Ukungabi Namthetho Okwandayo—Kuyisibonakaliso Sokuphela Kwezwe?
“SIYAKUBA-YINI isibonakaliso sokuba-khona kwakho nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto?”
Ekuphenduleni uJesu Kristu wembula ukuthi isikhathi somlando sasizokuphawuleka ngempi yezizwe zonke, ukuswelakala kokudla nokuzamazama komhlaba, futhi wenezela: “Nangenxa yokwanda kokungabi-namthetho uthando lwenani elikhulu luzakuphola. Kepha okhuthazelayo kuze kube-sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.”—Mathewu 24:3, 7-13, NW.
Ukwanda kokungabi-namthetho—okwangempela ukukhula okusongayo ngoba igama lakuqala lesiGreki lisikisela indelelo ngemithetho eyaziwayo kaNkulunkulu. Umqondo waleligama uwukuthi umuntu uzibeka yena, futhi hhayi uNkulunkulu, enkabeni yokuphila kwakhe. UJesu akazange athi kwakuyoba-khona ‘ukuqala’ kokungabi-namthetho, kepha ‘ukwanda,’ ukuphindaphindeka nokusakazeka kwakho. Loluphawu lwaluyoba isenzakalo esikhulu kangangokuthi iningi “inani elikhulu” lamaKristu laliyothinteka. Uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu, imithetho yakhe nangomakhelwane kwakuyophola, njengoba nje isiphuzo esishisayo sipholiswa umoya obandayo!
Kukhona ubufakazi obuqinile bokuthi ikhulu lethu lama-20 leminyaka lingenise, ikakhulukazi ngeMpi Yezwe I, ukwanda kokungabi-namthetho ngesilinganiso esikhulu ukwedlula kude noma yisiphi esinye kusukela uJesu asho lawomazwi. Uma kunjalo, lokhu kusho ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina”—engxenyeni yokugcina “yesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1; Mathewu 24:3, NW) Awulangazeleli yini isiphelo salesimiso esingenamthetho esiye sagcwalisa umhlaba wethu ngesidlozane, ukuziphatha okuxekethile nokwenza okungalungile, futhi usibone sithathelwa indawo inhlangano yabantu abanothando, “umhlaba omusha” lapho kuyokuhlala khona ukulunga?—2 Petru 3:13.
‘Kepha ake ume’ kusho abanye abafundi bomlando. ‘Ingabe ikhulu lama-20 akulona yini eliphucuke kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando? Ingabe sasingesibi kakhulu yini isidlozane esiluhlaza nokuziphatha okuxekethile kwamakhulu eminyaka edlule?’
Isikhathi Esidlule—Sasisibi Kanjani?
“Akekho owayengazizwa engenavalo ngengozi ekuphileni kwakhe noma impahla uma ayehamba esitaladini emva kokuhlwa, futhi kungekho noma ubani owayengazithembisa ukulondeka embhedeni wakhe,” kwakhala ummeli-jikelele waseLandani ngo-1785. Abanye ngalesosikhathi babonakalisa ukwesaba okukhulu ngobugebengu.
Kepha engakanani imisebenzi yobugebengu eyayikhona ngesikhathi esidlule? Akekho ongasho ngokuqinisekile, ngokwesisekelo ngenxa yamarekhodi okwahlulela anamaphutha. Futhi ngenxa yokuswelakala kwenani labantu elinokwethenjelwa noma eliqonde ngqó esikhathini esidlule, ayikho indlela enokwethenjwa yokuqhathanisa isibalo sobugebengu ngezinga lenani labantu nelethu namuhla. Ezinye izimpawu ziwukuthi amakhulu eminyaka angaphambili ayenokuthula okukhudlwana. “Akukho nasinye isikhathi emlandweni weMassachusetts,” kwabika ummeli-jikelele wombuso ngo-1859, “lapho ukuphila, inkululeko, nempahla kwake kwalondeka ngokwengeziwe ukwedlula namuhla.”
Kodwa phakathi neminyaka eyi-150 ngaphambi kuka-1914 uchungechunge lwezenzakalo—olungafani nanoma iluphi kuwo wonke umlando—lwaqalisa ukungabi-namthetho okungazange kwandulelwe ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka.
