Isihogo Somlilo—Ingabe Sigqamuka Amalangabi Noma Siyacisha?

UMSHUMAYELI ongumProthestani uJonathan Edwards wayevamé ukusabisa amaMelika ayehlala kumaKoloni ngekhulu le-18 ngemifanekiso yakhe yesihogo edwetshwe ngokucacile. Wake wachaza isimo lapho uNkulunkulu elengisa izoni phezu kwamalangabi njengezicabucabu ezinyanyekayo. U-Edwards wathethisa ibandla lakhe: “Wena soni, ulenga ngentambo ezacile, ezungezwe amalangabi entukuthelo yaphezulu, noma nini alindele ukuyihashula, ayishise ibe yizicucu.”

Nokho, ngokushesha ngemva kokuba u-Edwards enikeze lentshumayelo edumile, amalangabi esihogo aqala, ngokomfanekiso, ukulokoza noma ukufiliza futhi acisha. * Incwadi i-Decline of Hell, kaD. P. Walker, iphawula ukuthi “ngeshumi lesine leminyaka lekhulu le-18 imfundiso yokuhlushwa phakade kwalabo abaqalekisiwe yayibekelwa inselele obala.” Phakathi nekhulu le-19, amalangabi esihogo aqhubeka ecisha, futhi phakathi nekhulu lama-20, umbono ka-Edwards wesihogo ‘esinjengekloba lomlilo lapho izisulu zaso zihlushwa khona phakade kanzima ezingqondweni zazo nasemizimbeni yazo’ wawusuyekile ukuba undab’ uzekwayo. “Zihlaselwe ongqondongqondo banamuhla futhi zifiphazwe amalangabi aseHiroshima kanye nawokuQothulwa Kwesizwe,” kuphawula intatheli uJeffery Sheler, “izincazelo zesihogo zazingasathusi njengoba zazinjalo ekuqaleni.”

Abashumayeli abaningi base bengasawuthandi nabo umlilo nesibabule. Izintshumayelo ezinamandla eziphathelene nokwesabisa kwesihogo zanyamalala ezinkulumweni ezazinikezwa emapulpiti emasontweni eLobukholwa asadla ngoludala. Ngezazi zenkolo eziningi, isihogo saba yindaba eyisidala kakhulu ukuba kungafundwa ngayo ngokungathi sína. Eminyakeni ethile edlule isazi somlando wesonto sasenza ukucwaninga okuphathelene nesihogo okwakuzofundiswa eyunivesithi, futhi sahlolisisa ama-index amaphephabhuku amaningana ezazi. Asitholanga nelilodwa igama eliphathelene “nesihogo.” Ngokukamagazini i-Newsweek, lesisazi somlando saphetha ngokuthi: “Isihogo sanyamalala. Futhi akekho owakuqaphela lokho.”

Ukubuya Kwesihogo

Ingabe sanyamalala? Akunjalo ngempela. Ngokumangalisayo, eminyakeni yamuva imfundiso yesihogo iye yaphinde yabhebhetheka ezindaweni ezithile. Izibalo ezathathwa eMelika zibonisa ukuthi inani labantu abathi bayakholelwa esihogweni landa lisukela emaphesentini angu-53 ngo-1981 laya emaphesentini angu-60 ngo-1990. Ngaphezu  kwalokho kunokusakazeka kwezinhlangano zobuvangeli ezishumayela ngesihogo, futhi kuya kucaca ukuthi ukubuya kwesihogo okungathi sína ezingqondweni zeLobukholwa ngempela kuyisenzakalo sembulunga yonke.

Kodwa ingabe lokhu kubuya kuthinta kuphela abantu abavamile besonto, noma kuye kwafinyelela nakubefundisi ngokufanayo? Iqiniso liwukuthi isihogo somlilo njengoba sashunyayelwa uJonathan Edwards eminyakeni engu-250 edlule asizange siphele kubefundisi abathile beLobukholwa abasadla ngoludala. Ngo-1991, i-U.S.News & World Report yaphawula: “Ngisho naphakathi kwamanye amahlelo asadla ngoludala kodwa anomqondo ovulekile, kunezimpawu zokuthi izazi zenkolo seziqala ukucabanga ngokungathi sína ngesihogo kunokuba bezenza emashumini eminyaka.” Ngokukhanyayo, ngemva kweminyaka eminingi yokunganaki, isihogo somlilo sesaziwa kahle kakhulu futhi sicatshangelwa njengesibalulekile emhlabeni wonke. Nokho, ingabe sisazigcinile izici zaso ezisabisayo?

Imibuzo Ephakamayo

Isazi senkolo uW. F. Wolbrecht wayengenakho ukungabaza: “Isihogo siyisihogo, futhi asikho isifiso noma umcabango womuntu oyoke usenze singabi isiqalekiso saphakade.” Abantu abaningi abasontayo abaqiniseki kangako. Nakuba bengakungabazi ukuba khona kwesihogo, banemibuzo ephathelene nesimo saso. Kuvuma esinye isazi senkolo: “Nakimi futhi, isihogo siyinto engokoqobo engangabazeki, okukhulunywa ngayo ngokucacile ebufakazini beBhayibheli, kodwa isimo saso sangempela siyinkinga.” Yebo, ngezazi zenkolo eziningi nabantu abavamile, namuhla umbuzo awusekhona ukuthi, “Ingabe sikhona yini isihogo?” kodwa uwukuthi, “Siyini isihogo?”

Ubungaphendula kanjani? Yini oye wayitshelwa ngesimo sesihogo? Futhi kungani lemfundiso iwakhathaza amaKristu aqotho?

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Cover: Doré’s illustration of Tumult and Escape for Dante’s Divine Comedy

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Doré’s illustration of Devils and Virgil for Dante’s Divine Comedy