“Agakiza kabonerwa mu Uwiteka”

IYO igihugu kiri mu ngorane cyangwa ku isi hose hakaba hari imivurungano, abaturage baba biteze ko ubutegetsi ari bwo bubarinda bukabashakira umutekano. Ubutegetsi na bwo, bushyiraho gahunda zo gufasha abaturage. Uko umwuka wo gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo urushaho kugenda wimakazwa n’izo gahunda, ni na ko abantu barushaho gushyuha no kwizihiza iminsi mikuru y’igihugu kandi bakayizihiza kenshi.

Iyo igihugu kiri mu kaga, gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo akenshi bituma abantu bumva ko bunze ubumwe maze bagatizanya amaboko, kandi bishobora gutuma bashyira hamwe biteguye gufashanya. Ariko kandi, hari inkuru yari mu kinyamakuru yagiraga iti “kimwe n’uko bigenda no ku bindi byiyumvo umuntu agaragaza, gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo na byo bishobora guteza akaga mu buryo umuntu atari yiteze, kubera ko iyo umuntu yirekuye bishobora gutuma akora ibintu by’agahomamunwa” (The New York Times Magazine). Kugaragaza uwo mwuka bishobora guhindukamo gukora ibikorwa birengera uburenganzira bw’abaturage, cyangwa umudendezo w’idini wa bamwe mu baturage. Mu buryo bwihariye, Abakristo b’ukuri bagerwaho n’ibigeragezo bishobora gutuma bihakana ukwizera kwabo. Bitwara bate rero iyo bari mu mimerere nk’iyo? Ni ayahe mahame yo muri Bibiliya abafasha kugira ubushishozi no gukomeza gushikama ku Mana?

“Ntukabyikubite imbere”

Rimwe na rimwe, abantu babona ko kuramutsa ibendera ari bwo buryo bwemewe bwo kwerekana ko umuntu akunda igihugu. Ariko usanga akenshi amabendera ariho ibishushanyo by’ibintu biba mu kirere, urugero nk’inyenyeri, kimwe n’ibindi bintu biba ku isi. Imana yagaragaje icyo itekereza ku bihereranye no kunamira ibintu nk’ibyo, ubwo yabwiraga abagize ubwoko bwayo iti “ntukiremere igishushanyo kibajwe, cyangwa igisa n’ishusho yose iri hejuru mu ijuru, cyangwa hasi ku butaka, cyangwa mu mazi yo hepfo y’ubutaka: ntukabyikubite imbere, ntukabikorere: kuko Uwiteka Imana yawe ndi Imana ifuha.”—Kuva 20:4, 5.

Mbese, kuramutsa cyangwa kunamira ibendera ry’igihugu, hari icyo byaba bibangamiraho itegeko rya Yehova Imana ridusaba kuba ari we dusenga wenyine? Abisirayeli bo mu gihe cya kera, bagiraga ‘amabendera’ buri tsinda ryabaga rigizwe n’imiryango itatu ryahuriragaho igihe bari mu butayu (Kubara 2:1, 2). Mu gitabo cyanditswe n’uwitwa McClintock na Strong, bagize icyo bavuga ku magambo y’Igiheburayo yahinduwemo amabendera, bagira bati “muri ayo magambo yose y’Igiheburayo, nta na rimwe ryumvikanisha icyo twe twumva iyo umuntu avuze ibendera” (Cyclopedia). Ikindi kandi, amabendera yo muri Isirayeli ntiyafatwaga nk’ayera, kandi nta mihango n’imwe yari ifitanye isano n’imikoreshereze yayo. Yari ikimenyetso gusa, cyerekaga abantu aho bagombaga guhurira.

Ibishushanyo by’abakerubi byari biri mu ihema ry’ibonaniro no mu rusengero rwa Salomo byagaragazaga mbere na mbere imiterere y’abakerubi bo mu ijuru (Kuva 25:18; 26:1, 31, 33; 1 Abami 6:23, 28, 29; Abaheburayo 9:23, 24). Kuba ibyo bishushanyo bitari byaragenewe gusengwa bigaragazwa n’uko abantu muri rusange batigeraga babibona; kandi n’abamarayika ubwabo ntibagomba gusengwa.—Abakolosayi 2:18; Ibyahishuwe 19:10; 22:8, 9.

