Mtsogolo mwa Chipembedzo M’chiyang’aniro cha Nthaŵi Yake ya Kumbuyo

Gawo 18: Zana la 15 kupita mtsogolo—Pamene “Akristu” ndi “Akunja” Anakumana

“Chipembedzo ndi mumtima, osati m’mawondo”—D. W. Jerrold, wolemba seŵero Wachingelezi wa zaka za zana la 19

NTCHITO yaumishonale, chizindikiro cha Chikristu choyambirira, inali m’chigwirizano ndi lamulo la Yesu la “kupanga ophunzira mwa anthu a mitundu yonse” ndi kuchitira umboni za iye “kufikira malekezero ake a dziko.”—Mateyu 28:19, 20, NW; Machitidwe 1:8.

M’zaka za zana la 15, Dziko Lachikristu linayamba programu ya dziko lonse yotembenuza “akunja.” Kodi ndi chipembedzo cha mtundu wanji chimene anthu “akunja” amenewa anali kuchita kufikira nthaŵiyo? Ndipo kodi kutembenuzidwira ku “Chikristu” kotulukapo kunakhudza mtima wawo kapena kunangowapangitsa kugwada m’chigonjero chalamulo?

Mu Afirika muli chiŵerengero cha mitundu ya magulu a anthu chifupifupi 700 kum’mwera kwa Sahara. Poyamba, gulu lirilonse linali ndi chipembedzo chake chamwambo, ngakhale kuti zofanana zake zinasonyeza magwero amodzi. Mu Australia, Amereka, ndi zisumbu za Pacific, unyinji wa zipembedzo zamwambo zikupezeka.

Unyinji wa iwo amakhulupirira mwa mulungu wamkulu mmodzi ndipo komabe, amakhala ndi chiŵerengero chirichonse chamilungu yaing’ono yambiri—milungu ya banja, fuko, kapena onse. Phunziro lina lochitidwa ndi chipembedzo cha Aztec limandandalitsa maina a milungu osiyanasiyana koma ogwirizana oposa pa 60.

Mu Afirika ndi Amereka, anthu okhala ndi zipembedzo “zachikale” kwambiri amakhulupirira mwa mulungu wotchedwa Trickster. Nthaŵi zina wolongosoledwa kukhala mlengi wa mphamvu zonse, pa nthaŵi zina kukhala wokonzanso chilengedwe, iye nthaŵi zonse amawonedwa kukhala wachinyengo mochenjera ndi wachilakolako choipa chopambanitsa, ngakhale kuti siali wadumbo kwenikweni. Amwenye Achinavaho a Kumpoto kwa Amereka amanena kuti iye anaika imfa; mtundu wa Oglala Lakota umaphunzitsa kuti iye ali mngelo woipa yemwe anachititsa anthu oyambirira kuchotsedwa m’paradaiso mwa kuwalonjeza moyo wabwinopo kwinakwake. The Encyclopedia of Religion imanena kuti Trickster kaŵirikaŵiri amawonekera mu “nkhani zachilengedwe,” akuchita machenjera “motsutsana ndi mulungu mlengi wauzimu.”

Mofanana ndi Babulo ndi Igupto, zipembedzo zina zamwambo zimaphunzitsa utatu. Bukhu la The Eskimos limanena kuti Mzimu wa Mpweya, Mzimu wa Nyanja, ndi Mzimu wa Mwezi zimapanga utatu umene “unalamulira kotheratu mlingaliro lenileni chinthu chirichonse m’malo a Aeskimo.”

Anthu—“Osakhoza Kuwonongeka Mwauzimu”

Ronald M. Berndt wa pa Yunivesiti ya Western Australia akutidziŵitsa kuti anthu a Chiaborigine a ku Australia amakhulupirira kuti zungulirezungulire wa moyo “umapitirizabe pambuyo pa imfa, kuchoka ku thupi kupita ku uzimu kotheratu, m’kupita kwa nthaŵi kubwereranso kuthupi.” Ichi chimatanthauza kuti “anthu ali mwauzimu osakhoza kuwonongeka.”

Mafuko ena Achiafirika amakhulupirira kuti pambuyo pa imfa anthu wamba amakhala mizukwa, pamene anthu otchuka amakhala mizimu ya makolo, yoyenera kulemekezedwa ndi kupembedzeredwa monga atsogoleri osawoneka a pamudzi. Malinga ndi Manus ya ku Melanesia, mzukwa wa munthu kapena uja wa wachibale umapitirizabe kuyang’anira banja lake.

