Ubani Esingamlindela Ukuba Alethe Ukulunga Kweqiniso?

“UMahluleli womhlaba wonke akayikwenza ukulunga na?”—GENESISE 18:25, The Holy Bible in Modern English, kaFerrar Fenton.

 1, 2. Abantu abaningi basabela kanjani ekungalungini okwandile?

CISHE ngokudabukisayo uyabona ukuthi ukungalungi kuningi. Wena ngokwakho usabela kanjani ekuntulekeni okwandile kokulunga kweqiniso?

² Abanye abantu basabela ngokungabaza ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu olungile. Bangase basho nokusho ukuthi ba-agnostic. Cishe uye walizwa lelogama. Libhekisela kumuntu othi “noma ubani ophakeme ongokoqobo (njengoNkulunkulu) akaziwa futhi cishe akanakwaziwa.” Isazi sezinto eziphilayo uThomas H. Huxley, umsekeli wemfundiso kaDarwin yokuziphendukela kwemvelo wekhulu le-19 leminyaka, waqala ukusebenzisa leligama elithi “agnostic” ngalendlela.a

 3, 4. Uyini umsuka wegama elithi “agnostic”?

³ Nokho, uHuxley walisuselaphi igama elithi “agnostic”? Eqinisweni, wayelisusela egameni elasetshenziswa ngomqondo owehlukile ummeli wekhulu lokuqala leminyaka, umphostoli uPawulu. Lavela kwenye yezinkulumo ezidume kakhulu kwezake zanikezwa. Lenkulumo iyafaneleka namuhla, ngoba isinikeza isisekelo esinengqondo sokwazi ukuthi ukulunga kubo bonke kuyoba khona kanjani futhi nini, futhi nangaphezu kwalokho, nokuthi thina ngabanye singazuza kanjani kukho.

⁴ Igama elithi “agnostic” (“okungaziwa”) lathathwa ekukhulumeni kukaPawulu ngealtare okwakulotshwe kulo ukuthi “ElikaNkulunkulu Ongaziwayo.” Leyonkulumo emfushane yalotshwa udokotela uLuka esahlukweni se-17 sencwadi engokomlando yezEnzo Zabaphostoli. Okokuqala lesahluko sibonisa ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPawulu afike eAthene. Ebhokisini elihambisana nalesihloko (ikhasi 6), ungafunda ukwaziswa kukaLuka okuyisethulo nayo yonke indikimba yenkulumo.

 5. Sasiyini isimo sendawo uPawulu anikeza kuso inkulumo yakhe kwabaseAthene? (Makufundwe izEnzo 17:16-31.)

⁵ Ngempela inkulumo kaPawulu inamandla futhi ikufanele ukuba siyicabangele ngokucophelela. Njengoba sizungezwe ukungalungi okukhulu, singafunda okuningi kuyo. Okokuqala phawula isimo sendawo, ongasifunda kuzEnzo 17:16-21. AbaseAthene babeziqhenya ngokuhlala esikhungweni esidumile semfundo, lapho okwakufundise khona uSocrates, uPlato, noAristotle. IAthene futhi yayingumuzi oyithanda kakhulu inkolo. Kuyo yonke indawo emzungezile uPawulu wayebona izithombe—ezikankulunkulu wempi uAres, noma uMars; zikaZeus; zika-Aesculapius, unkulunkulu wezokwelapha; zikankulunkulu wolwandle onobudlova, uPoseidon; zikaDionysus, uAthena, uEros, nabanye.

 6. Injani indawo yakini uma iqhathaniswa nalokho uPawulu akuthola eAthene?

⁶ Nokho, bekungathiwani uma uPawulu ubengahlola idolobha noma indawo yakini? Ubengase abone izithombe eziningi noma imifanekiso yenkolo, ngisho nasemazweni eLobukholwa. Kwezinye izindawo, ubengabona okwengeziwe. Enye incwadi yokuhambisa izivakashi ithi: “Onkulunkulu bamaNdiya, ngokungafani ‘nabafowabo’ abangamaGreki abaguquguqukayo, ngamunye unomfazi oyedwa, futhi amanye amandla amakhulu kakhulu ayenikezwe omkabo . . . Ngaphandle kwehaba, kunezigidi zonkulunkulu abaphathelene nazo zonke izinhlobo zokuphila nemvelo.”

