“Minkhole Yeniyeni ya Chizunzo cha Chipembedzo”

CHIZUNZO cha chipembedzo chakhalapo m’mbiri yonse. Kuphedwa kwa Abele kochitidwa ndi Kaini kunasonkhezeredwa ndi kusiyana kwa chipembedzo. Kaini sanakonde chenicheni chakuti Mulungu anavomereza nsembe ya Abele koma sanayang’ane mokomera pa yake. Iye anakwiya ndipo potsirizira pake anapha mbale wake.—Genesis 4:3-8.

Yesu Kristu analosera kuti otsatira ake akazunzidwa, makamaka m’nthaŵi yamapeto. Iye anachenjeza kuti: “Mudzaperekedwa kaamba ka kulangidwa ndi kuphedwa; ndipo anthu a mitundu yonse adzakudani kaamba ka kugwirizana kwanu ndi ine.”—Mateyu 24:9, The New English Bible.

Kwa zaka zikwi, zipembedzo zazikulu zazunzana china ndi chinzake pamene chirichonse chakhala ndi kulamulira kokulira pa anthu owopsyezedwa. Akatolika, Aprotestanti, Ahindu, Asilamu, Ayuda, ndi ena aloŵetsedwa m’kukhetsa mwazi kokulira. M’dzina la orthodoxy, chowonadi chonyenga, ndi chipulumutso cha moyo, chizunzo chalungamitsidwa. Ayuda azunzidwa ponse paŵiri kaamba ka chipembedzo chawo ndi fuko lawo. M’maiko ena m’zana la 20 lino, chikomyunizimu chosakhulupirira kukhalapo kwa Mulungu chatembenuka molimbana ndi chipembedzo monga ‘chotonthoza cha anthu.’

Komabe, m’zana limodzimodzili, pali gulu limodzi limene lazunzidwa kuchokera ku mbali iriyonse—kaya chipembedzo kapena ndale za dziko. Kodi ndani amenewo, ndipo nchiyani chimene chakhala chochititsa?

“Minkhole Yeniyeni”

M’bukhu lake la posachedwapa The Court and the Constitution (1987), Wozenga mlandu wapadera wa Watergate wakale Archibald Cox, walemba kuti: “Minkhole yeniyeni ya chizunzo cha chipembedzo mu United States m’zana la makumi aŵiri zinali Mboni za Yehova.” Kodi nchiyani chimene chinaputa mkhalidwe umenewu? Iye akupitiriza kuti: “Iwo anayamba kukoka chisamaliro ndi kuputa ukali mu ma 1930, pamene otembenuzidwira ku chipembedzo chawo ndi ziŵerengero zinawonjezereka mofulumira. Akumazika pa chivumbulutso Chaumulungu kuchokera m’Baibulo, iwo anaima m’ngodya za khwalala ndi kuyenda kuchokera ku nyumba ndi nyumba, akumagaŵira matrakiti a Watchtower Bible and Tract Society ndi kulalikira kuti khamu la kugwirizana kwa matchalitchi, malonda, ndi Dziko ziri ziwiya za Satana.”

Pamene mitundu inakutidwa mu Nkhondo ya Dziko II, Mboni zinakhala minkhole ndi ophedwa a mzimu womakulakula wa utundu womwe unalimbikitsidwa ndi maboma omenya nkhondo. M’mitundu ina kulamula kwa kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera kunaikidwa m’masukulu. Ntchito ya nkhondo yokakamiza inakhala lamulo. Pamene kuli kwakuti Mboni za Yehova zimakhulupirira m’kupereka kwa Kaisara zake za Kaisara—ndipo mwinamwake magulu oŵerengeka amalipira misonkho yawo ndi kulabadira malamulo a dziko mwa chikumbumtima—nazonso zimalipira kwa Mulungu zimene zimakhulupirira kuti amazifunikira, zotchedwa, kulambira ndi chimvero chokulira koposa. Iwo amalemekeza malamulo abwino omwe mbendera ya mtundu kaŵirikaŵiri imaimira, koma kwa iwo kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera kuli kulambira fano kogawika. Kaimidwe kameneka kanawapereka iwo m’mavuto mu United States mu ma 1930 ndi mu ma 40.