Amwenye ena a ku Amereka anakhulupirira kuti chiŵerengero cha miyoyo chinali ndi polekezera, kuchititsa kuti “asinthikesinthike choyamba kukhala munthu kenaka kaya mzimu kapena chinyama.” The Encyclopedia of Religion imalongosola kuti: “Imfa ya munthu imamasula moyo kukhala chinyama kapena mzimu, ndi kutembenuzanso, kugwirizanitsa anthu, zinyama, ndi mizimu mu zungulirezungulire wa kudalirana.”

Chotero, azondi oyambirira anadabwa kupeza magulu Achieskimo kukhala olekerera m’kulanga ana awo, ngakhale kuwaitana iwo ndi mawu onga “amayi” kapena “agogo.” Mlembi Ernest S. Burch, Jr., akulongosola kuti izi zinali choncho chifukwa chakuti mwana anapatsidwa dzina la wachibale chosonyezedwa ndi liwu logwiritsidwa ntchito, ndipo atate Achieskimo mwachibadwa “sanalangebe agogo, ngakhale kuti tsopano analoŵa m’thupi la mwana wawo.”

“Moyo wa pambuyo pa imfa” unasonyezedwa ndi mafuko ena Achimwenye a Kumpoto kwa Amereka kukhala malo abwino osakako nyama, kumene ponse paŵiri anthu ndi nyama anapitako pa imfa. Iwo anagwirizananso kumeneko ndi achibale okondedwa koma anayang’anizananso ndi adani akale. Amwenye ena anachotsa ganda la pamutu la adani awo pambuyo pa kuwapha, mwachiwonekere akukhulupirira kuti kutero kukachinjiriza adaniwo kuloŵa mu dziko lamizimu.

Kodi chikhulupiriro chofala pakati pa zipembedzo zamwambo za mitundu ina ya moyo pambuyo pa imfa chimatsimikizira Dziko Lachikristu kukhala lolondola m’kuphunzitsa kuti anthu ali ndi moyo wosafa? Kutalitali. Mu Edene kumene chipembedzo chowona chinayambira, Mulungu sananene chirichonse ponena za moyo wa pambuyo pa imfa; iye anaika chiyembekezo cha moyo wosatha mosemphana ndi imfa. Lingaliro lakuti imfa iri khomo ku moyo wabwinopo linayambitsidwa ndi Satana ndipo pambuyo pake linaphunzitsidwa m’Babulo.

Zifuno Zaumunthu kapena Zaumulungu?

Chigogomezero mu zipembedzo zamwambo chimawoneka kukhala pa chisungiko chaumwini kapena ubwino wa onse. Chotero, ponena za chipembedzo cha Aaborigine oyambirira a ku Australia, Ronald Berndt akulemba kuti: “[Icho] chinawunikira nkhaŵa zosiyanasiyana za anthu m’moyo wawo wa tsiku ndi tsiku. Icho chinasumika pa maunansi a mayanjano, pa mavuto a kukhalapo kwa munthu, ndi pa nkhani zogwira ntchito za kupulumuka.”

Zolinganizidwira kungochita ndi zosoŵa za munthu zoterozo ndizo mitundu ya kulambira yotchedwa animism, fetishism, ndi shamanism, zopezeka m’zitaganya zosiyanasiyana mu kusakanizikana kosiyanasiyana ndi ukulu wosiyanasiyana.

Animism chimagwirizanitsa moyo wozindikira ndi mzimu wamkati ku zinthu zakuthupi zonga ngati zomera ndi miyala ndipo ngakhale ku zochitika zachilengedwe monga mabingu ndi zivomezi. Icho chingaphatikizeponso lingaliro lakuti mizimu yosiya thupi iripo yomwe iri ndi kaya chisonkhezero chabwino kapena choipa pa amoyo.

Fetishism imachokera ku liwu la Chipwitikizi nthaŵi zina logwiritsiridwa ntchito kulongosola zinthu zolingaliridwa kukhala ndi mphamvu zoposa zaumunthu zomwe zimatetezera eni ake kapena kuwathandiza. Chotero azondi Achipwitikizi anagwiritsira ntchito liwulo kulongosola njirisi ndi nyanga zomwe anapeza zikugwiritsiridwa ntchito ndi anthu a Kumadzulo kwa Afirika m’chipembedzo chawo. Chofanana kwambiri ndi kulambira mafano, fetishism iri m’mitundu yambiri. Mwachitsanzo, Amwenye ena a ku Amereka, anagwirizanitsa mphamvu zoposa zaumunthu ku nthenga, akumalingalira izo kukhala zoyendera zokhutiritsa “m’kuwulutsa” mapemphero kapena mauthenga kupita kumwamba.