 7. Babenjani onkulunkulu basendulo bamaGreki?

⁷ Onkulunkulu abaningi bamaGreki babevezwa njengabangabalulekile nabaziphethe kabi kakhulu. Ukuziphatha kwabo kwakungaba okuhlazisayo kubantu, yebo, okuwubugebengu emazweni amaningi namuhla. Khona-ke, unazo zonke izizathu zokuzibuza ukuthi hlobo luni lokulunga amaGreki emuva le ayekulindele konkulunkulu abanjalo. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu wabona ukuthi abaseAthene babezinikele ngokukhethekile kubo. Egcwele izinkolelo ezilungile, waqala ukuchaza amaqiniso aphakeme ngobuKristu beqiniso.

Izilaleli Eziyinselele

 8. (a) Yiziphi izinkolelo nemibono okwakuphawula amaEpikhuru? (b) Yini eyayikholelwa amaStoyiku?

⁸ Amanye amaJuda namaGreki alalela ngesithakazelo, kodwa zaziyosabela kanjani izazi zamaEpikhuru nezamaStoyiku ezinethonya? Njengoba uzobona, imibono yazo yayifana ngezindlela eziningi nezinkolelo ezivamile namuhla, ngisho nalezo ezifundiswa intsha esikoleni. AmaEpikhuru ayekhuthaza ukuphilela ukuthola injabulo eningi ngangokunokwenzeka, ikakhulukazi injabulo yengqondo. Ifilosofi yabo yokuthi ‘masidle siphuze, ngoba ngomuso sizokufa’ yayibonakaliswa ukungabibikho kwesimiso nobuhle. (1 Korinte 15:32) Ayengakholelwa ukuthi onkulunkulu badala indawo yonke; esikhundleni salokho, ayekholelwa ukuthi ukuphila kwaba khona ngengozi endaweni eyayingaqondiswa-muntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, onkulunkulu babengenasithakazelo kubantu. Kuthiwani ngamaStoyiku? Ayegcizelela ukukholelwa emaqinisweni abonakalayo, okuthi izinto ezikhona namandla kuyizimiso eziyisisekelo endaweni yonke. AmaStoyiku ayecabanga ngonkulunkulu ongesiye umuntu, kunokuba akholelwe kuNkulunkulu njengoMuntu. Futhi ayenomuzwa wokuthi ukudalelwa kwakubusa izindaba zomuntu.

 9. Kungani isimo sikaPawulu kwakuyisimo esiyinselele ukushumayela kuso?

⁹ Izazi zefilosofi ezinjalo zasabela kanjani ekufundiseni kukaPawulu kwasobala? Ukushisekela ukwazi kuhlangene nokuqhosha ngobuhlakani kwakuyisici saseAthene ngalesosikhathi, futhi lezizazi zaqala ukuphikisana noPawulu. Ekugcineni, zamyisa eAreyophagu. Ngenhla kwemakethe yaseAthene, kodwa ngezansi kweAcropolis ende, kwakunegquma elinamadwala elaqanjwa ngonkulunkulu wempi, uMars, noma uAres, yingakho kuthiwa iMars’ Hill, noma iAreyophagu. Ezikhathini zasendulo, inkantolo noma umkhandlu wawuhlangana lapho. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayeyiswe enkantolo yokwahlulela, mhlawumbe eyayihlangene ibheke iAcropolis ekhangayo kanye neParthenon yayo edumile kanye namanye amathempeli nezithombe. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi umphostoli wayesengozini ngoba umthetho wamaRoma wawukwenqabela ukulethwa konkulunkulu abasha. Kodwa ngisho noma uPawulu ayeyiswe eAreyophagu ukuze nje achaze izinkolelo zakhe noma ukuze abonise ukuthi wayengumfundisi ofanelekayo noma cha, wabhekana nezilaleli ezesabekayo. Ingabe wayengasichaza isigijimi sakhe esibalulekile ngaphandle kokuzicasula?

