(Maswali na Majibu) Na 3. Je, uzazi wa mpango ni dhambi? Uhai wa mwanadamu unaanza lini? (Is birth control a sin? When does the human life begin?)

  

(Maswali na Majibu) Na 3. Je, uzazi wa mpango ni dhambi? Uhai wa mwanadamu unaanza lini? (Is birth control a sin? When does the human life begin?)

NB: The English translation follows immediately!

Biblia iko kimya kuhusu njia za uzazi wa mpango. Njia zingine za uzazi wa mpango ni mpya na hazikuwepo kipindi hicho. Hata hivyo Biblia ni mwongozo kwa kila jambo katika maisha yetu. 

1. Kuwa na mpango wa familia au kuzaa kwa mpango sio dhambi.

Tatizo linaweza kuwa katika njia ambayo mtu anaitumia na nia yake ya kufanya hivyo.

Zipo njia zenye madhara kiafya na zingine kiroho na kiuchumi.

·       Mungu anataka tuwe na mpango wa maisha ili tusije tukachekwa. Luka 14:28-30 “Maana ni nani katika ninyi, kama akitaka kujenga mnara, asiyeketi kwanza na kuhesabu gharama, kwamba anavyo vya kuumalizia? Asije akashindwa kuumaliza baada ya kuupiga msingi, watu wote waonao wakaanza kumdhihaki, wakisema, Mtu huyu alianza kujenga, akawa hana nguvu za kumaliza.”

·       Mungu anataka kila mtu awajibike kulea na kuwahudumia familia yake na sio kuzaa peke yake. 1 Timotheo 5:8 “Lakini mtu ye yote asiyewatunza walio wake, yaani, wale wa nyumbani mwake hasa, ameikana Imani, tena ni mbaya kuliko mtu asiyeamini.” Mithali 22:6 “Mlee mtoto katika njia impasayo, Naye hataiacha, hata atakapokuwa mzee.”

·       Mungu anataka tutumie akili vizuri bila kutenda dhambi. Mungu hakutupa akili na ubongo kama urembo. Rum 12:2 “Wala msiifuatishe namna ya dunia hii; bali mgeuzwe kwa kufanywa upya nia zenu, mpate kujua hakika mapenzi ya Mungu yaliyo mema, ya kumpendeza, na ukamilifu.”

2. Hatumzalii Mungu watoto peke yake bali tunazaa watoto wetu.

Kum 6:7 “nawe uwafundishe watoto wako kwa bidii, na kuyanena uketipo katika nyumba yako, na utembeapo njiani, na ulalapo, na uondokapo.”

Mungu ametupa utashi na uchaguzi wa maisha tunayotaka ili mradi tusimkosee. Tunapochagua aina ya maisha tunatakiwa kuwa tayari kwa matokeo yake. Kum 30:19 “Nazishuhudiza mbingu na nchi juu yenu hivi leo, kuwa nimekuwekea mbele yako uzima na mauti, baraka na laana; basi chagua uzima, ili uwe hai, wewe na uzao wako.”

Kuna mitazamo gani duniani kuhusu mwanzo wa uhai wa mwanadamu?

Kuna mitazamo mbalimbali kuhusu mtu anatambulika kuwa ni mwanadamu kuanzia wakati gani. Ngoja nikupe mitazamo michache:

·       Mtazamo wa kwanza ni wa Utungisho: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia pale mbegu inapoungana na yai (fertilization) na kuwa zygote.

·       Mtazamo wa pili ni wa Upandikizaji: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia katika upandikizaji wa zaigoti kwenye uterasi (implantation).

·       Mtazamo wa tatu ni wa Embriolojia: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia siku ya 12 hadi 14 ya embrio.

·       Mtazamo wa nne ni wa Nerolojia: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia pale ubongo wa mtoto tumboni unapokuwa umekua ambapo ni wiki ya 26.

