Nyamesom Ahofadi—Nhyira Anaa Nnome?
Egyee abɛberɛsɛ kɛse wɔ Kristoman mu ansa na nyamesom ahofadi ho adwene no reba. Ná ɛyɛ kateeyɛ, adwemmɔne, ne afoforo som ho koma a wonni ho apereperedi. Ɛmaa nnipa mpempem pii hweree wɔn nkwa wɔ nyamesom akodi ahorow a na ɛyɛ hu mu. Dɛn na abakɔsɛm a ɛyɛ awerɛhow yi kyerɛ yɛn?
ROBIN Lane Fox kyerɛwee wɔ ne nhoma Pagans and Christians mu sɛ: “Ɔtaa akɔ so wɔ Kristosom abakɔsɛm mu fi tete.” Wɔfrɛɛ tete Kristofo fekuwsɛm, na wɔbɔɔ wɔn sobo sɛ wɔsɛe ɔmanfo asomdwoe. (Asomafo no Nnwuma 16:20, 21; 24:5, 14; 28:22) Ne saa nti, wɔyɛɛ ebinom ayayade, maa akekaboa kunkum binom wɔ Romafo agoprama ahorow so. Bere a saa ɔtaa a emu yɛ den yi rekɔ so no, wɔn mu binom, te sɛ nyamekyerɛfo Tertullian kasaa mu sɛ wɔmma nkurɔfo ɔsom mu ahofadi. Ɔkyerɛwee wɔ 212 Y.B. mu sɛ: “Ɛyɛ hokwan a ɛsɛ nnipa nyinaa, hokwan a ɔdomankoma de ama, sɛ onipa biara bɛsom sɛnea ne gyidi kyerɛ no.”
Wɔ 313 Y.B. mu no, ɔtaa a Romafo de baa Kristofo so no baa awiei bere a na Constantine di hene, na wɔhyɛɛ Milan Mmara no de maa Kristofo ne abosonsomfo nyinaa kwan sɛ wɔnsom sɛnea wɔpɛ no. “Kristosom” a wɔde sii hɔ mmara kwan so wɔ Roma Ahemman no mu no twaa ɔhaw no akyi. Nanso, bɛyɛ 340 Y.B. mu no, ɔkyerɛwfo bi a na ɔkyerɛ sɛ ɔyɛ Kristoni de too gua sɛ, wɔntaa abosonsomfo. Awiei koraa wɔ 392 Y.B. mu no, Ɔhempɔn Theodosius I nam Constantinople Mmara no so baraa abosonsom wɔ ahemman no mu, na amma nyamesom ahofadi anni gyina. Bere a Roma “Kristosom” bɛyɛɛ Ɔman som no, Asɔre ne Ɔman kaa wɔn ti pam ho taa nkurɔfo mfehaha pii, na bere a emu yɛɛ den paa ne bere a Mmeamudua ho akodi a na mogyahwiegu wom kɛse no kɔɔ so wɔ afeha a ɛto so 11 kosi afeha a ɛto so 13 ne Atirimɔden Asɛnni a efii ase wɔ afeha a ɛto so 12 no. Wɔfrɛɛ wɔn a wɔbɔɔ wɔn ho mmusu kasa tiaa ɔsom a wɔagye atom, a ne nkyerɛkyerɛ na edi akoten no gyidisakrafo, na wɔde wɔn ani sii wɔn so tan wɔn ani. Dɛn na ɛkɔfaa saa tebea no bae?