Shamanism, kuchokera ku liwu la Tunguso-Manchurian lotanthauza “iye wodziŵa,” njozikidwa pa shaman, munthu wolingaliridwa kukhala wokhoza kuchiritsa ndi kukambitsirana ndi malo amizimu. Munthu wodziŵa mankhwala, sing’anga, wowombeza—lirilonse mungakhumbe kugwiritsira ntchito—amadzinenera kukhoza kupereka thanzi laumoyo kapena kubwezeretsa mphamvu zobala. Kuchiritsako kungafune, monga zimakhalira ku mafuko akunkhalango a Kum’mwera kwa Amereka, kuti mudowole milomo yanu, mphuno, kapena makutu, kuti mupake utoto thupi lanu, kapena kuti muvale zokometsera zina. Kapena mungawuzidwe kugwiritsira ntchito zozunguzitsa ndi zogodomalitsa, zonga fodya ndi masamba a coca.

Pokhala zofooka pa chiphunzitso, zipembedzo zamwambo sizingapereke chidziŵitso cholongosoka cha Mlengi. Ndipo mwa kukweza zofuna zaumunthu pamwamba pa zikondwerero zaumulungu, iwo amamulanda iye chilungamo chake choyenerera. Chotero pamene Dziko Lachikristu linayamba ntchito yake yamakono yaumishonale, funso linali lakuti: Kodi “Akristu” adzakhala okhoza kukopa mitima “ya akunja” kuyandikira kwa Mulungu?

Mu zaka za zana la 15, Spanya ndi Portugal anayamba programu ya kuzonda ndi kufutukula maiko awo olamulira. Pamene maulamuliro Achikatolika amenewa anapeza maiko atsopano, tchalitchi chinayamba kutembenuza nzika zakumaloko, kuwakakamiza iwo kulandira boma lawo latsopano “Lachikristu.” Makalata a papa anapatsa amishonale mphamvu mu Afirika ndi Asia mpaka Portugal. Pamenepo, pambuyo pa kupeza Amereka, mzera wamalire woyerekezera unalembedwa pakati pa Atlantic ndi Papa Alexander VI, kupatsa Spanya mphamvu kumadzulo ndipo Portugal kum’mawa.

Pakali pano, Aprotesitanti anali otanganitsidwa mopambanitsa kukhazikitsa malo awo motsutsana ndi chiphunzitso Chachikatolika m’chakuti sanasamalire kutembenuza ena, ndipo okonzanso Achiprotesitanti sanawafulumize iwo kutero. Luther ndi Melanchthon mwachiwonekere anakhulupirira kuti mapeto a dziko anali atayandikira kwambiri m’chakuti kunali kuchedwa kuti afikire “akunja.”

Komabe, mkati mwa zaka za zana la 17, gulu Lachiprotesitanti lotchedwa Pietizimu linayambika. Pokhala kufutukuka kwa Kukonzanso, linagogomezera zochitika zaumwini za chipembedzo kuposa za lamulo ndipo linagogomezera kuŵerenga Baibulo ndi ntchito za chipembedzo. “Masomphenya ake a chosoŵa cha munthu cha uthenga wabwino wa Kristu,” monga mmene mlembi wina anachilongosolera icho, pomalizira anathandizira kukulitsa chiphunzitso Chachiprotesitanti kukwera “chombo” cha ntchito yaumishonale kothera kwa zaka za zana la 18.

Kuchokera pa mbali imodzi mwa zisanu za chiŵerengero cha anthu onse pa dziko mu 1500, unyinji wa odzinenera kukhala Akristu unakwera kufika chifupifupi mmodzi mwa atatu podzafika mu 1800 ndipo kufikira chifupifupi mbali imodzi mwa zitatu podzafika mu 1900. Mbali imodzi mwa zitatu ya dziko tsopano anali “Akristu”!

Kodi Iwo Anapangadi Ophunzira Achikristu?

Zizindikiro za chowonadi zopezeka m’zipembedzo zamwambo ziri zolakwika ndi zinthu zambiri zachiyengo Chachibabulo, koma izi zirinso zowona mofananamo ponena za Chikristu champatuko. Chotero choloŵa chachipembedzo chofala chimenechi chinakupangitsa kukhala kosavuta kwa “akunja” kukhala “Akristu.” Bukhu la The Mythology of All Races limanena kuti: “Palibe chigawo mu Amereka chomawoneka kukhala chinaphatikiza zinthu zofanana zambiri kudzoma Lachikristu ndi zizindikiro monga mmene anachitira Amayan.” Kulemekeza mtanda ndi zina zofananako m’dzoma “kunapititsa patsogolo kusintha kwa chipembedzo popanda mkangano waukulu.”