·       Mtazamo wa tano ni Ikolojia: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia pale ambapo mtoto anaweza kuendelea kuwa hai (kuishi) akiwa nje ya mama yake.

·       Mtazamo wa sita ni wa Kuzaliwa: Mtazamo kwamba utambulisho wa binadamu unaanzia pale mtoto anapozaliwa. 

Ipo pia mitazamo mingine kwamba:

1. Kijusi (fetus) ni mtu kama tu mama mjamzito anamhisi akicheza tumboni.

2. Wengine wanasema mtoto anapoanza kupumua mwenyewe ndipo anahesabika ni binadamu.

Mgunduzi mwenza wa DNA aliwahi kusema kwamba mtoto asiitwe mtu mpaka siku ya tatu baada ya kuzaliwa.

Kutokana na mitazamo hiyo sayansi inashindwa kuwa na jibu moja. Je Biblia inasemaje?

1. Biblia inamtambua binadamu kuanzia kwenye tumbo la uzazi

Zab 139:13-16 “Maana Wewe ndiwe uliyeniumba mtima wangu, Uliniunga tumboni mwa mama yangu. Nitakushukuru kwa kuwa nimeumbwa Kwa jinsi ya ajabu ya kutisha. Matendo yako ni ya ajabu, Na nafsi yangu yajua sana, Mifupa yangu haikusitirika kwako, Nilipoumbwa kwa siri, Nilipoungwa kwa ustadi pande za chini za nchi; Macho yako yaliniona kabla sijakamilika; Chuoni mwako ziliandikwa zote pia, Siku zilizoamriwa kabla hazijawa bado.”

Zab 51:5 “Tazama, mimi naliumbwa katika hali ya uovu; Mama yangu alinichukua mimba hatiani.”

Lk 1:39-44 “39 Basi, Mariamu akaondoka siku hizo, akaenda hata nchi ya milimani kwa haraka mpaka mji mmoja wa Yuda, 40 akaingia nyumbani kwa Zakaria akamwamkia Elisabeti.41 Ikawa Elisabeti aliposikia kule kuamkia kwake Mariamu, kitoto kichanga kikaruka ndani ya tumbo lake; Elisabeti akajazwa Roho Mtakatifu; 42 akapaza sauti kwa nguvu akasema, Umebarikiwa wewe katika wanawake, naye mzao wa tumbo lako amebarikiwa. 43 Limenitokeaje neno hili, hata mama wa Bwana wangu anijilie mimi? 44 Maana sauti ya kuamkia kwako ilipoingia masikioni mwangu, kitoto kichanga kikaruka kwa shangwe ndani ya tumbo langu.”

2. Biblia pia inamtambua mtu hata kabla ya kumuumba katika tumbo la uzazi au kabla ya muunganiko wa mbegu na yai (ova).

Yer 1:4,5 “Neno la Bwana lilinijia, kusema, Kabla sijakuumba katika tumbo nalikujua, na kabla hujatoka tumboni, nalikutakasa; nimekuweka kuwa nabii wa mataifa.”

Mtume Paulo anaungana na unabii wa Yeremia kwa kusema “kama vile alivyotuchagua katika yeye kabla ya kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu, ili tuwe watakatifu, watu wasio na hatia mbele zake katika pendo.” (Waefeso 1:4)

Lazima tutambue kwamba mwanadamu sio mwili tu bali ni roho na ana nafsi. Kabla ya muunganiko wa kimwili kuna masuala ya kiroho yanakuwa yameshafanyika. Mungu anaposema natumfanye mtu kwa mfano wetu (Mwa 1:26), ina maana mipango imeanza kabla ya kufinyanga na kupulizia pumzi ya uhai.

Mfano:

Malaki 4:5 “Angalieni, nitawapelekea Eliya nabii, kabla haijaja siku ile ya Bwana, iliyo kuu na kuogofya.” Hapa tunajifunza kwamba ilitabiriwa kwamba Eliya atakuja tena kibinadamu.

