KHRISTIANTE LEH KIDOUNA

 

Khristiante leh Kidouna

(Gingtu Pathian hing bete’n thagum leh galvan zanga Meiteite doukik dik mah ahi diam?)

 

Meiteite’n i gam-le-leitang leh i hamphatna tuamtuamte deihgohna ziak in May 3, 2023 apan Zosuante thahchimit (ethnic cleansing) sawm in gal ahon pan ua huai akipan Meitei Gal i dou uhi. Gingtu Pathian hing bete i hihman un bang chibang a Khristiante’n galdou ding: Meitei gal thagum thatang leh thau a douthukna dik mah ahi diam? Khristiante’n melmate hinna lak leh thau neih siamtanhuai mah ahi diam? Lai Siangthou in, “Tual na thah ding uh ahikei,” “Na melmate uh it un” chihte hon sinsak ziak in theihsiam haksapi suaka mi tampite’n muhdan kibang hetlou nei ding in ka gingta hi. Huaiziakin, Lai Siangthou in war ethics toh kisai tam gen kei mahleh Khristiante galdou didan a kokmuhnate pansan a sinsakna (theories) poimoh tuamtuam hong piangkhia thumte―Activism, Pacifism, leh Just War theory (Selectivism) kikumkhawm in ei dinmun toh kituakpen in thukhitna i bawl ding hi.

 

1.      Activism

Activism pawlte’n gamsung government in gal (war) khat peuhpeuh dou dinga panpihna Khristiante kiang ah a nget leh kihel/pan ding ahi chiin a sinsak uhi. Pathian in mihingte tunga vaihawm dinga government thuneihna sangtak pia a aseh (ordained) ziak in galdou dinga thupiakna omleh thumangtak a zuih ding ahi. Government thuman tuh Pathian thumanna in asim uhi. Gingtute mohpuak (duty) tuh government thunuai a kitahlut ahi[1] chih ngaihdan anei uhi. Lai Siangthou a civil government leh a thunuai a kitahlut ding kichihna munte pansan in anei uhi―Gen 9:6; Exod 21:23-25; Matt 22:21; Rom 13:1-17; I Cor 14:33, 40; I Tim 2:2; Titus 3:1; I Pet 2:13-14. Huan, Greek mipil minthang Socrates (BC 469-399) sinsakna―vaihawmtu gilou mahleh sih tanpha a athuman ding chia points 4 ana sinsakte leng apansan uh: (i) Government tuh mihingte a dia nu-le-pa ahihziaka vaihawmtu thumanglou tuh nu-le-pa thumanglou ahi. (ii) Government tuh mihingte sinsaktu (author of education) ahi. (iv) Mihingte mohpuak tuh government thuneitute thuman ahi. (iv) Thagum (force) a gilou nanna/douna thil diklou ahi.[2] Gal kidouna tengteng tup-le-ngimte hoih veklou ahihman in Activism gindan dik ding in gintakhuailou hi. Gentehna, Hitler in Juda namte thatchimit sawm in a tung uah gal pan a, a tup-le-ngim tuh “lemna leh muanna” hilou ahihman in a dik kei hi. Gingtute’n Hitler kithuahpihna piak a dik theikei ding hi.

 

2.      Pacifism

Pacifism pawlte gindan in Khristiante’n sepaih thahatna zanga mahni hinna leh gam humbitna dinga galdou a dik kei hi. Thagum leh thau zanga galdouna tuh Jesu sinsakna (love ethic) toh akituak kei a diklou ahi (morally wrong) achi uhi.[3] Thagum suahna himhim leh vanzat tungtawn a panpihna leh kizopna himhim apom theikei bikbek uhi.[4] Lai Siangthou a, “Tual na that ding uh ahikei” (Exod 20:13); Tangtung a Jesu sinsakna: “Na biang taklam bengte tuh a lehlam leng doh zaw un” (Matt 5:39); “Na melmate uh it unla, hon sawite thumsak un” (Matt 5:44);  Jesu thupiak, “Nangmah na ki-it bang in na inn vengte leng na it ding ahi” (Matt 22:39); Sawltak Paul sinsakna gilou leng gilou in thuk kei un (Rom 12:17-21); leh Peter in thagum suahlou ding a hanthawnna―Khros tunga Jesu Khrist thuakna etsakna anei ding (I Pet 2:18-24) chihte apansan uhi. Huan, gingtu in thagum a gal a dou tuh Pathian muanzohlouhna achi uhi. Galdouna sang in International law a kingak zok ding ahi. Thagum zatna in gal abeisak kei dinga a uangsak zaw ding, huaiziakin, gal otna beisakna dinga kihellouh ding ahi. Khristian diktak pacifism gindan pomte’n gal ahihbeina ding pan la in a dal achi uhi.[5] Justin Martyr, Origen,[6] St. Hippolytus, Lactantius, John Howard Yoder, Ronald Sider, The Waldenses, Anabaptist (Swiss Brethren and the Mennonites), The Quaker movement, Mahatma Gandhi (Hindu)[7] te’n Pacifism gindan apom uhi. Khristian tampite’n pacifism gindan pom mahle uh hiai sinsakna tuh Lai Siangthou sinsakna pumpi et in a kituaklah deuh om a Bible tang khenkhat let (interpret) diklou in, gingtu mimal leh vantang mohpuakna, banah gamsung vaihawmte leh mimal mohpuakna kikal chiangtak in a taklang zoukei hi.