Anthu a mu Afirika—kwa zaka 450 omabedwa mosalekeza ndi “Akristu” ndi kutengeredwa ku Dziko Latsopano kukatumikira monga akapolo—anakhozanso kusintha chipembedzo “popanda mkangano waukulu.” Popeza kuti “Akristu” analemekeza “oyera” Achiyuropu akufa, kodi nchiyani chinatsutsa kulambira mizimu yamakolo Kwachiafirika kochitidwa ndi “Akristu achikunja”? Chotero, The Encyclopedia of Religion ikudziŵitsa kuti: “Using’anga . . . , chipembedzo cha zikhulupiriro zosanganizikana zonse zinachokera ku zipembedzo za Kumadzulo kwa Afirika, malaulo, chipembedzo Chachikristu, ndi zikhulupiriro zamwambo . . . , zakhala chipembedzo chenicheni cha anthu ambiri a ku Haiti, kuphatikizapo awo ongotchedwa Akatolika.”

Concise Dictionary of the Christian World Mission ikuvomereza kuti kutembenuzidwa kwa Latin Amereka ndi Philippines kunali kwa chiphamaso kwenikweni, ikuwonjezera kuti “Chikristu cha m’magawo amenewa lerolino chiri choipitsidwa ndi kukhulupirira malaulo ndi umbuli.” Kwa Aaztec, Amaya, ndi Aincas, “‘kutembenuzidwa’ kunangotanthauza kuwonjezako mulungu wina ku milungu yawo yambiri.”

Ponena za anthu a Chiakan a ku Ghana ndi Côte d’Ivoire, Michelle Gilbert wa ku Peabody Museum of Natural History akunena kuti: “Chipembedzo chamwambo chikupitirizabe popeza kuti chikuwonedwa ndi anthu ambiri kukhala mtundu wa chikhulupiriro wokhutiritsa koposa, umene umapitirizabe kupereka tanthauzo ku dziko.”

M. F. C. Bourdillon, wa ku Yunivesiti ya Zimbabwe, akunena za “kuyendayenda kwachipembedzo” pakati pa ziŵalo za chipembedzo Chachishona, akumalongosola kuti: “Mitundu yosiyanasiyana Yachikristu limodzi ndi mipatuko yosiyanasiyana yamwambo zonsezi zimapereka unyinji wa zosankha kuchokera pa zimene wina angatengepo, kudalira pa zosoŵa zake za nthaŵiyo.”

Koma ngati “Akristu achikunja” amachita mwachiphamaso, umbuli, kukhulupirira malaulo, ndi milungu yambiri, ngati iwo amawona zipembedzo zamwambo kukhala zokhutiritsa kwambiri kuposa Chikristu, ngati amatenga chipembedzo kungokhala nkhani yaubwino wawo kapena kupeza zikondwerero zaumwini, kuwalola iwo kusintha kuchokera ku chimodzi kupita ku china monga mwa mikhalidwe, kodi mukanena kuti Dziko Lachikristu lapanga ophunzira Achikristu enieni?

Ngati Siali Ophunzira, Kodi Iwo Ndayani?

Mowonadi, amishonale a Dziko Lachikristu amanga sukulu mazanamazana kuti aphunzitse osaphunzira. Iwo amanga zipatala kuchiritsa odwala. Ndipo kumlingo winawake, iwo achirikiza ulemu wa Baibulo ndi malamulo ake a makhalidwe abwino.

Koma kodi “akunja” adyetsedwa chakudya chauzimu chotafuna cha Mawu a Mulungu kapena angopatsidwa nyenyeswa za Chikristu cha mpatuko? Kodi zikhulupiriro ndi machitachita a “akunja” asiyidwa kapena angokulungidwa mu nsalu “Yachikristu”? Mwachidule, kodi amishonale a Dziko Lachikristu akokera mitima ya anthu kwa Mulungu kapena angokakamiza mawondo a “akunja” kugwada patsogolo pa maguwa “Achikristu”?

Wotembenuzidwira ku Chikristu cha mpatuko amawonjezera ku machimo ake akale a umbuli machimo atsopano a Chikristu chachinyengo, mwakutero akumawirikiza kaŵiri mtolo wake wa liwongo. Motero, kwa Dziko Lachikristu, mawu a Yesu ali oyenerera: “Mupitapita kunyanja ndi kumtunda kuyesa munthu mmodzi mtembenuki, ndipo pomwepo mumpanga kukhala woyenerera chiwonongeko woposa inu kaŵiri.”—Mateyu 23:15, Phillips.

Dziko Lachikristu mowonekeratu lalephera kufikira chitokoso cha kupanga ophunzira Achikristu. Kodi ilo lachita bwino m’njira iriyonse kufitsa chitokoso cha kusintha kwa dziko? M’nkhani yathu yotsatira, nkhani yakuti “Dziko Lachikristu Lilimbana Ndi Kusintha Kwadziko” idzayankha funsoli.

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Amishonale Achikristu enieni amenewa mu Dominican Republic amafikira mtima, osati mawondo okha