Mathayo 11:14 “Na ikiwa mnataka kukubali, yeye ndiye Eliya atakayekuja.” Yesu anathibitisha kwamba Yohana Mbatizaji ndiye Eliya nabii aliyeahidiwa kuja tena kwa kazi maalum.

Kwa hiyo hata kama kuna siku mbegu ya Zakaria na yai la Elisabeti ziliungana kibinadamu, uumbaji kwa jinsi ya rohoni ulishafanyika siku nyingi kabla.

Swali litakalofuata: Tufanyeje kuhusu mpango wa familia na njia za uzazi wa mpango zina madhara gani kwa mwamini?

Please send your love gift to support this ministry. +255 712924234 or CRDB Bank; Account Name: Lawi E. Mshana; Account Number: 0152219784300; Swift Code: CORUTZTZ

(Q&A) No 3. Is birth control a sin? When does the human life begin?

The Bible is silent about birth control methods. Some birth control methods are new and did not exist at Bible times. However, the Bible is a guide for everything in our lives.

1. Family planning or birth control is not a sin.

The problem may lie in the way a person uses it and their intentions to do so. 

Some methods are harmful to health and others are harmful spiritually and economically.

• God wants us to have a plan for life so that we are not mocked. Luke 14:28-30 “"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- "lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, "saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'”

• God wants everyone to be responsible for raising and providing for their family and not to give birth alone. 1 Tim 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Prov 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

• God wants us to use our minds well without sinning. Rom 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

2. We do not only give birth to children for God, but we also give birth for ourselves.

Deut 6:7 “"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

God has given us free will and the choice of the life we ​​want as long as we do not offend Him. When we choose a life, we must be prepared for the consequences.

Deut 30:19 “"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”

What are the world's views on the beginning of human life?

There are various perspectives on when a person is considered human. Let me give you a few perspectives:

• The first view is Fertilization: The view that human identity begins when the sperm unites with the egg (fertilization) and becomes a zygote.

• The second view is Implantation: Human identity begins with the zygote implantation in the uterus.

• The third view is Embryology: Human identity begins on the 12th to 14th day of the embryo.

• The fourth view is Neurology: Human identity begins when the brain of the fetus in the womb has developed, which is the 26th week.

• The fifth view is Ecology: Human identity begins when the fetus can continue to live outside its mother.

• The sixth view is Birth: Human identity begins when the fetus is born.

There are also other views that:

1. A fetus is a person only if the pregnant mother feels him moving in her womb.

2. Others say that when a child starts breathing on his/her own, he/she is considered a human being.

The co-discoverer of DNA once said that a baby should not be regarded as a human until the third day after birth.

From these perspectives, science fails to have a single answer. What does the Bible say?

1. The Bible recognizes humans from the womb.

Psa 139:13-16 “13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”

Psa 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.”

Luke 1:39-44 “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! "But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? "For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”

2. The Bible also recognizes a person even before he is created in the womb or before the union of the sperm and the egg (ova).

Jer 1:4,5 “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."”

The Apostle Paul joins Jeremiah's prophecy by saying, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Eph 1:4)

We must realize that man is not just a body but a spirit and has a soul. Spiritual life begins before the physical union takes place. When God says let us make man in our image (Gen 1:26), He means that the plans began before the molding and the breathing of life.

Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Here we learn that it was prophesied that Elijah would come again in the flesh. 

Matthew 11:14 “And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.” Jesus confirms that John the Baptist is the prophet Elijah who was promised to come again for a special work. 

So even if there was a day when the sperm of Zechariah and the ovum of Elizabeth united in the flesh, creation had already happened spiritually long before.

The next question will be: What should we do about family planning and what are the effects of contraceptive methods on a believer?

Dr. Lawi Mshana, Facilitator and Mentor, +255 712924234, Tanzania