Bere a wɔrepɛ ɔkwan a wɔbɛfa so asiw ɔsom afoforo kwan no, wɔkyerɛe sɛ ade a etumi ma Ɔman gyina paa ne sɛ wɔbɛyɛ biako wɔ ɔsom mu, ne sɛ ɔsom mu nsonsonoe de ɔmanfo asomdwoe to asiane mu. Ɔhemmaa Elizabeth asoafo no biako kae wɔ England wɔ 1602 mu sɛ: “Sɛ Ɔman ma ɔsom ahorow abien ho kwan a, emu rennwo da.” Nokwarem no, na ɛyɛ mmerɛw sɛ wɔbɛbara nyamesomfo a wokura adwene foforo no sen sɛ anka wɔbɛyɛ nhwehwɛmu ahu sɛ ebia wobetumi de Ɔman no anaa ɔsom a wɔagye atom no ato asiane mu ankasa. The Catholic Encyclopedia ka sɛ: “Wiase atumfoɔ no ne asɔre mpanyimfo no mu biara antumi ankyerɛ ade ketewaa bi mpo a wɔde behu nsonsonoe a ɛda gyidisakrafo a wɔn ho yɛ hu ne wɔn a wɔn ho nyɛ hu no ntam.” Nanso, na ɛrenkyɛ na nsakrae aba.
Afoforo Som Ho Koma a Wonya Afei Mu Abɛberɛsɛ
Nea ɛmaa nsakrae baa Europa ntɛmntɛm ne basabasa a Protestantsom, mate-me-ho kuw bi a wɔantumi anka wɔn anhyɛ, de bae no. Protestant Ɔsesɛw no ma wobenyaa ɔsom pii wɔ Europa ntɛmntɛm paa maa adwene a ɛne sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wogyae obiara ahonim ma no no bɛdaa adi. Sɛ nhwɛso no, Ɔsesɛwfo a wagye din Martin Luther yii ne ho ano wɔ adwene a na okura no ho wɔ 1521 mu sɛ: “Onyankopɔn Asɛm afa m’ahonim dommum.” Mpaapaemu no kɔfaa Mfe Aduasa Ko (1618-48) no nso bae, nyamesom akodi a ɛtoatoaa so a ɛyɛɛ Europa pasaa no.
Nanso bere a na ɔko rekɔ so no, nnipa bebree behui sɛ ɔko nyɛ ɔkwan a wɔfa so di nsɛm ho dwuma. Enti, wɔhyehyɛɛ mmara bi te sɛ Nantes Mmara a wɔde sii hɔ wɔ France (1598) de bɔɔ mmɔden sɛ wɔde asomdwoe bɛba Europa a na ɔko ayɛ hɔ pasaa, a anyɛ yiye no. Mmara horow yi na nkakrankakra, ɛma wobenyaa nea ɛnnɛ wɔfrɛ no afoforo som ho koma a wonya no. Mfiase no na wobu “afoforo som ho koma a wonya” sɛ adwemmɔne. Erasmus a wagye din wɔ nnipa nsɛnnii mu no kyerɛwee wɔ 1530 mu sɛ: “Sɛ yɛma mate-me-ho akuw ho kwan wɔ tebea horow bi mu . . . a, akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ ɛbɛyɛ bɔne—bɔne a anibere wom ankasa—nanso anka ɛrenyɛ bɔne te sɛ ɔko.” Esiane saa adwemmɔne yi nti, wɔ 1561 mu no, nnipa bi te sɛ Franceni Paul de Foix kaa ho asɛm sɛ “nyamesom ahofadi,” sen sɛ ɔbɛka sɛ “afoforo som ho koma a wonya.”
Nanso bere bi akyi no, wɔammu ɔsom afoforo ho koma a wonya sɛ ade bɔne bio, na mmom sɛ biribi a ɛbɔ ahofadi ho ban. Wɔammu no sɛ ɛyɛ mmerɛwyɛ bio na mmom sɛ ade a ɛsɛ nnipa. Bere a wofii ase gyee gyidi ahorow ne hokwan a obiara wɔ sɛ onya ne nsusuwii toom sɛ ade a nnɛyi asetra gyina so no, ɔsom mu kateeyɛ ano brɛɛ ase.
Wɔ afeha a ɛto so 18 no awiei no, wɔde afoforo som ho koma a wonya bataa ahofadi ne koroyɛ ho. Wɔdaa eyi adi wɔ mmara ne mpaemuka te sɛ Onipa ne Ɔman Ba Hokwan Mpaemuka a agye din (1789) a wɔde too gua wɔ France no, anaa United States Ahofadi Ho Mmara (1791) no mu. Bere a saa nsɛm yi kaa nkurɔfo maa efi afeha a ɛto so 19 no, wogyee adwenhorow toom no, wɔammu afoforo som ho koma a wonya ne ahofadi sɛ nnome bio na mmom nhyira.
