Ingabe Lencwadi Iyavumelana Nesayensi?

Inkolo ibingayibheki njalo isayensi njengewumngane wayo. Emakhulwini eminyaka adlule ezinye izazi zenkolo zaziphikisana nezinto ezitholwa isayensi uma zinomuzwa wokuthi zibeka engozini indlela ezichaza ngayo iBhayibheli. Kodwa ingabe ngempela isayensi iyisitha seBhayibheli?

UKUBE abalobi beBhayibheli bamukela imibono eminingi engokwesayensi eyayamukelwa kabanzi ngosuku lwabo, umphumela wawuyoba incwadi enamaphutha amakhulu ngokwesayensi. Nokho, abalobi abazange bayithuthukise imibono yesayensi enjalo eyiphutha. Ngokuphambene nalokho, babhala izinkulumo eziningi ezazingeve zinengqondo nje kuphela ngokwesayensi kodwa futhi ezaziyiphikisa ngokuqondile imibono eyayamukelwa ngaleso sikhathi.

Umi Kanjani Umhlaba?

Lombuzo uye wadida abantu izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ezikhathini zasendulo umbono owawuvamile wawuwukuthi umhlaba uyisicaba. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu baseBabiloni babekholelwa ukuthi indawo yonke yayiyibhokisi noma ikamelo elinomhlaba njengephansi lalo. Abapristi beVeda baseNdiya babecabanga ukuthi umhlaba uyisicaba nanokuthi uhlangothi lwawo olulodwa kuphela olunabantu. Isizwe esithile sase-Asia esidla ngoludala sasicabanga ngomhlaba njengoyisithebe esikhulu.

Ngekhulu lesithupha B.C.E., isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki uPythagoras safundisa ukuthi njengoba inyanga nelanga kuyindilinga, kumelwe ukuba nomhlaba uyindilinga. U-Aristotle (wekhulu lesine B.C.E.) kamuva wavuma, echaza ukuthi ukuba yindilinga komhlaba kufakazelwa ukufiphazwa kwenyanga umhlaba. Isithunzi somhlaba phezu kwenyanga siba yingxenye yendilinga.

Nokho, umqondo wokuthi umhlaba uyisicaba (okuhlalwa engxenyeni yawo engaphezulu kuphela) awuzange uphele ngokuphelele. Kwakunzima ngabanye ukwamukela ukusikisela okunengqondo kokuthi umhlaba uyindilinga—umqondo wama-antipode.a ULactantius, umlweli wokholo ongumKristu wekhulu lesine C.E., wawuhleka usulu lowo mqondo. Wathi: “Ukhona yini umuntu ongenangqondo kangangokuba angakholelwa ukuthi kunabantu abahamba bebheke phansi izinyawo zabo zibheke phezulu? . . . ukuthi izitshalo nemithi kukhula kubheke phansi? ukuthi izimvula, iqhwa kanye nesichotho kuna kubheke phezulu?”²

Umqondo wama-antipode wawuyimpicabadala ezazini eziningana zenkolo. Ezinye izinkolelo-mbono zazithi ukube babekhona abahlala ngakolunye uhlangothi lomhlaba (antipodeans), babengeke babe nanoma ikuphi ukuxhumana nabantu ngenxa yokuthi ulwandle lubanzi kakhulu ukuba bangalunqamula noma ngenxa yokuthi indawo eshisa kakhulu okungenakudluleka kuyo izungeke inkabazwe. Ngakho bavelaphi abantu abahlala ngakolunye uhlangothi lomhlaba? Zididekile, ezinye izazi zenkolo zakhetha ukukholelwa ukuthi akunakwenzeka ukuthi kwakukhona abantu abanjalo, noma njengoba uLactantius aphikisa ngokuthi kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba umhlaba ube indilinga!

Noma kunjalo, umqondo wokuthi umhlaba uyindilinga wachuma, futhi ekugcineni wamukelwa yonke indawo. Nokho, kuze kwaba sekuqaleni kwenkathi yeziphuphutheki zomkhathi ekhulwini lama-20 lapho bakufakazela ngokwabo ukuthi umhlaba uyimbulunga.b