Ushintsho Oluphelele Lwezemisebenzi
“Ushintsho olukhulu kuwowonke umlando wesintu.” Leyo yindlela oprofesa bomlando uM. Klein noH. A. Kantor encwadini yabo iPrisoners of Progress, abachaza ngayo imiphumela yoShintsho Oluphelele Lwezemisebenzi eUnited States yaseMelika phakathi kuka-1850 no-1920. Ukusetshenziswa okukhulu emisebenzini kwemishini ethuthukiswe kabusha, njengenjini yomusi, namasu okukhiqiza ngobuningi kwaqala eNgilandi. Njengegagasi elinamandla kwafinyelela eYurophu naseUnited States, kwaqeda indlela-yokuphila yangaphambili.
Bebhekisa esikhathini ngaphambi koShintsho Oluphelele Lwezemisebenzi uKlein noKantor baqhubeka: “Ngokuqhathanisa nesikhathi sethu, ukuphila kwabonakala kungokuhleleke ngokwengeziwe futhi kuzinzile. Abantu babesabeke ukubaluleka okukhulu enkolweni futhi babehlela amagugu abo nezindlela zabo zokuphila ngokuvumelana nesivumo sabo sokholo.”
Abantu abaningi ngalesosikhathi babezisebenza futhi babeziqhenya ngomsebenzi wabo—imali kwakungeyona kuphela kwenjongo yebhizinisi. Nakuba kwakukhona amasela nababulali, futhi izinkolelo zenkolo ezazikhona zazixutshaniswe nomlingo nokukholelwa ezeni umuntu ovamile ezizweni okuthiwa ezobuKristu ngokuvamile wayeyihlonipha imithetho kaNkulunkulu.
Phakathi no-1880 no-1913 umkhiqizo wezwe wokwenziwa kwezinto wanda ngokuphindwe kathathu kunenani labantu lezwe—izinga elalingazange lilingane nelinye ngaphambili noma kamuva. Ngokomphumela, izisebenzi ezengeziwe zaba nesamba esiningi semali (yokusetshenziselwa) kulezi zimpahla ezenziwe kabusha. Kodwa abaningi babanjwa izinganekwane “zokuceba masinya,” bakhonza umcebo njengonkulunkulukazi.
“Kepha abafuna ukuceba,” kuxwayisa iBhayibheli, “bayela ekulingweni, nasesihibeni . . . abanye ngokuyifisa badukelwa ukukholwa.” (1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10) Lokhu kuye kwenzeka oquqabeni. Amadoda enza umsebenzi ukuphila kwawo. Ukuphila komkhaya kwalimala njengoba kwakufanele kuchithelwe emahoreni angama-60 ngesonto esimiso somsebenzi. Lapho abesifazane abaningi bengenela imisebenzi, abantwana ngokuvamile babengenaso isiqondiso futhi baba izeqa-mthetho. Ukunamathela ekwenzeni ukuphila kwabangela abaningi ukubeka inkolo emuva.
Isazi sefilosofi esingum Jalimane esinethonya uNietzsche wacelisisa, “Yiba yilokho oyikho.” Ubugovu nokuhaha kwaholela ezimpikiswaneni zomsebenzi ezinesidlozane—iziteleka eziyizi-2 093 nokuvinjelwa kwezisebenzi emsebenzini kwelaseUnited States phakathi nje nezinyanga eziyisithupha zokuqala zika-1916! Imikhuba yamabhizinisi anonya yayivamile. Abaningi balingisa umthengisi ochazwe kunoveli ka-1905: “Uyinja enkulukazi, futhi kuyinja idla inja ebhizinisini lethu.” Ngeqiniso, uthando lukamakhelwane lwaqala ukuphola kukho konke.
Amadolobhakazi Akhula Ngokushesha
Ekufuneni imfundo, udumo, umsebenzi, ukuzijabulisa, inkululeko eyengeziwe yomuntu siqu—kodwa ikakhulukazi imali—uwonk’ uwonke wathutheleka emadolobhenikazi. Ngo-1815 abangaphansi kwamaphesenti ama-2 kubo bonke abaseYurophu babehlala emadolobhakazini anenani labantu elingaphezu kwezi-100 000; ngo-1910 isibalo sasingamaphesenti ayi-15—ngaphezulu ngokuphindwe kayisikhombisa, kuyilapho inani labantu lalimane liphindwe kabili nje EUnited States isibalo sabantu abahlala emadolobhakazini anezi-8 000 zabantu noma ngaphezulu seqa ukusuka ezi-131 000 ngo-1790 kuya ngaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-18 ngo-1890—ukusuka emaphesentini ama-3 kuya kumaphesenti angama-29 engqikithi yenani labantu!