 

3.      Just War Theory

Just war theory gindan zui pawlte’n gal khenkhat lemna leh muanna banah thudik a vaihawmna (justice) omtheihna ding in Khristiante’n galdou thei achi uhi. Gal kichi hoihkei mahleh apoimoh hun om a, huan kidouna khenkhat dik a siamtantheih mahleh, kidouna tengteng dik vek kei a siamtan vektheih ahikei hi (morally justifiable). Pathian in thuneihna apiak Government makaihna nuai a galdou ding, mimal ahihlouh ding ahi achi uhi. Hiai gindan ahihleh Khristian tamzawte pomdan ahi (Including Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant).[8]

 

St. Augustine (354-430 AD) in Just war theory sinsakna hon pan hi. Khristiante galdouna a tel/kihel siamtanhuai leh siamtanhuailou ahihdan theihkhenna ding tehna (criteria) abawl hi.[9] Augustine in lemna leh muanna tundingna ding ahihleh thagum a Khristiante’n gal a dou dik achi hi.[10] Huan, Thomas Aquinas in leng just war criteria ana gelh hi―(i) Dan toh kituak a thuneihna neitu in gal apuan ding mimal ahihlouh ding. (ii) Galdouna ziaka om ding, ei hon doute douthuk ding, aphu ziak in. (iii) Galdouna in tup-le-ngim kichiantak aneih ding-gilou hihbei leh thil hoih atup ding.[11] Luther ngei inleng, “Kidouna lou in lemna a omthei kei a, kidouna in dikloutaka vaihawmna beisak kia hilou in lemna ahihkip”[12] achi hi.

 

Tulai a Just War Criteria poimoh khenkhatte:

(i)     Just cause: Kidouna tuh gam leh nam venbitna ahih ding.

(ii)  Right Intention: Thudik a vaihawmna leh diktatna kepbitna, lemna leh muanna omtheihna ding; kuahiam metna ding, gou sum-le-pai etlahna, ideology leh nam/gam khat tunga lalna ding ahihlouh ding.

(iii)      Last Resort: Lemna leh muanna omna dinga panlakna tengteng a lohsap nunga gal pat ding (cf. Matt 5:9; Rom 12:18).

(iv) Noncombatant Immunity: Gal doulou sepaih doctor, nurse, chaplain, jail tangte, liam leh baite, leh civil mite tup ahihlouh ding (cf. Deut 20:13-14, 19-20).

(v)   Limited Objectives: Lemna leh muanna a omtheih chianga kidouna kholsak ding.

(vi) Avoidance of evil means: Gal bei chianga galte hehpihna, atung ua thudik a vaihawmna, leh gal mat a omte dan toh kituaka thudik a etkai ding (cf. Sam 34:14).

(vii)    Good faith: Lemna leh muanna tunding a kituaktak a tenkhawmna ding lunggulhna diktak a om ding (cf. Matt 5:43-44; Rom 12:18).

 