Ana mazana angapo anapitikitsidwa kuchoka pa sukulu kaamba ka kukana kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera. Monga mmene Profesa Mason analongosolera m’bukhu lake Harlan Fiske Stone: Pillar of the Law: “Kukana kwawo sikunatanthauze kuti sanali ochirikiza dziko kapena kuti sanakonde dziko lawo. Iko kunangotanthauza kuti, monga mmene anaŵerengera Malemba, kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera kumaswa nsonga ya Baibulo yotsutsa kugwadira ku mafano opanga.”

Nkhaniyo inaperekedwa ku Bwalo Lalikulu Lamilandu la U.S., ndipo mu 1940, ndi kusankha kwa 8 ku 1, apilu ya Mboni inakanidwa. Wotsutsa mmodzi yekhayo ndipo wolimba mtima anali Woŵeruza Harlan Fiske Stone. Profesa Mason analongosola mmene ena anachitira: “John Haynes Holmes, tcheyamani wa American Civil Liberties Union, ananena kuti kutsutsa kwa Stone kukakhoza ‘kukhala monga kumodzi kwa malingaliro otsutsa okulira m’mbiri ya America.’ Ndemanga ya olemba nkhani inali yachiyanjo mokulira. Manyuzipepala otchuka zana limodzi ndi makumi asanu ndi aŵiri mphambu chimodzi anatsutsa mwamsanga chigamulocho; kokha ochepera anachivomereza icho.” Koma kodi nchiyani chimene chinachitika potsatirapo?

Profesa Cox akupitiriza nkhani yake: “Chizunzo cha Mboni chinawonjezereka. M’mbali zina, modziŵika Texas, Mboni zinawukiridwa ndi magulu owukira kaamba ka kukana kwawo kuchita sawatcha kumbendera, ndipo nthaŵi zina anatengedwa kukhala ‘akazitape a Nazi.’” Mu Maine, Nyumba ya Ufumu imodzi inatenthedwa. Pa mzinda umodzi mu Illinois, chiŵerengero cha anthu chonse okhalamo “chinatembenuka kukalimbana ndi Mboni makumi asanu ndi imodzi.” Ndipo kodi nchiyani chimene maulamuliro anachita? “Kwa mbali yaikulu, apolisi anangoyimirira mwaulesi pambali kapena kugawanamo mwachangu.” Monga mmene Profesa Mason wachitira ndemanga: “Dipatimenti ya za Chilungamo inawona kachitidwe ka chiwawa kukhala kochititsidwa mwachindunji ndi chigamulo cha Bwalo Lamilandu m’nkhani yoyamba ya kuchitira Sawatcha ku Mbendera. Bwalo Lamilandu ilo lenilo chotero linakhala chida m’kumenyera kaamba ka malingaliro a anthu.”

Kusintha Kodabwitsa

Mosasamala kanthu za kuzunza kwa chiwembu kumeneku, ana a Mboni, mofanana ndi Ahebri atatu okhulupirika, anakana kupereka sawatcha ku fano la utundu, m’nkhaniyi kukhala mbendera. (Danieli, mutu 3) Dipatimenti ya Lamulo ya Watchtower Society inapitirizabe kusonkhezera nkhani za kupereka sawatcha ku mbendera kupyolera mu makhoti a apilu. M’chenicheni, “Mboni za Yehova zinapitirizabe kukakamiza kudzinenera kwawo mwaukali kotero kuti [Woŵeruza] Stone analingalira kuti iwo ‘akafunikira kukhala ndi kulingaliridwa m’kayang’anidwe ka kuthandiza kumene apereka m’kuthetsa mavuto a lamulo a kumenyera ufulu wa unzika.’”—Harlan Fiske Stone: Pillar of the Law, tsamba 598.

Kenaka pa June 14, 1943 (Tsiku la Mbendera), Bwalo Lalikulu Lamilandu la U.S. linatenga njira yosakhala ya nthaŵi zonse. Linadzitembenuza ilo lokha m’nkhani yosiyana ya kupereka sawatcha ku mbendera (West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette) ndipo linamasula Mboni kotheratu. Pa tsiku limodzimodzilo, mu mlandu wina wokhudza Mboni za Yehova, oŵeruza analongosola kuti: “Monga momwe lagwiritsidwira ntchito pa ochita apiluwo [Mboni] ilo [lamulo] likuwalanga iwo ngakhale kuti chomwe anachita sichikunenedwa kapena kusonyezedwa kukhala chitachitidwa ndi cholinga choipa kapena chaupandu, kukhala akuchirikiza kapena kusonkhezera kachitidwe kowukira mtundu kapena boma. . . . Pansi pa zigamulo zathu chilango cha uchifwamba sichingaperekedwe kaamba ka mchitidwe woterowo.”

