Wɔkamfo Asomdwoe Nanso Wɔhyɛ Ɔko Ho Nkuran

Dɛn Na Efi Mu Ba?

NÁ ƐYƐ December 1914. Ná Wiase Ko I rekɔ so wɔ Europa. Na asraafo deda amoa mu a wɔne wɔn ho di nhwɛanim a asase a ɛnyɛ obiara de da wɔn ntam. Nanso, afei biribi a ɛyɛ nwonwa sii December 25, Buronya Da no.

Na asraafo a wɔreko no a wɔahyiam wɔ anigye mu mfonini wɔ nhoma a wɔfrɛ no The War in the Trenches no mu a asɛmti a ɛne: “Britania ne Germany asraafo yi adamfofa su adi kyerɛ wɔn ho wɔ da a wodii Buronya wɔ 1914 mu” ka ho. Ɔkyerɛwfo Alan Lloyd ka sɛ asraafo no “hyiaam ankasa wɔ Asase a Ɛnyɛ Obiara De no so sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔde nkaede bɛma wɔn ho wɔn ho.

Obi a na ɔka ho bɔɔ amanneɛ sɛ, “‘Na ɛte sɛ bere a wɔde gye wɔn ahome wɔ akuturukubɔ akansi mu. . . . Na obiara kasa, serew a na ɔrehwehwɛ nkaede.’”

Dɛn nti na wogyee wɔn ahome wɔ ɔko no mu? Efisɛ na wɔakyerɛkyerɛ saa Britania ne Germany asraafo yi sɛ wɔwoo Kristo, Asomdwoe-Hene no December 25. Na so abɔfo antow dwom wɔ bere a wɔwoo no no mu sɛ “Asomdwoe wɔ asase so, nnipa a wɔsɔ n’ani mu?” (Luka 2:14) Ɛnde, nokwarem no, na nyansa nnim sɛ wɔn a wɔfrɛ wɔn ho Kristo akyidifo no bekunkum wɔn ho wɔn ho wɔ bere a ɛte sɛɛ mu.

Nanso, na ɛnyɛ wɔn nyinaa na wɔn ani gye asomdwoe a wobenya wɔ Buronya mu no ho. Lloyd kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu sɛ, “Bere a wodii Buronya a ɛto so abien wɔ Atɔe Fam akono no, wɔsan hyiaam wɔ Asase a Ɛnyɛ Obiara De no so bio wɔ mmara a wɔhyɛ de tiaa su a ɛte sɛɛ nyinaa akyi no. Anyɛ yiye koraa no, wɔde asraafo mpanyimfo baanu a wɔde wɔn ho hyeem kɔɔ asraafo asennibea.”

Asɔre Ahorow no Gyinabea

Asɔre ahorow no tee nka dɛn wɔ emufo a wɔkɔko tia wɔn mfɛfo gyidifo a wɔwɔ nsase afoforo so no ho? Wiɛ, wɔ Buronya mu no, asɔfo ka asomdwoe asɛm a abɔfo no kae wɔ Yesu awo mu no na wɔkamfo Yesu sɛ Asomdwoe-Hene. (Yesaia 9:6) Nanso, sɛ wɔn asɔre no mufo kunkum nnipa a wɔne wɔn reko a wɔwɔ asɔre koro no ara mu wɔ Buronya mu anaa da foforo wɔ afe no mu a, wɔnkasa ntia!

Asɔre ho abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo, Roland H. Bainton ka nea esii bere a United States de ne ho hyɛɛ Wiase Ko I mu no ho asɛm: “Ná asɔre ahorow a ɛwɔ Amerika nyinaa no mufo ne wɔn ho ne ɔman no adwene nyɛɛ biako saa da. Ná eyi yɛ ɔko kronkron. Ná wɔayɛ Yesu mfonini a ɔhyɛ kakii a ɔrehwɛ otuo mu. Ná Germanfo yɛ adesɛefo. Kum a wobekunkum wɔn no kyerɛ sɛ wɔretɔre mmoa a wɔn ho yɛ hu ase afi asase no so.”​—Christian Attitudes Toward War and Peace, nkratafa 209, 210.