10. UPawulu wabusebenzisa kanjani ubuhlakani ekwethuleni indaba yakhe?

¹⁰ Phawula kusukela kuzEnzo 17:22, 23 isu nenhlakanipho uPawulu aqala ngakho. Lapho evuma indlela abaseAthene ababeyithanda ngayo inkolo nokuthi babenezithombe eziningi kangakanani, kungenzeka ezinye zezilaleli zakhe zakubheka lokhu njengokunconywa. Kunokuba ahlasele ukukholelwa kwazo konkulunkulu abaningi, uPawulu wagxila ealtare ayelibonile, elalinikezelwe ‘KuNkulunkulu Ongaziwayo.’ Ubufakazi obungokomlando bubonisa ukuthi ayekhona ama-altare anjalo, okufanele kuqinise ukuthembela kwethu ekulandiseni kukaLuka. UPawulu wasebenzisa lelialtare njengesisekelo. AbaseAthene babelwazisa ulwazi namaqiniso abonakalayo. Noma kunjalo, bavuma ukuthi wayekhona uNkulunkulu ‘owayengaziwa’ (ngesiGreki, aʹgno·stos) kubo. Ngakho-ke, kwakunengqondo ukuthi bavumele uPawulu ukuba amchaze kubo. Akekho owayengakusola lokho kucabanga, akunjalo?

Ingabe UNkulunkulu Akanakwaziwa?

11. UPawulu wenza ngayiphi indlela ukuze izilaleli zakhe zicabange ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso?

¹¹ Nokho, wayenjani ‘loNkulunkulu ongaziwayo’? ‘LoNkulunkulu’ wenza umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo. Akekho ongaphika ukuthi indawo yonke Mona, ukuthi izitshalo nezilwane zikhona, ukuthi thina bantu sikhona. Amandla nokuhlakanipha, yebo, ubuhlakani, okubonakala kukho konke lokhu kwakhomba ekubeni kwakho umkhiqizo woMdali ohlakaniphile nonamandla, kunokuba umkhiqizo obe khona ngengozi. Eqinisweni, indlela kaPawulu yokucabanga isebenza ngisho nangokwengeziwe esikhathini sethu.—IsAmbulo 4:11; 10:6.

12, 13. Yibuphi ubufakazi banamuhla obusekela iphuzu elavezwa uPawulu?

¹² Esikhathini esingeside esidlule, encwadini ethi In the Centre of Immensities, usozinkanyezi waseBrithani uMnumzane Bernard Lovell wabhala ngobunkimbinkimbi obukhulu bezinto eziphilayo ezilula kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Waxoxa futhi ngokuthi kungenzeka yini ukuba ukuphila okunjalo kube okwavela ngengozi. Isiphetho sakhe: “Ithuba . . . lokuvela ngengozi okuholela ekwakhekeni kwesinye sezilongoshane zeprotein ezincane kunazo zonke lincane ngendlela engenakucatshangwa. Phakathi kwezimo eziyimingcele zesikhathi nomkhathi esizicabangelayo, alikho nhlobo.”

¹³ Noma cabangela okunye okuhluke kakhulu—umhlaba wethu. Osozinkanyezi baye basebenzisa izinto zikagesi ukuze batadishe imvelaphi yawo. Yini abayitholile? Encwadini ethi God and the Astronomers, uRobert Jastrow wabhala: “Manje siyayibona indlela ubufakazi bokuhlolwa kwezinkanyezi obuholela ngayo embonweni weBhayibheli ngemvelaphi yomhlaba.” “Ngososayensi oye waphila ngokukholelwa kwakhe emandleni okucabanga, indaba iphela njengephupho elibi. Uye wenyuka izintaba zokungazi; useseduze nokufinyelela esiqongweni esiphakeme kunazo zonke; njengoba ezihudulela phezu kwedwala lokugcina, ubingelelwa iqembu lezazi zenkolo [abantu abakholelwa endalweni] ebezilokhu zihlezi lapho amakhulu eminyaka.”—Qhathanisa neHubo 19:1.