Woŵeruza Jackson, monga wolankhulira wa Bwalo Lamilandu, anaphatikizamo lingaliro la nzeru yonga ya Gamaliyeli: “Ngati pali chinthu chirichonse chosasintha m’zinthu za lamulo lathu, chiri chakuti palibe nduna iriyonse, yaikulu kapena yaing’ono, yomwe idzabweretsa chomwe chidzakhala chiorthodox [lingaliro lovomerezedwa ndi aliyense] m’ndale zadziko, utundu, chipembedzo, kapena m’nkhani zina za lingaliro kapena kukakamiza nzika kuvomereza mwa mawu kapena kachitidwe chikhulupiriro chawo kuchimenecho.” Chigamulo chimenechi chatchedwa “chimodzi cha kusintha kodabwitsa m’mbiri ya Bwalo Lamilandu.”—Yerekezani ndi Machitidwe 5:34, 38, 39.

Nchifukwa ninji chinali kokha cholondola kuti Mboni sizingalamulidwe ndi lamulo kulambira mbendera? Profesa Cox walongosola kuti: “Mlandu ku ana a Gobitis ndi Barnette [Mboni] unali kukakamiza kwa Boma kuti alengeze chiorthodox cha ndale zadziko chomwe sanakhulupirire.” Chokha chimene Mboni zinachita chinali kutsatira lamulo la Baibulo: “Tiyenera kumvera Mulungu monga wolamulira koposa munthu.”—Machitidwe 5:29.

Nchifukwa Ninji Kutetezera Kagulu Kochepera?

M’kufufuza kwake kwa nkhanizi, Cox wadzutsa funso lapadera: “Nchifukwa ninji tiyenera kudera nkhaŵa ponena za ufulu wauzimu wa oŵerengeka amenewo omwe anakana kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera? Kapena ponena za kutetezera mwaŵi wa odzetsa mavuto onga ngati alengezi a Mboni za Yehova?” Iye wayankha kuti: “Mbali ya yankho ikukhala mu nsonga ya kulemekeza aliyense payekha mu limene chitaganya chathu chikhala, ulemu woyenerera ponse paŵiri chiorthodox ndi osachichirikiza. Mbali ina imakhala pa kudziŵa kuti ngati Boma lingaletse kulankhula kwa Mboni za Yehova . . . , kwathu kwenikweniko kungakhale kotsatira.”

Inde, kudidikiza kwa ufulu wa kulambira kwa ochepera osatchuka kungakhale nsonga yakuthwa ya chodulila yomatsogolera ku kudidikizidwa kwa maufulu ena kaamba ka nzika zonse. Koma pali nsonga ina yokondweretsa yomwe Profesa Cox akuphatikiza:

“Ndipo mbali ina imakhala m’kuzindikira kuti ochepera ena angalunjike pa chowonadi—chowonadi cholekedwa kapena chotaidwa kosatha kwa kuchididikiza.” Ndipo pakati pa zowonadi zomwe zinkapangidwa kukhala chinthu chodidikiza chiri chija cholalikidwa ndi Mboni za Yehova, chotchedwa, kuti chiyembekezo chokha cha mtundu wa anthu kaamba ka mtendere ndi chipulumutso chiri boma la Ufumu wa Mulungu mwa Kristu Yesu.—Danieli 2:44; Mateyu 6:9, 10.

Akristu “Odzetsa Mavuto”

Pamene Cox analozera kwa Mboni monga “odzetsa mavuto,” chiyenera kukumbukiridwa mmene ophunzira Achikristu oyambirira analongosoledwera ndi otsutsa awo: “Omwe aja asanduliza dziko lokhalamo anthu, afika kunonso . . . achita zokana malamulo a Kaisara, kumanena kuti pali mfumu ina, yotchedwa Yesu.” (Machitidwe 17:6, 7, New International Version) Ndi wofanana chotani nanga mkhalidwe mu umene Mboni za Yehova zadzipeza izo zeni m’maiko ambiri! Ndipo kodi nchifukwa ninji zimenezo ziri tero? Kaamba ka zifukwa zofananazo zimene Akristu oyambirira anavutika nazo—kumamatira kwawo kwa Kristu Yesu, Mfumu yawo, ndi ku Ufumu wake.