Kidouna khenkhat just war ahi chih chiang mahleh tampite theihkhak a haksa hi. Phetlou in, hiai kidouna just war or hilou chih thutanna bawl ding buaihuai mahmah asuak hi. Just war theory zui pawlte’n Lai Siangthou a kithahna siamtansakna munte apansan uhi. Exodus 22:2, “Guta inn luh kimu in, kivua in sita leh, a vopa pen sisan suah chia mohsaktheih ahikei ding.” Genesis 9:6, “Mi sisan suahmi kuapeuh, huai mi mah in ama sisan asuah ding…” Huan, Pathian in Abraham kianga Shinar kumpite a dou siamtan kia hilou in mohna neiloute (innocent) a hutkhiak ziak in avualzawl hi (Gen 14). Mohna neiloute vengbitlouhna tuh thil dik ahikei hi. I Samuel 15 ah, Pathian in Samuel tungtawn in Saul kiang ah Amalekte dou a thatvek ding in thu apia hi. Himahleh, Sawl thumanlouh ziak in Samuel tungtawn in taihilh a a kumpipa hihna anial hi (v. 23). Just war theory zui pawlte’n Rom 13:4 pansan in government nasemte tuh “Hoihna dinga Pathian nna semmi” chi in ngai ua, Khristiante’n gilou a dou uh Pathian nasem ahihna uh ahi achi uhi. Huan, Nasepte 5:29, “Mihing thu sang in Pathian’ thu i man a kiphamoh zaw hi,” pansan in just war ahihleh Pathian thu manna a gingtute’n galdou thei, banah criteria kipete atun leh galdou thei, atun keileh doulou ding. Gal pen just war or ahihlouh kal theihchian haksa omleh Pathian’ pilna zon ding ahi[13] achi uhi.

 

Pacifism-te’n Lai Siangthou a “kithahna” leh “galte itna” apansante uh hilhchetna:

(i)     Kithahna/hinna lak tengteng tualthahna ahi diam?

Pacifism-te pansan, “Tual na thah ding uh ahikei” [You shall not murder (Exod 20:13)], hiai tang a thumal poimoh “tualthat” ahi. Hebrew thumal תִּרְצָֽ֖ח (tre-sah) “Tualthat” (murder) kizanga akhiakna tuh “gelkhol leh tupmawng a huatna toh kithahna” ahi. Huaiziakin, Pathian in hiai banga tualthatna hua/deihlou in akham hi. Himahleh, “kithahna” himhim kham chihna ahikei hi. “Tualthat” leh “kithah” thumal akibang kei a theihkhelhlouh ding ahi. Etsakna in, migilou capital punishment piak tuh hinna lakna/kithahna ahi a, ahihziakin, tualthahna ahikei hi. Tualthahna tengteng ah kithahna/hinna lakna tel a, himahleh, hinna/kithahna tengteng tualthahna ahikei hi. Huaibang in mahni kihumbitna dinga hinna lakna leh kithahna tuh tualthahna ahikei hi (cf. Exod 21:12; 22:2). Vaihawmtu gilou dou a kithahna tuh tualthahna ahikei hi (Gen 14; Exod 21:15; 22:19; Lev 20:11). Huaiziakin, Pathian in tualthahna kham a, himahleh kithah/hinna lakna tengteng akham kei hi.[14]

 

(ii)  Jesu’ sinsakna: “Na inn vengte leng it ding” “Na melmate uh it unla, hon sawite thumsak un” chihte’n galdou lou himhim ding achihna ahi diam?

Pacifist-te Lai Siangthou pansante dik in langpah mahleh hilhchetna apoimoh hi. Jesu thupiak, “Nangmah na ki-it bang in na inn vengte leng na it ding ahi” (Matt 22:39) apan dotna om thei khat tuh i inn veng (melmate) i it taktak leh hon that ding ua hong dou a hong kuan lai nangawn a amaute venbitna piak ding ahi diam? Pacifist-te’n bang chibang in na inn vengte or na galte it a kidouna a that di na hia? achi ding uhi. Lai Siangthou in a nihtuak in agen hi: “Na inn vengte uh it un” leh “Galdou un.” Anih tuak a gen ahihman in khat nelhsiah a khat zat ding ahikei hi. Gentehna in, David in a sepaihte atapa gilou Absalom dou ding in asawl hi (2 Sam 18). David in atapa itlou chihna ahikei hi. Himahleh, amah hinna leh a kumpi hihna humbitna ding leh Pathian nagot sukpichin theihna dinga atapa hinna lak apoimoh hi. Huaiziakin, inn vengte it ding, mahni kivenbit ding, huai dinga thagum zatna leng apoimoh zil in ahuamtel hi. Inn vengte itna in hon doutute leh mahni apan hihnatna beisakna kia hilou in kidouna beisakna a huamtel hi.[15] Thagum zatna in kidouna uangsak bangmahleh beisakthei a, i it i melmate tampi a sihma un a kham kholthei hi.

 

“Na melmate uh it unla, hon sawite thumsak un” (Matt 5:44).