Amadolobhakazi kulolonke izwe lezemisebenzi akhula ngejubane elimangalisayo. “Ukuyohlala emadolobheni, empeleni, kuye kwaqhubeka ngokushesha okukhudlwana futhi kwafinyelela izilinganiso ezidlula kude phakathi nelisanda kudlula ikhulu leminyaka nengxenye kunanoma yisiphi isikhathi esidlule emlandweni wezwe,” kwabhala uKingsley Davis, isiphathimandla sokukhula kwamadolobha.—Omalukeke ngabethu.
Abaningi balabo ababebuya emapulazini beza emadolobhenikazi babebasha futhi bengashadile. Emadolobheni akude, lapho kwakhe khona uqobo lomoya wenkululeko, babengasavinjelwe ubuhlobo bezokuhlalisana bomuzi. “Bekungabanzima ukuthola insizwa noma intombi engaphezu kweshumi nesikhombisa emsulwa,” kwabhala umqaphi ohlakaniphile ngokuphathelene nesigaba esisebenzayo kwelinye idolobhakazi. Lendoda eyaphila ekuqaleni kwelama-20 ikhulu leminyaka, yenezela: “Ukuhlangana kobulili, ikakhulukazi okuwumkhiqizo wamahholo omdanso, kuye kwathatha ezesabekayo izilinganiso phakathi kwentsha yanamuhla. Kwathatha kalula ngokuphelele njengokungokwemvelo nokujwayelekile.”
Yebo, abaningi babonisa indelelo yemithetho yokuziphatha kaNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli liyayala: “Nidede ebufebeni; . . . owalayo akali umuntu, kepha wala uNkulunkulu.” (1 Thesalonika 4:3, 8) Nokho, ezithile izinsizwa eYurophu, ukubonakalisa ubudoda bazo, zaqhosha ngokulala nonondindwa—ngisho nokuba neqholo uma zithola isifo sokubhajwa kubo! Ngokuhlola kwelinye izwe laseYurophu okwakhishwa ngo-1914, cishe eyodwa kwamanye namanye amadoda amahlanu yayinogcunsula.
“Amadolobhakazi kusho ukuthi awumhlabathi ovundile wokuziphatha okubi,” kwabhala isazi-mlando uAdna Weber ngo-1899. Wabonisa ukuthi izinga lobuvezandlebe emadolobheni amaningi aseYurophu, ngokwesilinganiso laliphindwe kabili ngobuningi kunasemaphandleni. ENgilandi phakathi nalesosikhathi amadolobhakazi ayenobuphindwe kabili ngisho noma izikhathi ezine, ubugebengu kunemiphakathi yasemaphandleni.
Kepha akukhona nje ukuthi uShintsho oluphelele Lwezemisebenzi namadolobhakazi akhulayo kwavulela indlela okwethu ukwanda kokungabi-namthetho kwelama-20 ikhulu leminyaka, esinye isenzakalo—naso esingafani nalutho osukwini lwethu—sasizoba nomphumela omangalisayo.
Impi Enkulu
Iqhuma ngo-1914, lempi yabizwa ngokuthi “impi enokuceka okukhulu kakhulu nebiza kakhulu emlandweni wesintu” kuze kube yilesosikhathi. Abahlanganyeli abakhulu kulesisenzo esesabekayo sokungabi-namthetho kwakuyizizwe ezingama“Kristu!” Ibhekisela ebudloveni bempi, incwadi ephephandabeni lika-1914 ngokubhinqa yasola: “Izizwe kufanele zilwe njengamaKristu, noma, okungenani, njengamanene.”
Ngenxa yaleyompi indluzula nesidlozane kwabhekwa njengokwamukelekayo. “Lapho imithetho yomphakathi ophucukile ibekwa eceleni, lapho ukubulala kuba yibhizinisi nophawu lobuqhawe nesibindi,” kwabhala umfundisi uCharles Parsons ngo-1917, “manje kubonakala cishe kungasizi lutho ukukhuluma ngobugebengu ngomqondo ovamile.” Akumangalisi ukuthi abacwaningi uD. Archer noR. Gartner bathola ukuthi eziningi zezizwe abazihlola ezazihilelekile eMpini Yezwe I zazi“nokubonakalayo kwangemva kwempi ukwanda” ngezinga lokubulala ngamabomu—i-Italy yaba nama-52 amaphesenti ukwanda futhi iJalimane yaba nama-98 amaphesenti ukwanda ngaphezu kwalokho kwangaphambi kwempi! Kepha impi yaholela kolunye uhlobo olwahlukile lokungabi-namthetho.