Futhi iBhayibheli lona belimiphi kulendaba? Ekhulwini lesi-8 B.C.E., lapho kwakwande khona umbono wokuthi umhlaba uyisicaba, emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba izazi zefilosofi zamaGreki zifundise ukuthi cishe umhlaba uyindilinga, futhi kusasele izinkulungwane zeminyaka ngaphambi kokuba abantu babone besemkhathini ukuthi umhlaba uyimbulunga, umprofethi ongumHeberu u-Isaya wayesho ngendlela ecace ngokumangalisayo ukuthi: “Nguye ohlezi esiyingelezini somhlaba.” (Isaya 40:22, omalukeke sizenzele.) Igama lesiHeberu elithi chugh, lapha elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isiyingelezi,” lingase lihunyushwe nangokuthi “indilinga.”³ Ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zifundeka ngokuthi, “imbulunga yomhlaba” (Douay Version) nangokuthi “umhlaba oyindingiliza.”—Moffatt.c

Umlobi weBhayibheli u-Isaya wazigwema izinganekwane ezivamile ngomhlaba. Kunalokho, wabhala amazwi angazange asongelwe intuthuko yokuthola izinto kwesayensi.

Yini Esekela Umhlaba?

Ezikhathini zasendulo, yayibadida abantu eminye imibuzo ngokuphathelene nendawo yonke: Umhlaba uhleli phezu kwani? Yini ebambe ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi? Babengawazi umthetho wamandla adonsela phansi wendawo yonke, owasungulwa ngu-Isaac Newton washicilelwa ngo-1687. Babengawazi umqondo wokuthi, empeleni izindikimba zasezulwini zilenga ezeni kungekho lutho oluzisekelayo. Yingakho ngokuvamile izincazelo zabo zazisikisela ukuthi kunezinto ezibonakalayo ezazibambe umhlaba kanye nezinye izindikimba zasezulwini.

Ngokwesibonelo, enye inkolelo-mbono yasendulo, mhlawumbe eyasungulwa abantu ababehlala esiqhingini, yayiwukuthi umhlaba uzungezwe amanzi nokuthi untanta kuwo lamanzi. AmaHindu ayecabanga ukuthi umhlaba unezisekelo eziningi, esinye phezu kwesinye. Ayethi umi phezu kwezindlovu ezine, izindlovu zimi phezu kofudu olukhulu, ufudu lumi phezu kwenyoka enkulu, futhi inyoka ezigoqile intanta emanzini endawo yonke. U-Empedocles, isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki sekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., wayekholelwa ukuthi umhlaba umi phezu kwesishingishane somoya nanokuthi lesi sishingishane somoya yisona esibangela ukuba izindikimba zasezulwini zinyakaze.

Umbono ka-Aristotle wawuphakathi kwemibono eyaba nethonya. Nakuba ayefundisa ukuthi umhlaba uyindilinga, waphika ukuthi wawungalenga emkhathini ongenalutho. Esihlokweni sakhe esiningilizayo esasikwethi On the Heavens, lapho ephikisa lombono wokuthi umhlaba uhleli phezu kwamanzi, wathi: “Akuyona nje imvelo yamanzi, ingasaphathwa eyomhlaba, ukuhlala nje esithubeni: kumelwe kube nokuthile okuhlala phezu kwakho.”⁴ Pho, umhlaba “uhleli phezu kwani”? U-Aristotle wafundisa ukuthi ilanga, inyanga kanye nezinkanyezi kwakunamathele phezu kwezimbulunga eziqinile, ongabona ngalé kwazo. Imbulunga ngayinye ihleli phakathi kwenye, umhlaba—unganyakazi—uphakathi nendawo. Njengoba lezi zimbulunga zizungeza enye phakathi kwenye, izinto ezikuzo—ilanga, inyanga kanye namaplanethi—zihamba zinqamule esibhakabhakeni.

Incazelo ka-Aristotle yayibonakala inengqondo. Uma izindikimba zasezulwini zazinganamathele kokuthile, zazingahlala kanjani nje phezulu? Imibono ka-Aristotle ohlonishwayo yamukelwa njengeyiqiniso cishe iminyaka engu-2 000. Ngokwe-New Encyclopædia Britannica, ngekhulu le-16 nele-17, izimfundiso zakhe esontweni “zathuthukela esikhundleni sokubhekwa njengemfundiso yenkolo engenakuphikiswa.”⁵

Lapho kusungulwa isibonakude, izazi zezinkanyezi zaqala ukuyingabaza inkolelo-mbono ka-Aristotle. Noma kunjalo, zazingenayo impendulo kwaze kwaba yilapho uSir Isaac Newton echaza ukuthi amaplanethi ayelenga phezu kweze, ebanjwe amandla angabonakali—amandla adonsela phansi—ukuze ahlale eziyingini zawo. Kwakubonakala kungakholeki, futhi abanye ozakwabo bakaNewton bakuthola kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi umkhathi wawuyinto engenalutho, ingxenye yawo enkulu ingaqukethe lutho.d⁶