Ahofadi a Anohyeto Wom
Ɛmfa ho sɛnea ahofadi som bo no, anohyeto wom. Bere a Ɔman no yɛ sɛnea ɛreyɛ ama obiara anya ahofadi pii no, wɔhyehyɛ mmara a esiw ankorankoro bi ahofadi kwan. Nea edidi so yi yɛ ahofadi ho nsɛmpɔw a wogu so reka ho asɛm denneennen wɔ Europa aman pii mu: Ɛsɛ sɛ mmara a aban hyehyɛ no ka nkurɔfo kokoam nsɛm kodu he? Edi mũ dɛn? Ɔkwan bɛn so na ɛka ahofadi?
Nsɛm amanneɛbɔfo aka anobaabae a wodi wɔ ɔmanfo ne ankorankoro ahofadi ho no ho asɛm kɛse. Wɔabɔ ɔsom ahorow bi sobo sɛ wɔsɛe nkurɔfo adwene, bɔ wɔn apoo, to mmofra mmonnaa, yɛ bɔne afoforo a anibere wom bebree, a mpɛn pii no wonni ho adanse pii. Ɛyɛ a nsɛm amanneɛbɔfo ka ɔsom ahorow a emu nnipa nnɔɔso ho nsɛm pii. Dimmɔne te sɛ “sum ase kuw” anaa “mate-me-ho kuw” abɛka kasa a wɔtaa ka no nnansa yi ho. Ɛtɔ mmere bi mpo a ɔmanfo tutu gu aban mpanyimfo asom ma wɔbobɔ sum ase akuw a wɔn ho yɛ hu paa no din.
France yɛ ɔman a wogye wɔn ho di sɛ wɔtaa ma ɔsom afoforo ho kwan, na wɔmfa asɔre mmata Ɔman ho. Wɔde hoahoa wɔn ho sɛ ɛhɔ yɛ “Ahofadi, Koroyɛ, ne Nkabom” man. Nanso sɛnea Freedom of Religion and Belief—A World Report nhoma no kyerɛ no, wɔakamfo akyerɛ wɔ saa ɔman no mu sɛ “wɔnkyerɛkyerɛ nkurɔfo wɔ sukuu ahorow mu ma wɔmpo ɔsom ahorow a aba so foforo no.” Nanso, nnipa pii susuw sɛ adeyɛ yi ma nyamesom ahofadi ho ba asɛm. Ɔkwan bɛn so?
Nyamesom Ahofadi Ho a Aba Asɛm
Sɛ nyamesom ahofadi a edi mũ bɛba a, gye sɛ Ɔman no bu ɔsom ahorow a wɔkyerɛ obu ma mmara na wodi so no nyinaa pɛ. Sɛ Ɔman no fa ɔkwan a ntease nnim so kyerɛ ɔsom ahorow no mu nea ɛnyɛ ɔsom papa, na sɛ wɔde mmoa a ɔsom ahorow nya fi Ɔman hɔ no kame wɔn a, na tebea no nte saa bio. Time nsɛmma nhoma no kae wɔ 1997 mu sɛ: “Sɛ ɔman no gye to ne ho so sɛ ɔbɛma ɔsom ahorow tumi krataa te sɛ nea wɔde tumi krataa ma wɔn a wɔka kar no a, ɛbɔ nyamesom ahofadi a ɛyɛ adwempa no gu.” Nnansa yi, France asɛnnibea bi a wɔde nsɛm kɔdan wɔn kae sɛ saayɛ no “kowie kankabi amammu mu ɛmfa ho sɛ wɔhyɛ da anaa wɔnhyɛ da no.”
