Emhlabeni wonke, abantu abangaba izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili bagubha uKhisimusi njalo ngo-December 25, kanti abanye abangaba izigidi ezingu-200 bagubha usuku lokuzalwa lukaJesu Kristu ngo-January 7. Noma kunjalo, kunezinye izigidi zabantu ezikhetha ukungawugubhi nhlobo uKhisimusi. Kungani?

Esinye isizathu kungaba ukuthi basenkolweni engeyona eyobuKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, mhlawumbe bangamaJuda, amaHindu noma amaShinto. Abanye, njengalabo abathi uNkulunkulu akekho, abathi akaziwa, abakholelwa kulokho abakuthandayo noma abaphika izimfundiso zenkolo, babheka uKhisimusi njengenganekwane.

Nokho, kuyamangalisa ukuthi kunabantu abaningi abakholelwayo kuJesu kodwa abangawugubhi uKhisimusi. Kungani? Babeka okungenani izizathu ezine.

Esokuqala, bakholelwa ukuthi uJesu akazalwanga ngo-December noma ngo-January. IBhayibheli alilusho ngokuqondile usuku uJesu azalwa ngalo. Limane nje lithi: “Kulo lelo zwe futhi kwakukhona abelusi behlala ngaphandle belinda imihlambi yabo ebusuku. Ngokushesha ingelosi kaJehova yema ngakubo, . .  yathi kubo: ‘. . . Namuhla nizalelwe uMsindisi, onguKristu iNkosi.’”—Luka 2:8-11.

Amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi uJesu wazalwa cishe ekuqaleni kuka-October lapho abelusi nemihlambi yabo behlala ngaphandle ebusuku. Emaphandleni aseBhetlehema kubanda kakhulu ngo-December nango-January. Ngakho, ukuze bagcine imihlambi yabo ifudumele ebusuku abelusi babeyivalela ezindaweni ezivikelekile.

Isizathu sesibili: Ukuphela kwesenzakalo uJesu ayala abalandeli bakhe ngokuqondile ukuba basigcine esokufa kwakhe, hhayi ukuzalwa kwakhe, futhi lokho kwakufanele kwenziwe kube isidlo esingenamicikilisho. (Luka 22:19, 20) Phawula nokuthi iVangeli likaMarku nelikaJohane awasho lutho ngokuzalwa kukaJesu.

Isizathu sesithathu: Abukho ubufakazi obungokomlando obubonisa ukuthi amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala agubha usuku lokuzalwa kukaKristu. Kodwa akukhumbula ukufa kwakhe. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Kwaze kwaba ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kuka-300 uJesu azalwa lapho eLobukholwa laqala khona ukugubha uKhisimusi ngo-December 25. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi phakathi nekhulu le-17, iphalamende laseNgilandi lamisa umthetho owenqabela ukugujwa kukaKhisimusi. E-United States, iNkantolo YaseMassachusetts yenza okufanayo. Kungani? Incwadi ethi The Battle for Christmas, ithi: “Asikho isizathu esiseBhayibhelini noma esisemlandweni esenza sithi uJesu wazalwa ngo-December 25.” Iyanezela: “Ama-Puritan athi uKhisimusi uwumkhosi wamaqaba abaningi abazama ukuwuguqulela emkhosini wamaKristu.”

Lokhu kusiletha esizathwini sesine: Umsuka omubi walo mkhosi. UKhisimusi waqala emuva lé eRoma yamaqaba nengxube yawo yemikhosi yokuhlonipha unkulunkulu wezolimo uSaturn nonkulunkulu welanga uSol Invictus noma uMithra. Izazi zemvelaphi nenhlalo yabantu, uChristian Rätsch noClaudia Müller-Ebeling, ababhali bencwadi ethi Pagan Christmas, zabhala: “Njengamasiko nezinkolelo eziningi zangaphambi kobuKristu, amadili akudala okugubha ukubuya kwelanga kwaminyaka yonke aguqulelwa ekubeni awokuzalwa kukaKristu.”

Ngokwalokho osekushiwo ngenhla, uyabona yini ukuthi kungani amaKristu eqiniso engawugubhi uKhisimusi?