Lithini iBhayibheli kulendaba? Cishe eminyakeni engu-3 500 edlule, iBhayibheli lasho ngendlela ecace ngokumangalisayo ukuthi umhlaba ulenga “phezu kweze.” (Jobe 26:7) NgesiHeberu sakuqala, igama elisho ‘ize’ (beli-mahʹ) elisetshenziswe lapha, ngokwezwi nezwi lisho ukuthi “ngaphandle kotho.”⁷ I-Contemporary English Version isebenzisa amazwi athi “endaweni engenalutho.”

Abantu abaningi ngalezo zinsuku babengacabangi ngomhlaba njengoyiplanethi elenga “endaweni engenalutho.” Kodwa, ngaphambili kakhulu kwesikhathi sakhe, umlobi weBhayibheli wabhala amazwi ayiqiniso nangokwesayensi.

IBhayibheli Nesayensi Yezokwelapha—Ingabe Kuyavumelana?

Isayensi yezokwelapha yanamuhla iye yafundisa okuningi ngokusakazeka kwezifo kanye nokuzivimbela. Intuthuko yezokwelapha ekhulwini le-19 yaholela enqubweni yezokwelapha yokulwa namagciwane—ukuhlanzeka ukuze kuncishiswe izifo. Umphumela wamangalisa. Kwancipha ngokuphawulekayo ukungenwa izifo nokufa ngaphambi kwesikhathi.

Nokho, odokotela basendulo babengaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi izifo zisakazeka kanjani, futhi bengakuqapheli nokubaluleka kwenhlanzeko ekuvimbeleni ukugula. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi kungani eziningi zezindlela zabo zokwelapha zingabonakala ziwubulima ngokwezindinganiso zanamuhla.

Omunye wemibhalo emidala yezokwelapha otholakalayo yi-Ebers Papyrus, iqoqo lolwazi lwezokwelapha lwaseGibithe, ohlehlela emuva ku-1550 B.C.E. Lomqulu unezindlela ezingu-700 zokwelapha izifo ezihlukahlukene “kusukela ekulunyweni ingwenya kuye ekuqaqanjelweni uzipho lozwane.”⁸ I-International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia ithi: “Ulwazi lwezokwelapha lwalab’odokotela lwalutholakale nje ngokuqaphela izinto, luyisimanga futhi alulona olwesayensi.”⁹ Eminingi yemithi yokwelapha yayingasebenzi nhlobo, eminye yayo yayiyingozi kakhulu. Ukuze kwelashwe isilonda, enye indlela yokwelapha yayitusa ukuba kusetshenziswe ingxube eyenziwe ngokuhlanganisa indle yomuntu nezinye izinto.¹⁰

Lombhalo waseGibithe wezindlela zokwelapha wabhalwa cishe ngesikhathi okwabhalwa ngaso izincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibheli, ezazihlanganisa noMthetho kaMose. UMose, owazalwa ngo-1593 B.C.E., wakhulela eGibithe. (Eksodusi 2:1-10) Njengelungu lomkhaya kaFaro, “wafundiswa kukho konke ukuhlakanipha kwamaGibithe.” (IzEnzo 7:22) Wayejwayelene ‘nezinyanga’ zaseGibithe. (Genesise 50:1-3) Ingabe izindlela zabo zokwelapha ezingasebenzi noma eziyingozi zayithonya imibhalo yakhe?

Cha. Ngokuphambene nalokho, uMthetho kaMose wahlanganisa nemithetho yenhlanzeko eyayiphucuke kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, umthetho owawuphathelene namakamu ezempi wawufuna ukuba indle igqitshwe ngaphandle kwekamu. (Duteronomi 23:13) Lena kwakuyindlela ethuthuke kakhulu yokuvimbela izifo. Yayisiza ekugcineni amanzi ehlanzekile futhi ivikela esifweni esithwalwa izimpukane i-shigellosis kanye nezinye izifo zohudo ezisabulala izigidi zabantu unyaka ngamunye emazweni anezinga eliphansi lenhlanzeko.