Yiw, asɔre ahorow no de wɔn ano na ɛkaa asomdwoe ho asɛm. Nanso bere koro no ara mu no, asɛnka agua so bɛyɛɛ mmeae ahorow a wɔfaa nnipa de boaa ɔman no wɔ ɔko no mu. Britaniani ɔsahene Frank P. Crozier kaa tebea a na ɛwɔ hɔ wɔ Wiase Ko I mu no ho asɛm: “Kristofo Asɔre ahorow no yɛ mogyapɛfo kɛse a yɛde wɔn dii dwuma.”

Protestantfo sɔfo, Harry Emerson Fosdick a wawu no gye toom sɛ asɔre ahorow no gyinabea yɛ nea nyaatwom wom. Ɔkae sɛ: “Atɔe Fam abakɔsɛm ayɛ nea ɛfa ɔko ahorow pii ho. Yɛayɛn nnipa ama ɔko; yɛatete nnipa ama ɔko; yɛahyɛ ɔko ho nkuran; yɛama akofofo ayɛ nnipa a wɔagye din wɔ yɛn mu na yɛde ɔko mu mfrankaa asisi yɛn asɔre adan ahorow mu mpo . . . Yɛde yɛn anofafa akamfo Asomdwoe-Hene no na yɛde ano koro no ara ahyɛ ɔko ho nkuran.”

Tebea no ansakra wɔ Wiase Ko II mu. Yɛsrɛ wo, kenkan New York Times mu asɛm a yɛasan atintim wɔ Engiresi kasa mu wɔ kratafa yi mu a epuei wɔ ɔsram a edi kan wɔ ɔko no mu no. Ɛhyɛ nea Friedrich Heer, Roman Katolekni a ɔyɛ abakɔsɛm ho ɔbenfo wɔ Vienna Sukuupɔn mu gye toom akyiri yi wɔ ne nhoma God’s First Love mu no mu den:

“Wɔ Germanfo abakɔsɛm mu nokwasɛm a ɛyɛ awerɛhow mu no, wɔde Mmeamudua no ne swastika (Germanfo frankaa mu sɛnkyerɛnnede) dii dwuma boom kɛse, na ansa na swastika no reka nkonimdi ho asɛm wɔ Germanfo asɔre adan atifi no, na mfrankaa ahorow a swastika no wom sisi afɔremuka ho na Katolek ne Protestant asɔfo, asɔrekɔfo no amanyɛfo gyee biako a wɔne Hitler yɛe no toom.”​—Kratafa 247.

Nea Afi Mu Aba

Ade biako a afi gyina a asɔre ahorow no fi koma nyinaa mu gyinaa wɔn man akodi akyi no mu aba ne sɛ, nnipa ɔpepem pii a wɔwɔ aman a wɔnyɛ Kristofo mu no bu Kristosom sɛ asɔre a ɛpɛ akodi na wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔne no bɛyɛ biribiara. Ɛnyɛ gyina a asɔre ahorow no gyinaa ɔko ahorow a atwam no akyi no mu nko na wɔn adwene yi ho adanse da adi na mmom wɔ su ahorow a woyi no adi mprempren wɔ ɔko ho no mu nso. The Christian Century bɔ amanneɛ sɛ:

“Mfirihyia 20 nhwehwɛmu a wɔyɛe wɔ su ahorow a woyi no adi wɔ ɔko ho no da no adi sɛ Kristofo a wɔwɔ U.S., Canada ne West Germany pene ɔko so kɛse sen wɔn a wɔnyɛ Kristofo. . . . Sɛnea nhwehwɛmu no kyerɛ no, wɔ wɔn a wɔyɛ Kristofo wɔ saa aman yi mu no mu no, wɔn a wobu wɔn ho sɛ wodi Kristofo gyidi akyi denneennen no yɛ wɔn a wobetumi anya su a ɛbɛma wɔapene ɔko so asen wɔn a wɔnte saa no.”​—December 31, 1980, kratafa 1289.