Sɛ kuw biako na daa wɔde wɔn ho amanneɛbɔ ma a, ɛma ahofadi a ɛsɛ obiara no nso ho ba asɛm. Awerɛhosɛm ne sɛ saa na tebea no te wɔ aman pii so. Sɛ nhwɛso no, bere a ahyehyɛde ahorow a wɔne sum ase akuw ani nhyia no rebɔ mmɔden akyerɛ ɔsom a ɛfata no, wɔayɛ wɔn ho atɛnyifo, atemmufo, ne asɛnni baguafo, na wɔnam nsɛm ho amanneɛbɔ so abɔ mmɔden sɛ wɔde wɔn adwene a akyea no bɛkɛntɛn ɔmanfo so. Nanso, sɛnea France atesɛm krataa Le Monde kae no, ɛtɔ mmere bi a sɛ ahyehyɛde ahorow yi yɛ saa a, wɔda “mpaapaemu koro no ara a wɔkyerɛ sɛ wɔreko atia no adi, na ɛma nkurɔfo tu wɔn ani si afoforo so ‘taa’ wɔn.” Atesɛm krataa no bisae sɛ: “So dimmɔne a ɔmanfo bɔ ɔsom ahorow a emufo nnɔɔso no . . . mma ahofadi a ɛho hia ho mma asɛm?” Wɔkyerɛw Martin Kriele asɛm baa Zeitschrift für Religionspsychologie (Nyamesom Ho Adwene Nsɛmma Nhoma) mu sɛ: “Sɛnea wotu wɔn ani si mate-me-ho akuw so no haw adwene sen nea wɔfrɛ no akuw basabasa fã kɛse no ara. Ne tiaatwa mu no: Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhaw ɔmamma a wommu mmara so no adwene. Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔma ɔsom ne adwenkyerɛ ahorow ho kwan, na wɔkɔ so ma ho kwan wɔ Germany ha nso.” Momma yensusuw nhwɛso biako ho.
“Ɔmanfo a wɔhwɛ wɔn sua wɔn”—Wose Wɔn Ho Yɛ Hu
Ɔsom bɛn na Katolek mpanyimfo kaa wɔn ho asɛm wɔ Spain atesɛm krataa a agye din ABC mu sɛ “wɔyɛ mate-me-ho kuw a wɔn ho yɛ hu sen biara”? Ebia ɛbɛyɛ wo nwonwa sɛ wubehu sɛ na ABC reka Yehowa Adansefo ho asɛm. So sobo a wɔde too wɔn so no yɛ nokware a adwemmɔne biara nni akyi? Hyɛ nsɛm a amanneɛbɔfo afoforo aka yi nsow:
“Adansefo no kyerɛkyerɛ nkurɔfo sɛ wontua wɔn tow nyinaa, wɔmmfa wɔn ho nnhyɛ akode anaa ɔko ho ntotoe mu, wonnwia ade, na ne korakora no, wɔmmɔ bra a sɛ afoforo bɔ bi a ɛbɛma ɔmanfo asetra atu mpɔn.”—Sergio Albesano, Talento, November-December 1996.
“Nea ɛne nsɛmmɔne a ɛtɔ mmere bi a wɔkeka fa wɔn ho no nhyia no, [Yehowa Adansefo] nyɛ nkurɔfo a mihu wɔn sɛ wɔn ho yɛ hu kakra mpo ma Ɔman no ahyehyɛde ahorow no. Wɔyɛ ɔmamma a wɔpɛ asomdwoe, wɔwɔ ahonim pa, na wobu tumidi.”—Belguim mmarahyɛ bagua muni.
“Yehowa Adansefo ne nnipa a wɔda nsow sɛ nnipa a wodi nokware sen biara wɔ Adehyeman Nkabom yi mu.”—Germany atesɛm krataa Sindelfinger Zeitung.
“Yebetumi abu [Yehowa Adansefo] sɛ ɔmanfo a wɔhwɛ wɔn sua wɔn. Wotua wɔn tow yiye, hwɛ ayarefo, boa ma nkurɔfo hu nhoma nso.”—U.S. atesɛm krataa San Francisco Examiner.