UJehova uNkulunkulu, ‘ozonda ukwahlukana [ukudivosa, NW],’ uqaphela okungengekombhalo ukuxosha umngane womshado nokushada futhi njengesono esingathi sína. (Malaki 2:16) Ngokulandela impi yezwe I kwakukhona okungazange kwandulelwe ukuphakama ngokushesha kumadivosi. Ngokwesibonelo, eNgilandi naseWales phakathi neminyaka engama-50 ngaphambi kuka-1911, isibalo samadivosi sabasesilinganisweni sama-516 unyaka ngamunye. Ngo-1919, unyaka wokuqala wangemva kwempi, kwakukhona izi-5 184—ngaphezu kokuphindwe ka-10 isilinganiso esidlule isikhathi seminyaka engama-50.
Impi yavivisa amadoda ayizi-65 000 000, ihlukanisa abaningi nemikhaya yabo iminyaka eminingi. “Obungavamile ubunzima kanye neziphoqelelwayo izihlukaniso zempi ka-1914-1918, ngokuya kwezazi-mlando uG. Rowntree noN. H. Carrier, akwandisanga izinga lamadivosi nje kuphela kepha futhi ngomshoshaphansi “kwaguqula ukungavumeli kweningi. . . . Esengeziwe isimo esivumela konke esadaleka emvelamva wempi, sibonakala siye sandiswa.” Lombono omqondo-banzi waqala ngalesosikhathi futhi uye wanda kuze kube namuhla!
Njalo-ke kanye nokuya kwelinye izwe ezizweni zobu“Kristu” kuya emadolobhakazini anemisebenzi, kuhlanganiswe nezifundo zesidlozane ezifundiswa iMpi Yezwe I, isimo sasilungele okwandayo ukungabi-namthetho ngokuphakama okungazange kubonwe ngaphambili. Iye yaba yini imiphumela kusukela ku-1914? Ingabe uthando lwenani elikhulu labangamaKristu okuzisholo luye lwaphola ngempela?
Okwamanje Ukuphakama Kokungabi-Namthetho
Emuva ngo-1945 abantu abaningi eUnited States, babemangele ukuthi ingqikithi yobugebengu obabubikwe emaphoyiseni yafinyelela isi-1 566 000. Kodwa eminyakeni engama-35 kamuva ingqikithi yafinyelela izi-13 295 000—futhi isaphakama! Lokhu kuwukwanda ngamaphesenti angama-750, kuyilapho inani labantu lakhula cishe ngamaphesenti angama-60! Ukudlwengula kwanda ngaphezu kwamaphesenti angama-600! Ubugebengu besidlozane ngokuvamile, cishe ngamaphesenti angama-900! Ake ucabange, ngo-1981 owodwa kweminye neminye imikhaya emithathu wathintwa isimo esithile sobugebengu! Futhi lesisimo akukhona nje ukuthi siseUnited States kuphela. “Into nje ekuxhophayo uma ubheka ubugebengu esilinganisweni sezwe,” kwabhala esiphambili isazi sobugebengu, uSir Leon Radzinowicz, encwadini yakhe The Growth of Crime, “kungokugcwele yonke indawo nokuphikelelayo ukwanda yonke indawo. Lezizimo ezihlukile njengoba zingezivelele ngokubabazekayo zingase ngokushesha zidlulwe igagasi elikhulayo.”
Ingabe konke lokhu kwanda kumane nje kuwukubikwa okungcono kobugebengu emaphoyiseni? Njengempendulo, iqembu elaliholwa nguDr. Herbert Jacob woMnyango Wezindaba Zasemadolobheni Nenqubo Yokucwaninga eYunivesithi eseNyakatho-ntshonalanga lahlolisisa izibalo zobugebengu, izindleko zamaphoyisa emadolobhakazini angama-396 eUnited States phakathi nesikhathi esiphakathi kuka-1948 no-1978. Engxoxweni nommeleli walomagazini, uDr. Jacob wathi: “Izilinganiso ezibikiwe zobugebengu ngokungangabazeki ziye zaphakama noma kuphi kwelaseU.S. Ingxenye yalokhu ngokungangabazeki iwumphumela wokungcono ukubikwa kobugebengu amaphoyisa nezakhamuzi. Kepha lokhu akuchazi konke ukwanda.”