Wususuw sɛ asɔre ahorow no gyinabea wɔ asɛm a ɛfa ɔko ho mu no aka nnipa pii a wɔwɔ aman a wɔka sɛ wɔyɛ Kristofo no mu mpo dɛn? Reo M. Christenson a ɔyɛ amammuisɛm ho ɔbenfo kaa eyi ho asɛm wɔ The Christian Century mu. Ɔkyerɛwee sɛ: “Ɛne sɛ, gye a Kristofo gye Agyenkwa a ne ho dwo gyidi tom wɔ ɔfã biako bere a wɔ ɔfã foforo no wɔde anigye gyina ɔko a nyamesom anaasɛ ɔmampɛ ma wɔko akyi no asɛe gyidi no na ɛma adwenem naayɛ a wɔanya wɔ nyamesom ho a akɔ so wɔ nnipa a wosusuw ade ho mu mfehaha pii no renya nkɔso.”​—May 25, 1983.

Ɛtɔ bere bi a wɔda adwenem naayɛ a ɛte sɛɛ a wɔanya wɔ nyamesom ho no adi wɔ ɔkwan a ɛma obi di yaw kɛse so. Sɛ nhwɛso no, bere a po so sraani bi kae sɛ ɔrenkɔ Lebanon efisɛ ɔyɛ Kramoni na ɔrenkum Kramoni foforo wɔ afe a etwaam no mu no, sɛnkyerɛwfo Mike Royko kaa asɛm bi a ɛyɛ yaw. Ɔkyerɛwee sɛ na po so sraani no “rebɔ mmɔden sɛ obedi tete mmara ne akodi ho atetesɛm ahorow ho fɛw” efisɛ ɛnyɛɛ “Kristofo abofono da sɛ wobetu wɔn mfɛfo” Kristofo so sa. Ɔde kaa ho sɛ: “Sɛ wɔyɛ saa a, anka ɔko akɛse ahorow a ɛbaa Europa no remma.”

Royko retwe adwene asi abakɔsɛm mu nokwasɛm ahorow so no, ɔtoaa so sɛ: “Kristofo a wofi asɔre ahorow pii mu wɔ Germany. Nanso mpɛn pii no ɛte nka sɛ ɛho hia sɛ etu France, Poland ne Kristofo aman afoforo so sa. Wɔ Napoleon bere so no, France antwentwɛn ne nan ase sɛ ɛbɛtɔre Kristofo afoforo a wɔwɔ Europa no nyinaa ase.

“Ɛda adi sɛ ɛtɔ bere bi a gyidi hyɛ wɔn den, ɛwom sɛ ɛnyɛ nokware sɛ saa na na Kristo pɛ sɛ wɔde n’asɛm no di dwuma. . . . Sɛ obiara susuw ade ho te sɛ po so sraani no a, anka Wiase Ko I ne II a ɛno mu na Kristofo kunkum Kristofo sen biara no rentumi mma. . . .”

Royko de kaa ho wɔ fɛwdi mu sɛ, “Nokwarem no, mfaso wɔ nnipa a wɔne wɔn wɔ asɔre koro mu a wotu wɔn so sa no so. Ade biako ne sɛ, sɛ wɔfa wo nnommum na wuwu a, wowɔ hokwan sɛ wubenya Kristofo ma wɔasie wo, nea eye sen sɛ wɔde wo bɛka wɔn a wogyaw wɔn gu hɔ no ho bere nyinaa. Na sɛ nyamesom nnapɔnna du a, ebia ɛda no bɛma awɛmfo a wɔhwɛ nneduafo no ani agye na wɔatew ayayade a wɔyɛ wo no so kakra.”

Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ asɛm yi yɛ fɛwdi. Nanso so wubetumi aka sɛ ɛnyɛ nokware? Na so wunnye ntom sɛ asɔre ahorow no fata fɛwdi a ɛte sɛɛ esiane sɛ wɔde nyaatwom ka sɛ wogyina Asomdwoe-Hene, Yesu Kristo no ananmu nti?

Ebia asɔfo no beyi wɔn ho ano sɛ, ‘Nanso yɛrentumi mfa Kristo nkyerɛkyerɛ ntra ase wɔ nnɛ wiase yi mu.’ Nanso ɔreka anoyi a ɛte saa ho asɛm no, Ɔbenfo Christenson kyerɛw wɔ asɛm a yɛadi kan aka ho asɛm no mu sɛ: “Minnye nni sɛ ɛyɛ nea mfomso wɔ ho sɛ yɛde nea yenim wɔ Yesu nkyerɛkyerɛ ne ne nhwɛso ho no bedi dwuma wɔ ɔko mu​—ne titiriw no, wɔ nnɛyi ɔko mu.