 Ibuka nanone igishushanyo cy’inzoka y’umuringa, umuhanuzi Mose yakoze igihe Abisirayeli bari mu butayu. Icyo gishushanyo cyari gifite ikintu gishushanya kandi cyari gifite icyo cyahanuraga (Kubara 21:4-9; Yohana 3:14, 15). Nta bwo cyasengwaga. Ariko kandi, ibinyejana byinshi nyuma ya Mose, Abisirayeli batangiye gukoresha icyo gishushanyo nabi bagisenga, ndetse bakanacyosereza imibavu. Ku bw’ibyo, Hezekiya Umwami w’u Buyuda yarakimenaguye.—2 Abami 18:1-4.

Mbese, amabendera y’ibihugu akoreshwa mu bintu bisanzwe gusa? Ubundi se, agaragaza iki? Umwanditsi umwe witwa J. Paul Williams yagize ati “kubaha ibendera ni cyo kintu kigaragaza ko abantu bakunda igihugu cyabo, ko batazagihemukira, kandi ni na cyo kintu bahurizaho bose mu birebana no gusenga.” Igitabo kimwe kigira kiti “kimwe n’umusaraba, ibendera ni ikintu cyera” (The Encyclopedia Americana). Ibendera ni ryo riranga igihugu. Ku bw’ibyo rero, kuryunamira no kuriramutsa ni umuhango wo gusenga wo kubahiriza Igihugu. Igikorwa nk’icyo kiba kigaragaza ko agakiza gaturuka ku Gihugu, kandi dukurikije ibyo Bibiliya ivuga ku bihereranye no gusenga ibigirwamana, nta bwo ari igikorwa cyemewe.

Ibyanditswe bivuga mu buryo busobanutse neza bigira biti “agakiza kabonerwa mu Uwiteka.” (Zaburi 3:9, umurongo wa 8 muri Biblia Yera.) Abantu ntibagombye kwitega ko agakiza gaturuka ku miryango ya kimuntu cyangwa ibiyiranga. Intumwa Pawulo yagiriye Abakristo bagenzi be inama agira ati “nimuzibukire kuramya ibishushanyo” (1 Abakorinto 10:14). Abakristo ba mbere ntibifatanyaga n’abandi mu gusenga Igihugu cyabo. Uwitwa Daniel P. Mannix yaranditse ati “Abakristo bangaga . . . gutambira icyo bitaga umwuka murinzi w’umwami w’abami [w’Abaroma], igikorwa cyabaga gihwanye muri iki gihe no kwanga kuramutsa ibendera” (Those About to Die). Uko ni na ko biri ku Bakristo b’ukuri muri iki gihe. Birinda kuramutsa ibendera ry’igihugu icyo ari cyo cyose kugira ngo Yehova abe ari we wenyine basenga. Iyo babigenje batyo, baba bashyize Imana mu mwanya wa mbere ari na ko bubaha ubutegetsi n’abategetsi babwo. Koko rero, bazirikana ko bafite inshingano yo kugandukira ‘abatware babatwara’ (Abaroma 13:1-7). Ariko se, ni iki Ibyanditswe bivuga ku bihereranye no kuririmba indirimbo z’igihugu, urugero wenda nk’iyubahiriza igihugu?

Indirimbo zubahiriza igihugu ni iki?

Igitabo kimwe kigira kiti ‘kuririmba indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu ni ukugaragaza ko ukunda igihugu cyawe, rimwe na rimwe hakaba hanakubiyemo gusaba Imana ubuyobozi n’uko yarinda abaturage n’abayobozi babo’ (The Encyclopedia Americana). Mu by’ukuri, indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu ni indirimbo cyangwa isengesho ryo gusabira igihugu. Muri yo haba hasabwa ko igihugu cyasugira kigasagamba. Mbese, Abakristo nyakuri bakwifatanya n’abandi mu kuririmba iyo ndirimbo irimo gusenga?

Umuhanuzi Yeremiya yabanaga n’abantu bavugaga ko bakorera Imana. Nyamara Yehova yaramubwiye ati “ntugasabire ubu bwoko, ntukarangurure ijwi ku bwabo cyangwa ngo ubasabire; ntukanyinginge; kuko ntazakumvira” (Yeremiya 7:16; 11:14; 14:11). Kuki Yehova yategetse Yeremiya atyo? Kubera ko icyo gihe abantu bari barabaswe n’ubujura, ubwicanyi, ubusambanyi, indahiro z’ibinyoma no gusenga ibigirwamana.—Yeremiya 7:9.