14. Yimuphi umqondo ohlakaniphile owasekela amazwi kaPawulu ngokungahlali kukaNkulunkulu emathempelini enziwe ngabantu?

¹⁴ Kanjalo singabona ukuthi ukukhulumela kukaPawulu kwakunembe kanjani kuzEnzo 17:24, okusiholela ephuzwini lakhe elilandelayo, evesini 25. UNkulunkulu onamandla owayengenza “umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo” ngokuqinisekile mkhulu kunendawo yonke ebonakalayo. (Heberu 3:4) Ngakho ngeke kube okunengqondo ukucabanga ukuthi ubengalinganiselwa ukuba ahlale emathempelini, ikakhulukazi lawo akhiwe abantu abakuvuma obala ukuthi ‘akaziwa’ kubo. Yeka iphuzu elinamandla elavezwa kulezozazi zefilosofi okungenzeka ukuthi ngaso lesosikhathi zazibheke amathempeli amaningi ayengenhla nje kwazo!—1 AmaKhosi 8:27; Isaya 66:1.

15. (a) Kungani uAthena ayengaba sezingqondweni zezilaleli zikaPawulu? (b) Ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMuphi kufanele kuholele kusiphi isiphetho?

¹⁵ Cishe, izilaleli zikaPawulu zazikhulekele esinye sezithombe zikankulunkulukazi wazo ongumvikeli, uAthena eAcropolis. UAthena ohlonishwayo eParthenon wayenziwe ngezinyo lendlovu nangegolide. Esinye isithombe sika-Athena sasingamamitha angu-20 ukuphakama futhi wawungasibona usemkhunjini olwandle. Futhi kwakuthiwa isithombe esasaziwa ngokuthi uAthena Polias sawa sisuka ezulwini; njalo abantu babesilethela ingubo entsha eyenziwe ngezandla. Kodwa, uma uNkulunkulu lawomadoda ayengamazi wayengoPhakeme kunabo bonke futhi adala umhlaba wonke, kungani ayengadinga ukukhonzwa ngezinto ezazingalethwa umuntu? Unikeza lokho esikudingayo: “ukuphila” kwethu, “ukuphefumula” esikudingayo ukuze sikulondoloze, “nakho konke” kuhlanganise nelanga, imvula, nomhlabathi ovundile lapho kumila khona ukudla kwethu. (IzEnzo 14:15-17; Mathewu 5:45) UnguMuphi, abantu bangabemukeli. Ngokuqinisekile, uMuphi akathembele kwabamukelayo.

Kumuntu Oyedwa—Kwavela Bonke

16. Yini uPawulu ayisho ngendabuko yomuntu?

¹⁶ Ngokulandelayo, kuzEnzo 17:26, uPawulu waveza iqiniso abantu abaningi okufanele bacabange ngalo, ikakhulukazi njengoba kunokungalungi okuningi kangaka phakathi kwezinhlanga namuhla. Wathi uMdali “wazenza izizwe zonke ngagazi linye ukuba zakhe ebusweni bonke bomhlaba.” Umqondo wokuthi uhlanga lwesintu lwaluwumkhaya noma lwaluzalana (lokhu kusikisela isidingo sokulunga) wawungokuthile okwakumelwe lawomadoda akucabangele ngoba abaseAthene babethi banendabuko ekhethekile eyayibahlukanisa esintwini sisonke. Nokho, uPawulu wamukela ukulandisa kukaGenesise ngomuntu wokuqala, uAdamu, owaba ngukhokho wethu sonke. (Roma 5:12; 1 Korinte 15:45-49) Nokho, ungase uzibuze: ‘Ingabe umqondo onjalo ungasekelwa enkathini yethu yanamuhla yesayensi?’

