmaKatolika amaningi aseFrance angavumelana naye. Lapho ebhekene nezinqumo ezibalulekile ekuphileni, amaphesenti angu-80 athi abeyolandela isiqondiso sikanembeza wawo kunesiqondiso sesonto.

Esikhathini esidlule igunya lesonto lalikwazi ukunqanda noma ubani omelene nalo. Ngokombono weVatican, akukho okushintshile. I-Catechism ngokuqinile ithi “konke okuye kwashiwo ngendlela yokuchaza umBhalo ngokuyinhloko kwahlulelwa yiSonto.” Nokho, lendlela yokugcizelela igunya ayisekelwa. “Indaba yegunya ayilawulwa,” kukhononda u-Antonio Elorza, uprofesa wezifundo zezombangazwe waseSpain. “ISonto likhetha ukwakha ugange, libusise ubuqiniso besiko lalo emlandweni.” Ngaphandle kwalolu ‘gange,’ ithonya negunya lesonto liyaqhubeka lincipha.

Ngaphandle kokonakala ngokomoya, izimbangela ezingokwenhlalo zingesinye isici esibalulekile esinengxenye ekuntuleni isithakazelo esingokwenkolo. Umphakathi ozitikayo unikeza inqwaba yamathuba okuzijabulisa nokuzilibazisa—futhi abantu abaningi baseYurophu banesifiso nendlela yokuwajabulela. Uma kuqhathaniswa, ukuya esontweni kubonakala kuyindlela enesithukuthezi yokuchitha isikhathi sasekuseni ngeSonto. Ngaphandle kwalokho, izinkonzo zesonto kubonakala zingazanelisi izidingo zabantu ezingokomoya.

Kubonakala kungenakwenzeka ukuthi inkolo engokwesiko iyophinde ibe nethonya emhlanjini waseYurophu. Ingabe inkolo iyithonya langesikhathi esidlule—elinqunyelwe ukuqothulwa?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

Ukukhulekelwa kokuzijabulisa kuye kwanqoba ingxenye eyinhloko yeLobukholwa

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Lapho bebhekene nokukhetha phakathi kwentshumayelo nokuthamela ilanga, ngokungathandabuzi abantu abaningi baseYurophu babhekisa amabombo ebhishi