Yesu Kristo yaduhaye icyitegererezo ubwo yavugaga ati “sinsabira ab’isi, ahubwo ndasabira abo wampaye” (Yohana 17:9). Ibyanditswe bivuga ko ‘isi yose iri mu Mubi,’ kandi ko ‘ishira’ (1 Yohana 2:17; 5:19). Ku bw’ibyo se, ni gute Abakristo b’ukuri basenga basabira isi nk’iyo babivanye ku mutima kugira ngo itunge itunganirwe kandi irambe?

Birumvikana ariko ko atari ko indirimbo zo kubahiriza igihugu zose ziba zirimo amasengesho aturwa Imana. Igitabo kimwe kigira kiti “mu ndirimbo zo kubahiriza igihugu havugwamo byinshi; zimwe ziba zisabira umwami, izindi zigasabira intambara zikomeye n’imyivumbagatanyo . . . izindi zikaba zirimo amagambo agaragaza gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo.” Ariko se, abantu bashaka gushimisha Imana bashobora kunezezwa n’intambara n’ibikorwa byo guhirika ubutegetsi bw’igihugu icyo ari cyo cyose? Ku bihereranye n’abasenga by’ukuri, Yesaya yarahanuye ati “inkota zabo bazazicuramo amasuka n’amacumu yabo bazayacuramo impabuzo” (Yesaya 2:4). Intumwa Pawulo yaranditse ati “nubwo tugenda  dufite umubiri w’umuntu, ntiturwana mu buryo bw’abantu, kuko intwaro z’intambara yacu atari iz’abantu.”—2 Abakorinto 10:3, 4.

Mu ndirimbo z’igihugu akenshi haba harimo amagambo avuga igihugu ibigwi n’ukuntu kiruta ibindi. Ibyo bihabanye kure n’ibivugwa mu Byanditswe. Mu kiganiro Pawulo yatangiye muri Areyopago, yaravuze ati ‘[Yehova Imana] yaremye amahanga yose y’abantu, bakomoka ku muntu umwe, abakwiza mu isi yose’ (Ibyakozwe 17:26). Intumwa Petero yaravuze ati ‘Imana ntirobanura ku butoni, ahubwo mu mahanga yose ūyubaha agakora ibyo gukiranuka, iramwemera.’—Ibyakozwe 10:34, 35.

Abantu benshi bifatiye umwanzuro ku giti cyabo wo kutifatanya n’abandi mu kuramutsa ibendera no kuririmba indirimbo z’igihugu, bahereye ku bumenyi bafite kuri Bibiliya. Ariko se babyifatamo bate iyo bageze mu mimerere yatuma bahatirwa kubyifatanyamo?

Reka kwifatanya, ariko mu buryo burangwa no kubaha

Igihe Umwami Nebukadinezari wa Babuloni ya kera yashakaga ko ubwami bwe bwunga ubumwe, yahagaritse igishushanyo kinini cy’izahabu mu kibaya cya Dura. Hanyuma yateguye umunsi mukuru wo kukimurika ku mugaragaro, awutumiramo abatware b’intebe, abatware bakuru, ibisonga n’abandi bategetsi bakuru. Igihe abari bahateraniye bari kumva amajwi y’amakondera, bari guhita bubarara hasi bose bakaramya icyo gishushanyo. Mu bantu bagombaga kuba bahari harimo n’abasore batatu b’Abaheburayo, Saduraka, Meshaki na Abedenego. Ni gute bagaragaje ko batari bifatanyije muri uwo muhango warimo ibintu byo gusenga? Igihe amakondera yavugaga maze abari bateraniye aho bakunamira cya gishushanyo, abo Baheburayo uko ari batatu bakomeje guhagarara.—Daniyeli 3:1-12.

Muri iki gihe, abantu baramutsa amabendera bemye cyangwa bateye amasaruti, cyangwa nanone bifashe ku mutima. Rimwe na rimwe, abantu bashobora kugira ukuntu runaka bifata. Mu bihugu bimwe, ku ishuri abanyeshuri baba bagomba kunama bagasoma ibendera. Iyo Abakristo b’ukuri bakomeje kwihagararira batuje mu gihe abandi baramutsa ibendera, baba bagaragaje ko ari abantu b’indorerezi gusa, ariko barangwa no kubaha.