17. (a) Obunye ubufakazi banamuhla bukhomba kanjani endaweni efanayo eyakhonjwa uPawulu? (b) Lokhu kuhlangene ngani nokulunga?

¹⁷ Imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo isikisela ukuthi umuntu wavela ezindaweni nasezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene. Kodwa ekuqaleni konyaka odlule, iNewsweek yagxilisa ingxenye yayo yesayensi ‘Ekufuneni UAdamu NoEva.’ Yagxila kokutholakale muva nje emkhakheni wezici zofuzo. Njengoba besingalindela, nakuba kungesibo bonke ososayensi abavumayo, umfanekiso ovelayo ukhomba esiphethweni sokuthi bonke abantu banokhokho oyedwa ngokwezakhi zofuzo. Njengoba sonke sizalana, njengoba kwasho iBhayibheli kudala, akufanele yini kube khona ukulunga kubo bonke? Akufanele yini sonke sibe nelungelo lokuphathwa ngokungakhethi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ibala lethu lesikhumba, uhlobo lwezinwele, noma ezinye izici ezingaphandle kunjani? (Genesise 11:1; IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Nokho, sisadinga ukwazi ukuthi ukulunga kuyofika kanjani futhi nini esintwini.

18. Yisiphi isisekelo esasikhona samazwi kaPawulu ngokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu?

¹⁸ Nokho, evesini 26, uPawulu waveza ukuthi kungalindelwa ukuba uMdali abe nentando, noma injongo elungile, ngesintu. Umphostoli wayazi ukuthi lapho uNkulunkulu ayesebenzelana nesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, wanquma ukuthi kufanele sihlalephi nokuthi ezinye izizwe zaziyosiphatha kanjani. (Eksodusi 23:31, 32; Numeri 34:1-12; Duteronomi 32:49-52) Yiqiniso, kungenzeka izilaleli zikaPawulu ngokuqhosha zawasebenzisela kuzo ngokuyinhloko amazwi akhe. Eqinisweni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zazazi noma cha, uJehova uNkulunkulu ngesiprofetho wayeveze intando yakhe ngesikhathi, noma iqophelo emlandweni, lapho iGrisi laliyoba umbuso wezwe omkhulu wesihlanu. (Daniyeli 7:6; 8:5-8, 21; 11:2, 3) Njengoba Lona engalawula ngisho nezizwe, akukhona yini okunengqondo ukufuna ukwazi ngaye?

19. Kungani iphuzu likaPawulu kuzEnzo 17:27 linengqondo?

¹⁹ Akunjengokungathi uNkulunkulu usishiye singazi lutho ngaye, siphumputha singaboni. Wanika abaseAthene kanye nathi isisekelo sokufunda ngaye. Kamuva, kumaRoma 1:20 uPawulu wabhala: “Okungabonwayo [kukaNkulunkulu], kuthi amandla akhe aphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe kubonakala kwasekudalweni kwezwe, ngokuba kuqondakala ngezenzo zakhe.” Ngakho, uNkulunkulu ngempela akakude nathi kangako uma sifuna ukumthola sifunde ngaye.—IzEnzo 17:27.

20. Kuyiqiniso kanjani ukuthi “siphila, sihamba, sikhona” ngoNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Ukwazisa kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba senze kanjalo, njengoba izEnzo 17:28 zisikisela. UNkulunkulu usinikeze ukuphila. Eqinisweni, sinokuphila okungaphezu kokuvamile ngomqondo wokuthi isihlahla sinokuphila. Thina, kanye nezilwane eziningi, sinekhono lokuphila elengeziwe lokukwazi ukunyakaza. Asijabuli yini ngalokho? Kodwa uPawulu uyiqhubekisela phambili indaba. Siphila njengabantu abahlakaniphile abanobuntu. Ubuchopho bethu esibunikwe uNkulunkulu busenza sikwazi ukucabanga, ukuqonda izimiso okunzima ukuziqonda (njengokulunga kweqiniso), nokwethemba—yebo, ukubheka ekufezekeni kwentando kaNkulunkulu kwesikhathi esizayo. Njengoba ungabona, kumelwe ukuba uPawulu waqaphela ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoba okuningi kakhulu ukuba izazi zefilosofi yamaEpikhuru neyamaStoyiku zikwamukele. Ukuze azisize, wacaphuna ezinye zezimbongi ezazizazi futhi zizihlonipha, izimbongi ezazisho okufanayo: “Ngokuba futhi siyinzalo yakhe.”