“So obi betumi asusuw ho anibere so sɛ Yesu retow ɔtopae abɔ n’atamfo, ɔretow otuo a ɛtow ntɛmntɛm, ɔretow nuklea ɔtopae anaasɛ aprɛm a wɔtow fi asasepɔn biako so kɔ foforo so a ebekunkum ɛnanom ne mmofra mpempem pii anaasɛ ɛbɛma wɔadan mmubuafo? Asemmisa no yɛ nea ntease biara nnim araa ma ɛnyɛ nea ɛfata sɛ wobua. Sɛ Yesu rentumi nyɛ eyi mma ɛne ne nipasu nhyia a, ɛnde ɔkwan bɛn so na yebetumi ayɛ eyi na yɛadi no nokware?”

Sɛ wode nokwaredi bua nsemmisa ahorow a ɛte saa a, wubetumi ahu nea enti a The Toronto Star nyamesom mu samufo kyerɛw nnansa yi Buronya Anwummere bi ho asɛm no: “Ɛyɛ Buronya ho fɛw a wodi sɛ wonhu sɛ nuklea akode a United States ne Soviet Union aboaboa ano mprempren a nyansa nnim yɛ abususɛm a enye koraa a etia Kristo ne adesamma.”

Wɔ bere koro no ara mu no, ɔhaw ahorow a wiase yi hyia yɛ nea wogye tom sɛ ɛyɛ hwanyann. So eyi kyerɛ sɛ yɛrentumi nnya nokware asomdwoe wɔ asase so? So abɔfo asɛm a wɔka faa ‘asomdwoe wɔ asase so’ ho no mmamu yɛ adaeso ara kwa? Anaasɛ so biribi wɔ hɔ a yebegyina so agye adi ampa sɛ nnipa a wofi mmusua ne aman ahorow nyinaa mu betumi atra ase abom wɔ asomwdoe mu a wɔrenhu nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu a ɔko de ba no bio?

[Kratafa 19 adaka]

THE NEW YORK TIMES

Monday, September 25, 1939.

German Soldiers Rallied by Churches

Protestant and Catholic Exhort to Reich Victory and Just Peace

Wireless to The New York Times

FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, Germany, Sept. 24​—Periodicals of the German Protestant and Catholic Churches are now publishing many exhortive articles explaining the duties of soldiers fighting in the defense of their country and admonishing the German soldiers to fight in the spirit of Saint Michael for a German victory and a just peace.

The archangel is shown, brandishing a battlesword and piercing a dragon with a holy lance, on the front page of Catholic papers.

In the western and southern German Catholic dioceses, the clergy headed by the Archbishop and Bishops, are actively engaged in work for the welfare of refugees evacuated from the western frontier districts. Many cloisters have been transformed into hospitals and the monks and nuns are working under the direction of the Red Cross.

The Catholic Bishops of Germany have issued a pastoral letter stating:

“In this decisive hour we admonish our Catholic soldiers to do their duty in obedience to the Fuehrer and be ready to sacrifice their whole individuality.

“We appeal to the faithful to join in ardent prayers that the Divine Providence of God Almighty may lead this war to blessed success and peace for our fatherland and nations.”

Each Bishop in addition has issued a special message to his own diocese, including the Bishop of Rottenburg in Wuerttemberg, who was expelled from his diocese last year for refusing to vote in a national Socialist election.

Cardinal Archbishop Bertram, head of the German Episcopal Congregation, has similarily issued a patriotic message to his flock urging that all “be strong in your heart, all you who confide in God Almighty.”

[Kratafa 18 mfoni]

Asɔfo kamfo Asomdwoe-Hene no nanso wohyira ɔko so

[Asɛm Fibea]

El Comercio, Quito, Ecuador

[Kratafa 20 mfoni]

“Sɛ Yesu rentumi nyɛ eyi mma ɛne ne nipasu nhyia a, ɛnde ɔkwan bɛn so na yebetumi ayɛ na yɛadi no nokware?”

[Asɛm Fibea]

U.S. Army photo

[Kratafa 3 mfoni fibea]

From U.S. Army photos