Bite se mu gihe mu mihango yo kubahiriza ibendera biteganyijwe ko guhaguruka ubwabyo  bigaragaza ko twifatanyije mu kuryubahiriza? Urugero, tuvuge ko hatoranyijwe umunyeshuri umwe ku kigo kugira ngo ahagararire ikigo cyose maze ajye hanze aho ibendera rimanitse, ariramutse mu gihe abandi banyeshuri bo bahagaze mu ishuri bemye. Muri icyo gihe, guhagarara byonyine byaba bisobanura ko nawe ushyigikiye ko umunyeshuri wagiye hanze kuramutsa ibendera aguhagarariye nawe. Guhagarara ubwabyo, byaba bigaragaza ko wifatanyije muri uwo muhango. Niba ari uko bimeze, abantu bifuza kuba indorerezi gusa zirangwa no kubaha, bakomeza kwiyicarira. Bite se mu gihe iyo mihango itangiye abanyeshuri bahagaze? Muri icyo gihe, dukomeje guhagarara ntibyaba bigaragaza ko tuyifatanyijemo.

Tuvuge noneho ko umuntu adasabwe kuramutsa ibendera, ahubwo ko asabwe gusa kurifata, haba ari mu karasisi cyangwa mu ishuri cyangwa n’ahandi hantu, kugira ngo abandi bariramutse. Ibyo ntibyaba ari ‘ukuzibukira kuramya ibishushanyo’ nk’uko Ibyanditswe bibidusaba, ahubwo byaba mu by’ukuri ari ukuba ku isonga muri uwo muhango. Ni na ko bimeze ku bihereranye no kujya mu karasisi. Kubera ko ibyo biba ari ugushyigikira icyo ako karasisi kagamije guhesha icyubahiro, Abakristo b’ukuri bareka kubyifatanyamo ku bushake.

Mu gihe indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu iririmbwa, ubusanzwe icyo buri wese akora kugira ngo agaragaze ko ashyigikiye ibiyivugwamo ni uko ahagarara. Icyo gihe rero, Abakristo barakomeza bakicara. Ariko kandi, niba bahagaze mu gihe indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu iririmbwa, nta bwo biba ari ngombwa ko bakora ibinyuranyije n’ibyo maze ngo bo biyicarire. Muri icyo gihe biba bitandukanye n’uko twahitamo guhaguruka igihe bagiye kuyiririmba. Ku rundi ruhande, niba hari itsinda runaka rigomba guhaguruka rikaririmba, icyo gihe guhaguruka gusa kugira ngo ugaragaze ikinyabupfura ariko nturirimbe, ntibyaba ari ugushyigikira ibivugwa muri iyo ndirimbo.

Mukomeze kugira ‘umutima utabacira urubanza’

Umwanditsi wa Zaburi amaze kugaragaza ukuntu ibintu bisengwa n’abantu nta cyo bimaze, yaravuze  ati “ababirema bazahwana na byo, n’ubyiringira wese” (Zaburi 115:4-8). Nta gushidikanya rero ko nta muntu usenga Yehova wemererwa gukora akazi ako ari ko kose kerekeranye no gukora mu buryo butaziguye ibintu abantu basenga, hakubiyemo n’amabendera y’ibihugu (1 Yohana 5:21). Hari ikindi kibazo gishobora kuvuka mu gihe Abakristo baba bakora ahantu bakagaragaza mu buryo burangwa no kubaha ko badasenga ibendera kandi ntibasenge n’icyo rihagarariye, ahubwo ko basenga Yehova wenyine.

Urugero, umukoresha ashobora gusaba umukozi we kujya azamura kandi akururutsa ibendera. Niba umuntu yabikora cyangwa ntabikore, ibyo bishingira ku kuntu we abona ibintu. Niba kuzamura no kururutsa ibendera biba ari kimwe mu bigize umuhango wihariye, igihe abantu bahagaze bemye cyangwa bariramutsa, icyo gihe birumvikana ko kubikora byaba ari ukwifatanya muri uwo muhango.