Kulalikira mwachipambano kwa Mboni kumadzutsa atsogoleri achipembedzo chiorthodox kufunafuna chithandizo kuchokera kwa olamulira a dziko. Ichi chiri chofanana ndi chimene chinachitika pambuyo pa utumiki wachipambano wa Paulo. Nkhaniyo imatiwuza ife kuti: “Koma Ayuda mu nsanje yawo anatenga anthu ena oipa achabe apabwalo, nasonkhanitsa khamu la anthu nachititsa phokoso m’mudzi. . . . Anakokera Jason ndi ziwalo zina za mpingo pamaso pa akulu oŵeruza milandu.”—Machitidwe 17:5, 6, NEB.

Mboni za Yehova zavutika ndi chizunzo chosalungamitsidwa m’maiko ambiri, nthaŵi za nkhondo ndi za mtendere. Pa zochitika zambiri ochirikiza a kuzunza kumeneko akhala atsogoleri achipembedzo omwe agwiritsira ntchito chisonkhezero chawo limodzi ndi kumvana kwawo ndi kagulu kazinduna kolamulira kuletsa machitachita a Mboni. Chitsanzo chimodzi chapadera chinali chizunzo cha Mboni za Yehova mu Spain wa Chikatolika mkati mwa nyengo yoyambira 1950 mpaka 1970. Amuna, akazi, ndi ana anawukiridwa, kulipiritsidwa, ndi kuikidwa m’ndende kokha kaamba ka kuphunzira Baibulo kwa mtseri m’nyumba zawo. Amuna achichepere mazana angapo anatsiriza mmodzi ndi mmodzi zoposa zaka khumi m’ndende ya asilikali a nkhondo kaamba ka kusungilira uchete Wachikristu.a

Nkhani ya Mboni za Yehova mu Spain iri yapadera kotero kuti wodziŵa za malamulo wotchuka, Señor Martín-Retortillo, analemba kuti: “Pamene wina aphunzira zaka khumi za Malamulo, ndi kupenyerera kuletsa kwa boma kaamba ka zifukwa za khalidwe labwino la unyinji lomwe limayambukira kachitidwe ka chipembedzo, pali chenicheni chimodzi chimene mogamulapo chimagwira chisamaliro: Chiri chakuti m’chifupifupi nkhani zonse zolingaliridwa, awo omwe [aphatikizidwa] ali ziwalo za kokha gulu limodzi la chipembedzo . . . ‘Mboni za Yehova.’”

Chizunzo Chilephera Kuletsa Mboni

Chiyambire 1970, Mboni za Yehova zasangalala ndi kuzindikiridwa kwa lamulo mu Spain, ndipo m’malo mwa 10,000 omwe anali okangalika pa nthaŵiyo, pali tsopano 70,000 oyanjana ndi chifupifupi mipingo chikwi! Liŵiro lofananalo la kupita patsogolo liri lowona kaamba ka United States. M’nyengo imene Profesa Cox analozera (mu ma 1930-1940), panali kokha Mboni 40,000 kufika ku 60,000 mu United States ndi chiŵerengero chonse pamodzi cha 115,000 dziko lonse. Lerolino, pali Mboni zoposa 770,000 mu United States, ndi 3,400,000 m’dziko lonse m’mipingo 55,000. Chizunzo chalephera kuletsa kupita patsogolo kwa ntchito yawo yophunzitsa ya dziko lonse.

Pamene mwayang’anizidwa ndi chizunzo, pamakhala kokha yankho limodzi lomwe Mboni zingapereke: “Ngati nkwabwino pamaso pa Mulungu kumvera inu koposa Mulungu; pakuti sitingathe ife kuleka kulankhula zimene tinaziwona ndi kuzimva.”—Machitidwe 4:19, 20.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Mabwalo Amilandu analamulira kuti kukana kupereka sawatcha ku mbendera sikuli kupanda ulemu

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Woŵeruza Stone yekha anachirikiza kaimidwe ka Mboni za Yehova m’chigamulo cha Bwalo Lamilandu mu 1940

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Office of the Curator, The Supreme Court of the United States

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Ndi kusankha kwa unyinji, oŵeruza awa analamula mokomera Mboni m’nkhani ya kuchita sawatcha ku mbendera

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Office of the Curator, The Supreme Court of the United States