“Yehowa Adansefo di nkonim wɔ aware a wotumi ma egyina mu sen ɔsom afoforo mufo.”—American Ethnologist.
“Yehowa Adansefo ka ɔmanfo a wɔteɛ na wɔyɛ nsi sen biara wɔ Afrika aman mu no ho.”—Ɔbenfo Bryan Wilson, Oxford Sukuupɔn.
“Saa ɔsom no mufo aboa kɛse ama ahonim a wogyae obiara de ma no no akɔ so wɔ mfe pii mu.”—Nat Hentoff, Free Speech for Me—But Not for Thee.
“Wɔayɛ . . . nneɛma pɔtee bi de aboa ama dodow amammu akɔ so yiye wɔ yɛn man yi mu.”—Ɔbenfo C. S. Braden, These Also Believe.
Sɛnea atifi hɔ nsɛm a nkurɔfo aka no kyerɛ no, Yehowa Adansefo yɛ nnipa a wogye wɔn tom wɔ wiase nyinaa sɛ ɔmamma a wɔyɛ nhwɛso pa. Bio nso, wɔde wɔn Bible nkyerɛkyerɛ adwuma a wonnye ho sika biara ne abusua asetra ho gyinapɛn a wɔhyɛ ho nkuran no nim wɔn. Wɔn akenkan ne akyerɛw adesua no aboa nnipa ɔpehaha pii, na honam fam mmoa a wɔde ama wɔ mfe pii mu no aboa nnipa mpempem pii wɔ Afrika titiriw.
Mfaso a Ɛwɔ Nokware a Wɔka So
Nnipa a wɔmfa nnyinasosɛm nyɛ adwuma a wɔhwehwɛ afoforo a wɔn ani nna wɔn ho so ho mfaso ayɛ asetra mu ma. Ne saa nti, ɛho hia paa sɛ yɛma yɛn ani da hɔ bere a yɛreka nyamesom ho asɛm no. Nanso nokwaredi ne nkɔso bɛn na ɛwɔ nyamesom mu ahofadi mu bere a sɛnkyerɛwfo binom twa wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ a wɔka nokwasɛm no gya na wokotie asɔrefo a wohu sɛ wɔn asɔremma so retew anaa ahyehyɛde ahorow a wɔne mate-me-ho akuw ani nhyia a wɔn nokwaredi ho wɔ asɛm no nsɛm no? Sɛ nhwɛso no, atesɛm krataa a ɛkaa Yehowa Adansefo ho asɛm sɛ “wɔyɛ mate-me-ho kuw a wɔn ho yɛ hu sen biara” no gye toom sɛ “[Katolek] Asɔre no mu akunini” na wɔkaa wɔn ho asɛm saa. Nea ɛka ho bio no, France nsɛmma nhoma bi kae sɛ nsɛm a wɔkyerɛw fa wɔn a wobu wɔn sɛ mate-me-ho akuw ho no dodow no ara fi ahyehyɛde ahorow a wɔne saa akuw no ani nhyia hɔ. So wuhu eyi sɛ ɔkwan a animhwɛ nnim sen baira a wɔnam so nya nokwasɛm?
Amanaman ntam asɛnnibea ne ahyehyɛde ahorow a hokwan a ɛsɛ nnipa nyinaa ho hia wɔn, te sɛ Amanaman Nkabom no ka sɛ “nsonsonoe a wɔkyerɛ sɛ ɛda ɔsom ne mate-me-ho kuw ntam no ntɔ asom koraa na yɛatumi agye atom.” Ɛnde dɛn nti na ebinom kɔ so de asɛmfua a wɔde bu animtia “mate-me-ho kuw” no di dwuma? Ɛyɛ adanse foforo a ɛkyerɛ sɛ nyamesom ahofadi ho aba asɛm. Ɛnde wɔbɛyɛ dɛn atumi abɔ saa ahofadi a ɛho hia yi ho ban?