Ku rundi ruhande, niba nta mihango iba iherekeje kuzamura no kururutsa ibendera, icyo gihe ibyo nta ho byaba bitandukaniye n’ibintu bisanzwe, urugero nko gusukura amazu akeneye gukoreshwa, gufungura no gufunga imiryango, no gukingura no gukinga amadirishya. Muri icyo gihe, ibendera yarifata nk’ikimenyetso kiranga Igihugu, kandi ni we ugomba kwifatira imyanzuro akurikije umutimanama we watojwe na Bibiliya niba azajya arizamura akanaryururutsa, kimwe n’uko akora indi mirimo ya buri munsi (Abagalatiya 6:5). Umutimanama w’umuntu umwe ushobora kumusunikira gusaba umukoresha we gushaka undi mukozi wo kujya azamura akanururutsa ibendera. Undi Mukristo we ashobora kumva umutimanama we umwemerera kuzamura akanururutsa ibendera kubera ko nta mihango iba ijyanye na byo. Umwanzuro abasenga by’ukuri bafata uwo ari wo wose, wagombye gutuma bakomeza kugira ‘umutima utabacira urubanza’ imbere y’Imana.—1 Petero 3:16.

Ibyanditswe ntibitubuza gukora no kujya mu bigo bya leta, wenda nko mu mazu ashinzwe ibyo kuzimya umuriro, mu biro by’ubuyobozi bw’umujyi, no mu mashuri, ahantu haba hari amabendera. Rishobora kuba riri no kuri kashe y’iposita, ku byapa by’imodoka, no ku bindi byangombwa byose bitangwa na leta. Gukoresha ibyo bintu ubwabyo ntibivuga ko umuntu yifatanyije mu bikorwa byo kubahiriza igihugu. Aho ngaho icy’ingenzi si uko icyo kintu kiba kiriho ibendera cyangwa igishushanyo cyaryo, ahubwo ni uko umuntu arifata.

Akenshi usanga amabendera ari ku madirishya, ku nzugi, ku modoka, ku meza cyangwa se ku bindi bintu. Umuntu ashobora no kugura umwenda uriho igishushanyo cy’ibendera. Mu bihugu bimwe na bimwe, kwambara umwenda nk’uwo birabujijwe. Nubwo kuwambara nta tegeko byaba byishe, abantu bo hanze aha babona ko uri nde? Ku bihereranye n’abigishwa be, Yesu Kristo yaravuze ati “si ab’isi, nk’uko nanjye ntari uw’isi” (Yohana 17:16). Ikintu tutagombye nanone kwirengagiza, ni ingaruka ibyo bishobora kugira ku bo duhuje ukwizera. Mbese, byaba bishobora gukomeretsa umutimanama wa bamwe? Mbese, byabaca intege ku bihereranye n’icyemezo bafashe cyo gukomeza gushikama mu kwizera? Pawulo yagiriye Abakristo inama igira iti “mubone uko murobanura ibinyuranye, kandi mubone uko muba abataryarya n’inyangamugayo.”—Abafilipi 1:10.

‘Tugirire bose neza’

Muri ibi ‘bihe birushya,’ uko iyi si izajya igenda irushaho kononekara ni na ko abantu bazajya barushaho kugaragaza umwuka wo gukunda igihugu by’agakabyo (2 Timoteyo 3:1). Turifuriza abantu bakunda Imana ko batazigera na rimwe bibagirwa ko agakiza kabonerwa kuri Yehova. Ni we wenyine ukwiriye gusengwa. Igihe intumwa za Yesu zasabwaga gukora ikintu cyari kinyuranyije n’ibyo Yehova ashaka, zaravuze ziti “ibikwiriye ni ukumvira Imana kuruta abantu.”—Ibyakozwe 5:29.

Intumwa Pawulo yaranditse ati “umugaragu w’Umwami wacu ntakwiriye kuba umunyamahane, ahubwo akwiriye kugira ineza kuri bose” (2 Timoteyo 2:24). Ku bw’ibyo, Abakristo bahatanira kuba abantu baha abandi amahoro, barangwa no kubaha, kandi bagira neza, bishingikirije ku mutimanama watojwe na Bibiliya mu gihe bifatira imyanzuro ku bihereranye no kuramutsa ibendera no kuririmba indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 23]

Abaheburayo batatu bahisemo batajenjetse gushimisha Imana ariko mu buryo burangwa no kubaha

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 24]

Ni gute Umukristo yabyifatamo mu gihe abandi baririmba indirimbo yubahiriza igihugu?