UMthetho kaMose wawuneminye imithetho yenhlanzeko eyayivikela ama-Israyeli ekusakazweni kwezifo ezithathelwanayo. Umuntu owayenesifo esithathelwanayo noma owayesolwa ukuthi unaso wayehlukaniswa nabanye. (Levitikusi 13:1-5) Izingubo noma izitsha ezazithintene nesilwane esizifele (mhlawumbe esibulawe isifo) kwakufanele ziwashwe ngaphambi kokuba ziphinde zisetshenziswe noma zazilahlwa. (Levitikusi 11:27, 28, 32, 33) Noma ubani othinta isidumbu wayeba ongcolile futhi kwakufanele ahlanjululwe, okwakuhlanganisa ukuwasha izingubo zakhe nokugeza. Phakathi nezinsuku ezingu-7 engcolile, kwakufanele agweme ukuthintana nabanye.—Numeri 19:1-13.

Lomthetho wenhlanzeko ubonisa ukuhlakanipha odokotela bezizwe ezizungezile ababengenakho ngaleso sikhathi. Eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba isayensi yezokwelapha yazi izindlela isifo esisakazeka ngazo, iBhayibheli lasho izindlela ezihlakaniphile zokuvimbela izifo. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi uMose wayengakhuluma ngama-Israyeli osuku lwakhe njengayephila iminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80 ubudala.e—IHubo 90:10.

Ungase uvume ukuthi izinkulumo zeBhayibheli ezingenhla ziyiqiniso ngokwesayensi. Kodwa kunezinye izinkulumo eBhayibhelini ezingenakufakazelwa ngokwesayensi. Ingabe lokho kwenza iBhayibheli liphikisane nesayensi?

Ukwamukela Ukwaziswa Okungenakufakazelwa

Inkulumo engenakufakazelwa akusho ngempela ukuthi ayilona iqiniso. Ubufakazi besayensi bulinganiselwa ikhono lomuntu lokuthola ubufakazi obanele nokuchaza kahle ukwaziswa. Kodwa amanye amaqiniso awanakufakazelwa ngenxa yokuthi abukho ubufakazi obagcinwa, ubufakazi bucashile noma abukatholakali, noma ubuchwepheshe besayensi abanele ukuze kufinyelelwe isiphetho esingenakuphikiswa. Ingabe kungokufanayo nangezinye izinkulumo zeBhayibheli okungekho bufakazi obuphathekayo ngazo?

Ngokwesibonelo, indawo engabonakali okuhlala kuyo abantu bomoya okukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhelini, ayinakufakazelwa ukuthi ikhona—noma ukuthi ayikho—ngokwesayensi. Kungase kushiwo okufanayo nangezenzakalo eziyisimangaliso okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini. Abukho ubufakazi obucace ngokwanele besayensi yokwakheka komhlaba obufakazela uZamcolo wembulunga wosuku lukaNowa obungase butholakale ukuze kwaneliswe abantu abathile. (Genesise, isahluko 7) Ingabe-ke kufanele siphethe ngokuthi asizange sibe khona? Izenzakalo ezingokomlando zingase zicashe ngenxa yokuhamba kwesikhathi nokushintsha kwezinto. Ngakho akunakwenzeka yini ukuthi obekwenzeka ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ekwakhekeni komhlaba kuye kwabuqeda ubufakazi bokuthi uZamcolo wawukhona?

Kuyavunywa ukuthi iBhayibheli linezinkulumo obungekho ubufakazi obuphathekayo bokuqinisekisa ukuthi ziyiqiniso yini noma cha. Kodwa ingabe lokho kufanele kusimangaze? IBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yokufundisa ngesayensi. Nokho, liyincwadi yeqiniso. Sesibucabangele kakade ubufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi abalobi balo babengamadoda aqotho nathembekile. Futhi lapho bekhuluma ngezinto ezihlobene nesayensi, amazwi abo ayanemba futhi angahambisani nhlobo nenkolelo-mbono “engokwesayensi” yasendulo kamuva eyabonakala iyinganekwane nje. Ngakho isayensi ayisona neze isitha seBhayibheli. Ngakho kunezizathu ezanele zokuhlolisisa ngombono ovulekile lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 21]

Inkulumo engenakufakazelwa akusho ngempela ukuthi ayilona iqiniso

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba abantu babone ukuthi umhlaba uyimbulunga besemkhathini, iBhayibheli labhekisela kuwo ngokuthi ‘isiyingelezi somhlaba’

[Izithombe ekhasini 20]

USir Isaac Newton wachaza ukuthi amaplanethi ahlala eziyingini zawo ngenxa yamandla adonsela phansi