“Okumangazayo” kwaqhubeka uDr. Jacob, “ukuthi kunoma iluphi uhlobo lwedolobha elisenyakatho noma eliseningizimu, elinciphayo noma elandayo ngokukhula, elinenani elikhulu labantu abasha noma elincane—ubugebengu banda cishe ngezinga elifanayo. Kwakuyisimo esikhona kuzo zonke izizwe.” Ingabe amaphoyisa angasinqanda yini lesisimo esishayisa uvalo? “Amaphoyisa ngokuvamile aye ahluleka ngenxa yezinhlangano eziningana zomphakathi ezehlisa ukuqondisa kwawo,” kwaphendula uDr. Jacob.
Ngokusobala, akuyibo bodwa ubugebengu obuwuphawu lokwanda kokungabi-namthetho. Ake ubheke nje okuvamile ukunganakwa kwemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Izinga lobuvezandlebe eUnited States eliwu-7,1 kunoma iyiphi i-1 000 yabesifazane abangashadile ngo-1940 labalincane ngokuqhathaniswa neliwu-27,8 ngo-1979. Amadivosi ayizi-83 000 ngo-1910 anyukela esi-1 182 000 ngo-1980, ukwanda ngamaphesenti ayi-1 300! Manje, esikhundleni sedivosi eyodwa kunoma yimiphi imishado eyi-11 phakathi nonyaka, njengoba kwakunjalo ngo-1910, iUnited States ineyodwa kweminye neminye imishado emi-2! Izimo ezifanayo ziyabikwa emhlabeni kabanzi.
Cabangela futhi ubudlova obushaqisayo obenziwe ekhulwini lethu lama-20. Kunini kuwo wonke umlando wesintu lapho kwake kwaba khona noma yini ongayiqhathanisa nokuhlelwe kahle ukubulawa kwamaJuda ayizigidi eziyi-6 ezinkanjini zokuhlushwa zamaNazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II? noma ingqikithi yabafayo kuleyompi—55 000 000? Muva nje, cabangela imibiko ka-1979 yokunokwenzeka ukubulawa kwabangaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili baseCambodia. Yisiphi esinye isizukulwane esake sathuthukisa futhi sasebenzisa isikhali esingathi ngokuqhuma okukodwa sigcine sibulale mhlawumbe abaningi kangangezi-140 000 zabantu, njengebhomu yeathomu eyalahlelwa eHiroshima eJapane?
Indawo ayisivumeli ukunikela imininingwane eyengeziwe yokwedelelwa kwemithetho kaNkulunkulu, kepha okuye kwashiwo kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi kusukela ngo-1914 kukhona ukungabinamthetho okwanda ngobukhulu obungafani nanoma yisiphi isikhathi emlandweni! Yebo, phakathi kwenani elikhudlwana abalandeli bakaJesu bokuzisholo, uthando ngoNkulunkulu nomakhelwane luye laphola, njengoba nje uJesu asho kusengaphambili.
Nokho, ungavumeli ukuthi lokhu okukhulayo ukungabi-namthetho kuthinte inhliziyo yakho. Gcina uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu nemithetho yakhe lufudumele, futhi kungase kube yinjabulo yakho ukusindiselwa ‘emhlabeni omusha’ othenjisiwe, lapho kungasephinde kube khona inkathazo yokungabi-namthetho.—2 Petru 3:13; Mathewu 24:12, 13.
[Igrafu esekhasini 6]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi kumi kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Ingqikithi yobugebengu obubikiwe obungathi sína eUnited States yanda ngaphezu kwe-1 000 yamaphesenti kusuka ku-1935 kuya ku-1980 lapho inani labantu landa cishe ngamaphesenti angama-78 kuphela phakathi nesikhathi esifanayo!
1935 1 138 000
1950 2 220 000
1965 2 780 000
1980 13 295 000
[Umthombo]
Umthombo: Imibiko Efanayo Yobugebengu yeFBI ngengqikithi yokubulala, ukudlwengula, ukuphanga, ukuhlaselwa, ukugqekeza, amacala okweba nokwebiwa kwezimoto okwabikwa emaphoyiseni. Ngenxa yemibiko engaphelele izibalo zika-1935 no-1950 ziye zalungiswa ukuba zimelele isibalo sonke sabantu
[Izithombe ekhasini 5]
INGUQUKO ENKULU YEZEMISEBENZI
IMPI YEZWE I
AMADOLOBHA AKHULA NGOKUSHESHA
Lentuthuko, engavamile enkathini yethu yamanje, iye yenezela ekungabini namthetho okukhulu kakhulu kuwo wonke umlando