Khatna, “Na melmate it un” kichi in i melmate hehpihna leh lainatna lungsim (emotional feelings of affection) nei a amaute gilou gamtat nang/dal lou a zalentaka gamtasak ding chihna ahikei hi. Melmate itna tuh hehpihna leh lainatna toh a kisaikha kei a, himahleh, Pathian’ thu manna ahi zaw hi. Melmate itna ahihleh Pathian dan/thu zahtaka zuihna ahi.[16] Paul in, “Itna tuh dan zuihkimna ahi” (Rom 13:10) achi hi. Pathian’ dan zuihna tuh inn vengte, lawmte, leh melmate itna ahi. Pathian’ dan in mahni kihumbitna dinga galdou leh galdouna siang (just war) a khamkei hi. Himahleh, Lai Siangthou in kidouna tup-le-ngim ding dan―thudik a vaihawmna, tualthatte-puangsualtu-mipimangtute khailupna leh lemna leh muanna tungdingna ding, abawl hi. Nihna, “hon sawite thumsak un” kichi in melmate hotdamna ding, a lungtang uh kikhek a Khrist a theihna ding, lungput hoih leh nasep hoih aneihna ding, leh agilou nasepgah a muhna ding ua thumsakna ahi. Sam gelhtu in Pathian in agalte tunga phuba alakna ding in a thumsak hi (Sam 35; 55:15). Hiai banga galte a dia thumna tuh Lai Siangthou toh kituak hi.

 

(iii)            Biang langkhat hon bet uhleh alangkhat doh ding, Or Gilou, gilou/force a thuk ding mah ahi diam?

Matthai 5:39, “Na biang taklam bengte tuh a lehlam leng doh zaw un” tuh Pacifist-te pansante lak a khat ahi. Hiai a thumal “beng” (slap) Greek a rhapizō akhiakna―”simmoh bawltaka kuahiam in na biang a bet leh phuba la or thukik ken” chihna ahi. A context et in Jesu’n kithahna sanga thangpaihna/hihhehna gen zaw a simmohtaka kuahiam in na biang ahon bet leh phuba la ken achihna ahi. Kidouna a thagum suah a kithahna agen kha kei hi. Jesu gen ahibangbang a i lakleh Matt 5:29-30 a khut leh mit khelkhiak a satkhiak a taktak a lak ngai ding hi. Jesu ngei leng Juda heutu khat in abet in (John 18:22), hichiin atai hi: “Thu hoihlou gen ka hihleh, ahoihlou theihpih inla, ka gen ahoihleh bang ziaka kei hon beng na hi hiam?” (v. 23) achi hi. Jesu’n a biang langkhat a doh kei. Huaiziakin, a thu zil a gamtat ding ahi.

 

(iv) Kidouna ah gingtute kihel tuh Pathian muanna taksap ziak ahi

Pathian in thuneihna government pia in gilou douna nna a semsak hi. Gilou douna ah government kithuahpih a Pathian vanzat ahi chih gingta a muanna koih tuh a tup-le-ngim ahi (Rom 13). Pathian muanna toh galte douna a vualzou ding ka hi chih ginna tuh a thumanna ahi a, amah muanlouhna ahikei hi.[17] Pathian muanna toh galdou ding ahi zaw hi. A deihdan a nasem chih theihsiamna in hangsanna hon pia in galte tunga vualzou ding i hihdan lungmuanna hon pia hi.

 

Thagum leh Galvan zanga Meiteite Douna

Meitei gal i dou ua, thagum leh galvan zang in doutheih dandan a dou in i kivengbit uhi. I theihsa bang un Meitei gal tuh amau hon luh ei kivengbit (defensive) i hi uhi. I galdou ahihleh ei hinna leh i gam venbitna ahipen hi. I melmate van guk (*agu om), dikloutak a that (tualthat), tatsia, sualluih in i om kei ua, zuau a dikloutak in i ngoh kei uhi. Pathian hing bete i hihman un Amah zahtakna ziak in i hihhoih mahmah uhi. Meiteite’n ahihleh gilou leh tatsetak in hon that ua, hon sualluih ua, i vante uh hon guksak ua, i inn leh i biakbukte uh hon halsak ua, zuau chiteng in hon ngoh uhi. Huaiziakin, i hinna leh i gam venbit ngai ahihman in Khristian himah lehang thagum leh galvan zanga i kihumbit apoimoh hi. Pacifism pawlte gindan banga melmate itna lakkhia a douthuk lou or mun bitzaw a kihemkhia hilehang Meiteite’n hon thatchimit in awlsamtak in i gam hon laksak ding uhi. Activism leh Pacifism pawlte gindan ei context ah zattheihlouh (not applicable) asuak hi. Just war theory tuh Lai Siangthou a war ethics a sinsak toh kituak in ei context ah a zatheih hi. I galdou un just war criteria-te tunkha lua ahihman in galvan i zat siamtanhuai ahi.

 

Ei sanga nam lianzaw Meiteite’n galvan zang in gitlouhna lungsim toh civil mi nangawn khentuam lou in Zosuan nam himhim hon hihchimit sawm ahihman un galvan mah zanga i thouthukna hih i Lai Siangthou apan siamtantheihna muhtheih in om hi. Migilou in ahatlou dou a ahihnat leh huai migilou tuh thah ding ahi (Deut 22:25-27), huan, mi hatlou leh pabeite panpih a atung ua vaihawmna dik piak ding (Sam 82:3-4) achi hi. Nam neuzaw i hi ua i kivenbitna dia galvan i zat uh Pathian deihdan Lai Siangthou a hon sinsak hiding in agintakhuai hi. Jesu’n gutate, tualthahte, migiloute apan kivenbitna ding un a nungzuite mi 2 temsau toi ding aphalsak hi (Luke 22:36-38). Himahleh, thagum (force) zanga temsau toh khalam nasep―Pathian’ Lalgam tunding ding aphalkei hi (Matt 26:52). A tunga Lai Siangthoute apan in Meitei gal i douna ah thagum leh galvan zanga gingtute’n gal i dou siamtanhuai hi. I hinna, innkuan, vanneihte, leh i gam humbitna dinga thagum/galvan apoimoh hun a zatna kham ahikei hi. John Frame in, “Kuahiam in nang leh na innkuanpihte thah dinga hon zon ua, panpihtu na neih keileh, apoimoh leh thagum zanga na douthuk tuh na dikna (right) ahi”[18] achi hi. Huan, thau neitheite chiang tuh khalam leh salam a piching kia hilou a thau khoihdan zousa ahih ding ahi. Thagum leh galvan zang mahlehang Pathian i muanpen ahi veve hi. Ei gingtute a di’n galvan zanga Meitei i dou tuh i ginna toh kisai in buaina a omkei, himahleh, Meitei galdouna ah Khrist a pumkhatte pankhawm theihlouhna tuh abuaihuai pen ahi zaw hi.

 

Geltu,

Mr. Kapsuanmung

youngreformed@2023

 

 

Further Reading:

Book

Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica, n.p.

Davis, John Jefferson. Evangelical Ethics: Issues facing the church today. Phillipsburg, NJ:         P&R Pub., 2015.

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of the Christian Life. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 2008.

Geisler, Normal L. Christian Ethics, 2^nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.

Grudem, Wayne. Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning. Illinois,             Wheaton: 2018.

Paolucci, Henry ed. The Political Writing of St. Augustine. South Bend: Henry Regnery, 1962.

Rae, Scott B. Introducing Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016.

 

Website

“What does the Bible say about war?” https://www.gotquestions.org/war-Bible.html

Joe Boot, “Love your Enemies” https://www.ezrainstitute.com/resource-library/articles/love-your-enemies/

John Salvatore, “What is the Christian perspective on war?” https://christiananswers.net/q-faith/fc-warperspectives.html

Matt Perman, “Did Jesus Teach Pacifism?” https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/did-jesus-teach-pacifism

 

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[1] Normal L. Geisler, Christian Ethics, 2^nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010), 220.

[2] Geisler, Christian Ethics, 220-229.

[3] Wayne Grudem, Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Illinois, Wheaton: 2018), 436.

[4] Scott B. Rae, Introducing Christian Ethics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 121.

[5] Grudem, Christian Ethics, 436.

[6] John M. Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 2008), 950-51.

[7] John Jefferson Davis, Evangelical Ethics: Issues facing the church today (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Pub., 2015), 299.

[8] Davis, Evangelical Ethics, 303.

[9] Henry Paolucci, ed., The Political Writing of St. Augustine (South Bend: Henry Regnery, 1962),162-83.

[10] Davis, Evangelical Ethics, 304.

[11] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (n.p.), 1472.

[12] Davis, Evangelical Ethics, 304.

[13] Grudem, Christian Ethics, 436.

[14] “What does the Bible say about war?” https://www.gotquestions.org/war-Bible.html

[15] Grudem, Christian Ethics, 456.

[16] Joe Boot, “Love your Enemies” https://www.ezrainstitute.com/resource-library/articles/love-your-enemies/

[17] Grudem, Christian Ethics, 437.

[18] Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life, 930.