21. Ukuba kwethu yinzalo kaNkulunkulu kufanele kusithinte ngayiphi indlela?

²¹ Uma abantu beqaphela ukuthi siyinzalo, noma umkhiqizo, kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke, kungokufanele ngabo ukuba babheke kuye ukuze bathole isiqondiso sokuthi kumelwe baphile kanjani. Kumelwe usincome isibindi sikaPawulu, njengoba ayemi cishe ethunzini leAcropolis. Wabonisana nabo ngesibindi ukuthi uMdali ngokuqinisekile mkhulu kunanoma yisiphi isithombe esenziwe umuntu, ngisho nesegolide nezinyo lendlovu esasiseParthenon. Sonke esamukela amazwi kaPawulu kumelwe ngokufanayo sivume ukuthi uNkulunkulu akafani nanoma yiziphi izithombe ezikhulekelwa abantu namuhla.—Isaya 40:18-26.

²¹ Leli akulona nje iphuzu lobuciko lokuba umuntu alamukele ngengqondo abe eqhubeka ephila njengakuqala. UPawulu wakwenza kwacaca lokho evesini 30: “Ngokuba izikhathi zokungazi [zokucabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu unjengesithombe esiphansi noma angamukela ukukhulekelwa ngaso] wazithalalisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa kalokhu usememezela kubantu ukuba bonke ezindaweni zonke baphenduke.” Ngakho, njengoba ayeqhubekela esiphethweni sakhe esinamandla, uPawulu waveza iphuzu elimangalisayo—ukuphenduka! Ngakho uma silindela uNkulunkulu ukuba alethe ukulunga kweqiniso, kusho ukuthi kuzodingeka ukuba siphenduke. Lokho kudingani kithi? Futhi uNkulunkulu uyokuletha kanjani ukulunga kubo bonke?

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Ungaphendula?

◻ Yisiphi isimo esingokwenkolo uPawulu asithola eAthene, futhi isimo esifanayo sikhona kanjani namuhla?

◻ Kungaziphi izindlela uNkulunkulu emkhulu kunabo bonke onkulunkulu bamanga ababekhulekelwa eAthene yosuku lukaPawulu?

◻ Yiliphi iqiniso eliyisisekelo ngendlela uNkulunkulu adala ngayo uhlanga Iwesintu elisho ukuthi kufanele kube nokulunga kubo bonke?

◻ Abantu kufanele basabele kanjani olwazini ngobukhulu bukaNkulunkulu?

22. Ukuphenduka kuhileleke kanjani ekutholeni kwethu ukulunga?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Ukulunga Kubo Bonke—IzEnzo, Isahluko 17

“16 Kwathi uPawulu esabalinda eAthene, umoya wakhe wacunuka phakathi kwakhe ebona umuzi ugcwele izithombe. 17 Ngakho-ke wakhuluma esinagogeni kubaJuda nakuwo amakholwa nasesigcawini imihla ngemihla kubo ababesuke bekhona. 18 Kepha abathile kuzo izazi zamaEpikhuru nezamaStoyiku baphikisana naye; abanye bathi: Leliphoshophosho Iithini na? Abanye bathi: Kungathi ungomemezela onkulunkulu abangaziwayo; ngokuba wayeshumayela ivangeli ngoJesu nangokuvuka kwabafileyo. 19 Base bemthatha, bamyisa eAreyophagu, bethi: Ungesazise ukuthi siyini lesisifundiso esisha esikhulunywa nguwena? 20 Ngokuba uletha ezindlebeni zethu okuthile okungaziwayo; ngalokho sifuna ukwazi ukuthi lokhu kungaba-yini. 21 Ngokuba bonke abaseAthene nabafokazi abakhé khona babengazilibazisi ngokunye, kuphela ngokukhuluma nokuzwa izindaba ezintsha. 22 UPawulu wema-ke phakathi neAreyophagu, wathi:

Madoda aseAthene, ngiyabona ngakho konke ukuthi nikhonza kakhulu onkulunkulu. 23 Ngokuba kwathi ngihamba ngibuka izinto enizikhonzayo, ngafumana nealtare okulotshwé kulo ukuthi: ELIKANKULUNKULU ONGAZIWAYO. Lokho-ke enikukhonza ningakwazi, yikho engikumemezela kini. 24 UNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, yena oyiNkosi yezulu nomhlaba, akahlali emathempelini enziwe ngezandla; 25 futhi akakhonzwa ngezandla zabantu ngokungathi udinga utho, yena obapha bonke ukuphila nokuphefumula nakho konke; 26 wazenza izizwe zonke ngagazi linye ukuba zakhe ebusweni bonke bomhlaba, wamisa izikhathi ezinqunyiweyo nemikhawulo yokuhlala kwazo, 27 ukuze zifune uNkulunkulu, ingabe zingamuzwa, zimfumane; ingani kakude kulowo nalowo kithi. 28 Ngokuba siphila, sihamba, sikhona kuye, njengalokho izimbongi ezithile zakini zishilo zathi: Ngokuba futhi siyinzalo yakhe.

29 Ngakho lokhu siyinzalo kaNkulunkulu, akufanele ukuba sithi ubuNkulunkulu bufana negolide noma isiliva noma itshe, okuqoshwé ngekhono nangesu lomuntu. 30 Ngokuba izikhathi zokungazi wazithalalisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa kalokhu usememezela kubantu ukuba bonke ezindaweni zonke baphenduke, 31 njengokuba umisile usuku azakwahlulela ngalo izwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisele lokho, enika bonke ithemba ngokumvusa kwabafileyo.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Indawo Yonke Yadalwa

Ngo-1980 uDkt. John A. O’Keefe, weNASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), wabhala: “Ngiyawusekela umbono kaJastrow wokuthi isayensi yanamuhla yokuhlola izinkanyezi iye yathola ubufakazi obunokwethenjelwa bokuthi iNdawo Yonke yadalwa eminyakeni eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi nanhlanu kuya kwezingamashumi amabili edlule.” “Ngikuthola kushukumisa kakhulu ukubona indlela ubufakazi beNdalo . . . okufanele bugcizelelwe ngokucace ngayo kuzo zonke izinto ezisizungezile: amadwala, isibhakabhaka, amaza omsakazo, nasemithethweni eyisisekelo yemvelo.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 9]

“Ukufuna UAdamu NoEva”

Ngaphansi kwalesosihloko, indaba ekuNewsweek yathi ngokwengxenye: “Ngo-1977 umvubukuli ongumakadebona uRichard Leakey wathi: ‘Ayikho neyodwa indawo lapho umuntu wanamuhla azalwa khona.’ Kodwa manje izazi zezakhi zofuzo zithambekele ekukholelweni okuhlukile . . . ‘Uma kulungile, futhi ngingabheja ngakho, lomqondo ubaluleke kakhulu,’ kusho uStephen Jay Gould, isazi sokwakuphila ezikhathini zasendulo nesingumbhali wezindaba saseHarvard. ‘Kusenza siqaphele ukuthi bonke abantu, naphezu kokwahlukahlukana ekubukekeni kwangaphandle, ngempela bangamalungu endikimba eyodwa eye yaba nendabuko yamuva kakhulu endaweni eyodwa. Kunohlobo lokuzalana olukhulu kakhulu kunokuba sake saqaphela.’”—January 11, 1988.