[Kratafa 8 adaka/mfonini]
Nnipa a Wɔkasa Maa Nyamesom Ahofadi Wɔ Europa Wɔ Afeha a Ɛto so 16 Mu
Bere a na nyamesom akodi a ɛkaa mogya gui pii no gyina mu wɔ Europa wɔ afeha a ɛto so 16 mu no, nkurɔfo kasaa mu denneennen sɛ wɔmma nkurɔfo nsom sɛnea wɔpɛ. Saa nsɛm yi ho da so ara hia wɔ nyamesom ahofadi ho nkɔmmɔbɔ mu.
Sébastien Chateillon (1515-63): “Hena ne gyidisakrafo? Nea mihu ara ne sɛ yebu gyidisakrafo sɛ obiara a ɔne yɛn nyɛ adwene. . . . Sɛ wobu wo nokware gyidini wɔ kurow yi mu a, wobebu wo gyidisakrafo wɔ kurow foforo mu.” Franceni Bible asekyerɛfo a wagye din ne obi a ɔde nnamyɛ gyinaa afoforo som ho koma a wonya akyi, Chateillon kaa nneɛma atitiriw a ehia wɔ nyamesom ahofadi ho anobaabae mu no biako ho asɛm: Hena na ɔkyerɛ sɛ obi yɛ gyidisakrafo?
Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert (1522-90): “Yɛkenkan sɛ wɔ tete mmere mu no . . . Kristo ankasa mpo a na ɔwɔ Yerusalem ne mogya adansefo pii a na wɔwɔ Europa no . . . nam wɔn nsɛm a ɛyɛ nokware no so haw [ɔmanfo] asomdwoe. . . . Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛkyerɛ asɛmfua ‘ɔhaw’ no mu yiye ma emu da hɔ.” Coornhert kae sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde ɔsom mu nsonsonoe bata haw a wɔhaw ɔmanfo asomdwoe ho. Obisae sɛ: So wɔn a wɔyɛ nea wobetumi biara de di mmara so na wɔkyerɛ obu wɔ ho no de ɔmanfo asomdwoe to asiane mu ampa?
Pierre de Belloy (1540-1611): Sɛ obi “nnim a na obegye adi sɛ ɔsom mu nsonsonoe de basabasayɛ ba Ɔman mu.” Belloy, Franceni mmaranimfo bi a ɔkyerɛw nsɛm bere a na Nyamesom Akodi no rekɔ so (1562-98) no kae sɛ biakoyɛ a ɛbɛba Ɔman mu no nnyina nyamesom a ɛbɛyɛ biako so, gye sɛ ebia ɔsom binom akɛntɛn aban so.
Thomas Helwys (Bɛyɛ 1550–Kosi 1616): “Sɛ [ɔhene no] nkurɔfo yɛ osetie na wɔde nokwaredi brɛ wɔn ho ase hyɛ nnipa mmara nyinaa ase a, ontumi nhwehwɛ biribi foforo biara mfi wɔn hɔ.” Helwys, a ɔka wɔn a wɔtew England Baptist asɔre ho no kyerɛw de foaa so sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔde Asɔre frafra Ɔman nsɛm mu, na ɔhyɛɛ ɔhene no nkuran sɛ ɔmma asɔre ne mate-me-ho akuw nyinaa ahofadi ma wɔmfa nsom, na ɔmma n’ani nsɔ ɔman tumi a odi wɔ nnipa ne agyapade so no. Nsɛm a ɔkyerɛwee no si asɛmmisa a ɛda so wɔ hɔ so dua: Ɛhe na ɛsɛ sɛ Ɔman de ne ho gyigye honhom fam nneɛma mu kodu?
Ɔkyerɛwfo bi a wammɔ ne din (1564): “Sɛ wobetumi agyae obiara ahonim ama no a, ɛnnɔɔso sɛ wɔbɛma obi kwan ama watwe ne ho afi ɔsom a ɔmpɛ mu, bere a wɔmma no kwan mma ɔnsom ɔsom a ɔpɛ no.”
[Mfonini ahorow]
Tertullian
Chateillon
De Belloy
[Asɛm Fibea]
All photos: © Cliché Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris