BALANCING

BALANCING

I

Khatvei, legislator ding kiteelna ah, legislator a sem laitak mi nih cinna bial (constituency) ah amau party in guallel hi. Tuate cinlohna hang a gen uh ciang – khat in amah a kiteelcinna bial veh lo lua ahih manin amah a deihsak a party mite thalawpsak zo nawn lo, amau party adingin hanciam taktak zo nawn lo, kiteel leh kiteel kikal sungin a mite kep ding ngaihsun lo ahih manin ama taang a kuanglui (candidate) pen cing zo lo kici hi. A dang khat leuleu in a bial veh/phak nawh lua-in, ama bial sunga block leh unit makai kiteelna leh sep ding khatpeuh ah uang takin, deihsak tuam a neihte nakpi takin huhin, a deihsakloh lamte (amah a teelcingte ahi zongin) thupingaihsut vet lo ahih manin, amau sungah buaina uang semsem a, kiteel kik ciangin guallel hi. ‘Balancing’ om lo, a veh zo mahmah in lah [ama deihsakte ading bekin] na, sep cih takin sem; a sem lo leh a veh lozaw in lah uang lua liang ahih manin amau party in siatpih veve… kici hi!

 

II

Khristian nuntakna sungah zong ‘balancing’ pen a kisam/poimawh mahmah ahi hi. ‘Balancing’ i cih ciangin thudik leh zuau gawmkhawm ding cihna hi lo hi. Na khat bek, ei’ hoihsak, diksak, thupi i sak bek tawh kalsuan pen na dik khin khol lo thei a, zong hoih khin khol lo thei hi. Ei’ theihna bek pen hi sa lua, dik sa lua, a dang thudik leh thumaan om thei lo zah ding a ngaihsutna ‘extreme’ tak neih theih a, tua hangin, ei mahmah in thanemna leh, mite i hawmthawhna hangin i Khristian nuntakna ah mai kinawt thei loin, ki-opcip thei hi. Tua banah, midangte in zong (thudik hang hi loin, eimah dik i kisak luat manin) hong mukhial thei zawsop uh hi. Pasian thu i sanzia mahmah zong, Lai Siangtho mun khat bek hiam en ziau a, tua tawh nakpi taka kalsuan, tua bek zuih ding a kicing dana ‘extreme’ taka i ngaihsut leh khialh theihna tampi om hi.

III

Khatvei, mi pawlkhat in khualai ah thungetkhopna nei uh a, social media ah hong kisuaksak hi. Mi pawlkhat in tua bang mihon a thungetkhopna pen, “Farisi mite tawh kibang, midang muh ding deih a ki-khristiansak hi… amau bekin a ut uh leh koikoi hiamah ngen lel le uh…” ciin comment uh hi.

Thungetna leh lungdamkohna tawh kisai, Pa kiangah, Tapa Jesu Khris min suanga nget ding hi a (Joh 15:16; 14:13, 14; 16:23; Efe 5:20), Kha in hong huhin, kammal a i lawhkhiat theihloh nate eite adingin hong thuumsak hi (Rom 8:26, 27), tua pen thudik omsa ahi hi. Tua lam koih hoih phot le hang, Jesu in, ‘mi nih kithukim-a a nget peuhpeuh uh vana om a ‘Pa’ in pia ding ahihna leh, Ama min a nih leh thum a kikhop leh tua munah om ahihna thu’ gen a (Mat 18:19, 20), hih Lai Siangtho mun pansanin, thunget ciangin mi nih sese hiam, mi nih le thum hiam om teitei kisam, ci a ‘extreme’ taka i ngaihsut leh dik lo ding hi. Jesu mah in, “…na inndei sung uah pai unla, kong khakin a kimu thei lo na Pa uh kiangah na ngen un…” (Mat. 6:6) ci hi. Ahih leh, thungetna pen inndei sungah ei bek a nget ding cihna maw? Hi tuan lo e, inndei sunga ei bek a nget a hoih a sa pa-in, a hon a nget a, kilungtuak taka nget ding zong deihna a, lungsim takpi tawh nget ding thupi hi. Tua hi a, a mun tawh kisai Jesu genna mun khat bek i ‘focus’ leh mi kimawhsak thei a, a dik lo pen eimah kihi thei ding hi.

Tua banah, “Na Pa un na nget ma un na kisapnate uh thei” (6:8) cih khawng, ‘Kha in eite adingin hong thuumsak’ (Rom 8:26, 27) cih Lai Siangtho ah a om manin, thu ngetloh ding cihna zong hi tuan lo hi. “Ngen un, na ngah ding uh hi” ci a Jesu in a gen bangin, upna/muanna tak tawh nget ding hizaw a, khatvei leh ei guakin, khatvei leh a honin ngenin, tua banah, i kisap, ngetzia ding zong i theihloh nangawn Kha in Pa kiangah hong thuumsakin, a kingah hizaw hi.

IV

Khristianna pen kilemna maw kilemlohna? Khris a nei mite mi khempeuh tawh kilem dingin i lamen hi. Lai Siangtho mahmah in zong ‘khat le khat ki-it ding’ thu khawng nakpi takin gen a, a lang lamah Jesu in ‘kilemna puak ding a hong pai hi loin, namsau a khah ding a hong pai ka hi hi’ ci hi (Mat 10:34). Jesu hangin leitung mi khempeuh kilem ding maw ahih kei leh kilemlo khin ding… A kilem a om laitakin, Jesu hanga kilem lo om ding hi, cih pen i theih kisam hi.

Pasian nungzuihna pen hauhna maw gentheihna, nopsakna maw thuakna, gilkialna maw gilvahna, supna maw meetna…? Khat bek ‘focus’ a ‘hauhna hi’ ahih kei leh, ‘Jesu zuih pen gentheihna thuakna hi’ ahih kei leh, ‘nopsakna/supna’ bek hi, ci a i ngaihsut leh kikhial ding hi. Jesu nungzui, Pasian mite pen mi tuamtuam, siamna tuamtuam nei, Pasian in zong sep ding tuamtuam nei-a a bawl ahi hi. Haksatna tampi thuak a sihna, Stephen banga thuak om ding a, Abraham banga Pasian in thupha tawh a phungvuh om ding a, Paul banga pilna siamna tungtawna Pasian in zat mahmah zong om ding a, Philemon banga mi hau zong om ding hi. Bang bang ahi zongin, hauhna, zawnna, vahna, kialna i nei phial zongin, leitung pen a nuam bekbek, a haksa bekbek hi khin lo a, Pasian tawh kizopna tungtawnin Ama sungah tua mun panin lungnopna kingah thei hizaw hi. Tua hi a, zawnna leh hauhna, sum le pai hauhna leh hauhlohna pen Pasian ta hihna aa tehna dingin zat ding hi lo a, a hau a zawng, a pil a siam zong Pasian ta hi thei veve hi.

Cidamna hoih nei thei mahmah lo pawlkhat in Pasian um mahmah thei a, cidam mahmah khat in Pasian phawk kha lo thei hi. Pasian a um taktak mite in cidamna hoih tak ngah ding kici thei khin lo a, natna tungtawnin Pasian thupi a kilatna ding a mizat, Job bang om a, Jesu in cina tampi damsak hi. Damlohna khatpeuh tuak ciangin Pasian uploh mana cina hi pah lo thei a, a thahat khempeuh Pasian a up/muan zawhna uh hang a thahat hi khin tuan lo hi. Khristianna, Pasian-mina pen cidam leh damloh pana teh ding hi lo hi.

Pasian in pawlpi sungah a mite khalam letsongte (spiritual gifts) hong pia ciat a (Rom 12; 1 Cor 12; Efe 4; 1 Pet 4), tuate pen hoih taka Khris pumpi ahi, pawlpi khantohna ding, mainawtna dinga zang dingin hong deihzaw hi. Pumpi hiang tuamtuam tawh hong genteh a, i kisapna om ciat, a kibang lo, sep theih kibang lo ahihna tawh gencian hi. Khalam letsongte pen khat bek i ‘focus’ a, ei aa bek dik i sak leh dik lo hi! Thugen theihna letsong a ngahte in hoih tak a Pasian thu a gen pen a Kha-mina leh Pasian lungdamna hi a, ahi zongin tua bek pen Pasian lungdamna a sakloh ding ahi hi. Lai hilhna, hansuah theihna, midang kitasamte huh theihna, makaihna, lainatna lahtheihna, na lamdang bawl theihna, kamsanna leh adngte. a neite in zong amau sep ding theih pen kician tak leh hoih takin sem ding a, tua amau nasep bek pen Pasian nasepna omsun hi, ci lo ding hi. ‘Balancing’ takin, ei sep theih kician taka theiin, khalam letsong tungtawna mi sep theihte zong Pasian nasepna maan taktak mah ahi, cih phawk ding kisam hi.

Israel mite in a pahtak luatloh uh makai hoih Moses bang om a, a zuih diamdiam uh Joshua bang zong om hi. A mipihte in thah ding-a a zon niloh uh Nungzuipite leh Sawltak Paul bang om a, a mipihte mahmah in suang tawh a denlup Kha tawh a kidim Stephen bang zong om hi. Baal siampi 450 thakhat a thah theihna dingin vangliatna Pasian in Elijah tungah a piak hangin, kumpinu Jezebel lau-in gamlapi ah kibu a, hangsan takin a thuak ding thei kawma Jerusalem lam a zuan Peter bang zong na om hi. Pahtawina ngah maw ngah lo, gensiatna thuak maw thuak lo, cih lamah Pasian-mina kinga lo a, Pasian mi mahmah, pahtawina ngah a om laiin, gensiatna leh thahna ciang a thuak om thei, cih i gennop ahi hi.

V

Mimal nuntakna sungah, Pasian thu leh leitung thu i cih bang ciang? Na khatpeuh ei hoihsakloh leh thukimlohte siat gen a, ei hoihsak leh lungkimna bek pen Pasian thu dana tuat kha zel i hi kha hiam? Lai Siangtho sunga thu a tamzaw tham pen Pasian gam i manawhna lampi, hih leitung a zat ding ahih laitakin, hih leitung a Pasian deihna banga nuntak ding, Jesu hong thuhilhna leh Lai Siangtho sung a Pasian mite gamtatzia ding a gente ngaihsun meel lo a, ‘kikhamisak luatna’ hang a leitung thu leh Pasian thu, ngaihsun hoih meel lo a thukhen ziauziau i hi kha hiam?

Innkuan, pawlpi, minam sungah kalsuandan, ngaihsutzia kibang lo, ei thu bek ‘extreme’ taka kalsuanpih sawmna hang leh, ei hoihsak bek a dikpen hi a theihna hangin buaina tampi piang hi.

VI

Zomite’ khristianna sungah, khatveivei ‘extreme’ lua kha pahpah hi hang. ‘Balancing’ lam ngaihsun lo, ei hoihsak, diksak, kilawm i sak khatpeuh mi khempeuh in hoih a sa ding, Lai Siangtho tawh a kituakpen dana ngaihsun pahpah, mite in lah hoih sa kim lo, Lai Siangtho tawh lah kituak kim sam lo ahih mana ei le ei kithanemsak, mite hawmthawhna tawh mainawt thei lo… Pasian deihna, Kha Siangtho nasep, Jesu hong vaikhak cihte, kawciik taka ngaihsun a, tua ngaihsutna bek thupisakna hangin eimah mahmah phun, nuak, pawl tai pahpah! Mite ngaihsutna khempeuh hoih khin cihna hi loin, a kiim a pam, mite ngaihsutzia zong thupi veve, i uang luat mana paikhialhna tampi om thei a, zong om khin ahih manin, na khatpeuh i sep ciang a kiim a pam ngaihsunin, Lai Siangtho i sim ciangin zong a kiim le pam banah, mun dangah bang thu kigelh cih pen ngaihsut ding ahi hi.

‘Balancing’ a om kei leh, a mai lama legislator i gente mah bangin, i ‘extreme’ luatna hangin siatna om ding hi. I sep tam naak leh a siatna lianin, i sep het kei leh zong a gah hoih tuan lo ding hi. Tua ahih manin, kitheihsiamna, khat le khat kithupingaihsutna, i theihna pen a kicingpen hi tuan lo cih kitheihna pana midangte ngaihsutna zong a thupi tampi om ahihna leh ki-itna tawh hanciam a, kal i suan siam ding i kideihsak hi.

~ T. Sawm Lian || daihna_cabin 

26|01|2019 [edited on 16|03|19]

 

FROM THE EAST…

FROM THE EAST…

I khankhiatna mun, i tenkhoppih mite kalsuanzia, pau le ham leh thupingaihsut kibatlohna hangin minam khat hi napi, muhdan, sandan, ngaihsutdan, pomdan leh deihdan kibatlohna om thei hi. Zomite zong tua bang huih nung diik leh phukha dingin, leitung kiuli a gam bangzah hiamah kithezaakin, i teenna mun, i lamkiatna leh innkuanpih bangzah hiam lutang phumna nusia-in, suahlam panin a khangtozaw (hi a i ngaihsut), tumlam gamte ah, nek le dawn baihzawk ding, sum le pai zeek cingzaw deuh muh ding lametna tawh kipai khengkhang hi.

Tua gam khangtozaw ci-a kingaihsun, sum le pai kicinzawkna, nek le dawn, silh le teen muh baih zawk ding lametna mun, ‘i lunggulh gam’ tunna pen, Zomite adingin thupha hi maw hi lo, tua ‘i lunggulh gam’ tunna hang a supna leh meetna bang om! Kum 30/40 hong pai lai leh i Zo-ngeina, i Zolai, i Zopau, i Zomi nam sung ki-itna pen bang ciang lian hi ding hiam? Kipi-kiteena, innsung-bangkua kizopna, sung le pu leh tanau ki-itna bang ciang hong hi ding?

January 2018 ciangciangah, leitung a gam 28 in, a gambup ahih kei leh gam sung a state pawlkhat-ah neih kibang kiteenna (same sex marriage) pen ‘ngeina/thukhun tawh kituaksak,’ ta uh hi. Tuate i et ciangin, a vekpi phial-un, milip (population) sehnih suah seh khat sanga tamzaw (more than 50%) pen Khristian hi mawk hi! Operation World[1] kici laibu in, Khristian omzah a gelhna leh tua gam 28te hih anuaia bang ahi hi – The Netherlands (46.55%), Belgium (62.72%), Canada (72.07%), Spain (77.13%), South Africa (75.24%), Norway (91.08%), Mexico (95.03%), Sweden (57.20%), Iceland (90.60%), Portugal (94.40%), Argentina (89.28%), Denmark (85.29%), Uruguay (64.69%), New Zealand (53.20%), France (61.14%), Brazil (91.40%), England–Wales–Scotland (as United Kingdom 59.66%), Luxembourg (81.63%), Finland (83.75%), Ireland (91.72%), Greenland (96.56%), United States (77.62%), Colombia (94.42%), Germany (64.25%), Malta (96.82%) leh Australia (69.50%).

A lang lamah, hih (neih kibang kiteenna) a khaam (prohibit) gam 70 val lakah a tamzaw pen gam khangto nai lo a kigen, Africa leh Asia (Middle East kihelin) a Muslim majority gamte ahi uh hi.

Pawlpi (church) sungah zong neih kibang kiteenna pen, pom bek tham loin, sia/siampi (priest/pastor) a zang pawlpi bang tam mahmah ta hi. Gentehna dingin, Presbyterian Church USA bangin tawhuk (homosexual man) khawng bang zong sia dingin saang-in, October 8, 2011 in tawhuk ahi Scott Anderson pen Covenant Presbyterian Church, Madison, Wisconsin ah siampiza ngahsak (ordained) uh hi. Hih thu hangin, Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod in Presbyterian Church USA tawh a kizopna uh beisak hi.[2] Tua hun ma-in, pawlpi tuamtuam, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 2010 panin; Metropolitan Community Church in kum 1968 pan; leh kum 1972 pan United Church of Christ in siampi (priest/clergy) dingin siampiza ngahsak (ordained) khin uh hi. Tua banah, gam khangto hi a kigen, Europe gam sunga pawlpi bangzah hiam in zong zang uh hi.[3]

Kiteenna leh kikhenna tawh kisaiin, Apoorva Dutt kici in Hindustan Times a January 4, 2015 a a gelhna tungtawnin, tuma kum sawm in India gam sungah nupa kikhen pen kop tul khat laka khat kiim bek (1/1000) hi a, tun (2015) in ahih leh kop tulkhat laka kop 13 kiim bang (13/1000) hi ta hi, ci a, phualpi leh khawk tuamtuam-ah kician taka ciamtehna om lo a, innkuan lam thukhenzum a uliante in khuapi tuamtuam ah kician takin survey kinei leh a zah nih/thum bangin tamzaw thei ding hi, ciin gen hi.[4]

Divorce Statistics website tungtawnin, USA gama nupa kikhen pen nupa kop za laka kop sawmnga (50%) bang tung zo hi, ciin phatuamngai kipawlnate in gen uh a, tua sang zong tamzaw thei ahihna thu kigelh hi. Tua banah, a kiteeng cil (first marriage) lakah 41% pan 50% bang kikhen kik uh a, nihvei kiteengte lakah 60% pan 67% kikhenkikin, thumvei zi/pasal a neite 73% pan 73% kikhen uh hi, ciin kigelh hi.[5]

Tua banah, Mary Plunkett in, UN’s Demographics and Social Statistics Division record tungtawn-a a pulakna ah, kikhenna tamna penpen gam leh kikhenzah pen: Belgium (71%), Portugal (68%), Hungary (67%), Czech Republic (66%), Spain (61%), Luxembourg (60%), Estonia (58%), Cuba (56%), France (55%), leh USA (53)[6] hi uh a, tua gamte a Khristian omzah en kik lehang: Belgium – 62.72%, Portugal – 94.40%, Hungary – 87.99%, Czech Republic – 25.92%, Spain – 77.13%, Luxembourg – 81.63%, Estonia – 45.30%, Cuba – 56.53%, France – 61.14%, and USA – 77.62%[7] ahi uh hi.

A mu leh a theite in a gen leh gelhna panin, hih ‘i lunggulh gam’ sunga teeng mite pen, Zomite kihawh, kikholh leh kithuah bang loin, amau guaka kalsuan, nasep leh mi dangte tawh kisawh kha lua lo a kalsuan, tua banga nuntak nuam a sa banah, tua ci bangin nungta uh a, picing khin sate bang nu leh pate tawh kithuah kha nawn loin, amau guaka vaikihawm banah, suakta takin hun zangin, kam kihilh theih zong hi nawn loin, suahtakna lianpi nei ta uh cih pen a kigen zelzel thu ahi hi. Ei, Zomite nuntakzia leh deihdan, u leh nau, zi le pasal, nu le pate leh tate kizopzia pen, tuhun a i teenna ‘i lunggulh gam’ a mite tawh hong kibang nawn lo hi, a ci pawl om hi.

Gam khangto, ‘i lunggulh gam,’ leh ‘gam thumna’ ci a, tua mun i tun ciang i lungdam mahmah laitakin, ngaihsut ding omin i thei hiam? Pau le ham, zia le tong, ngeina leh thupingaihsut kibang het lo mite tawh omin, teengkhawmin, nisimin kithuahta i hih manin mail amah bangci bangin kalsuan ding… Tua bek tham lo, pawlpi sungah Sia a nei tektek, Zogam sung i om lai Sia i deihdan leh lametdan, pawlpi kalsuanzia pen khekin, i teenna gam mite mah bangin neih kibang kiteenna pomin, Sia khawng-in zangin, amau nung mah zui leng hoih le hi, i cizaw hiam?

Kipi-kiteenna tawh kisai-in zong, a citak leh a kuhkal mahmah, kikhen pen a haksat ngaihsut mahmah Zomite in, a khangtozaw gam kici, i teenna mite mah bangin, lungkimlohna khatpeuh ahih kei leh thu bangbang hiam hang khawngin kikhen bang baihsakin, i omna, i teenkhoppihte mah bang bangin, amau nung mah zui ding i hi hiam? Tua banah, ‘nungak-siangthona’ (virginity) tawh kisai, ‘trail marriage’ leh ‘live-in’ tawh kisai bangci bang ngaihsutna i nei hiam?

Tua ahih manin, gam nuam, thupha ngah gam, nek le dawn, silh le teen, sum le paai muh baihna gam leh nuam i sakna gam hi a i ngaihsut gam sungah i teen laitakin, i Zo-ngeina, Zolai, Zopau, Pawlpi kalsuanzia, kipi-kiteenna lamah, i khuatang, u le nau kizopzia lamah bangci bangin kalsuan zel ding i hi hiam? I teenkhoppihte leh gam kalsuanzia bangin, ‘rights’ hoih tak leh suakta taka zatna tungtawna i ‘freedom’ pen, i teenkhoppihte mah bangin ‘exercise’ leh ‘enjoy’ in, Zomite ngeina leh a phual ngak Zomite tawh teenna a tuam dungzuiin, na khatpeuh muhzia, ngaihsutzia, kalsuanzia leh gamtatzia pen kikhen, kibang lo, kikelki ding i hi hiam?

Ei, suahlam gam a teeng, tua pana tumlam gam zuan a pai Zomi bangzah hiamte in neih kibang kiteenna tawh kisai ngaihsutzia tuam neih kisam i sa hiam? Tua bang mite, pawlpi/biakna sungah bangci bang dinmun ngahsak a, kipi-kiteen, nu le pa leh tate kizopzia, zi leh pasal kikal thu-ah (virginity, trial marriage, leh live-in kihelin), tu a i teenna gamte mah bangin, i omna mun a mite mah bangin ‘ki-adjust’ suk mai ding maw? Ahih kei leh Zomite in i neih ngeinate hoihsa-in, lenkipin, kalsuan pih ding… Lai Siangtho in bang hoihsazaw ding, koi pen Pasian’ lungkimna hizaw ding?

Deihtel thei ding dinmunah omin i kithei hiam? Deihteel thei i hih leh bang teelzaw ding i hi hiam? I deihtelna tungtawnin bang haksatna om ding, tuate phu zo dingin i hanciam zo diam? Sum muhna, nek le taak muh baihna, gam nuam, gam thupi-ah teeng ta i hih manin, a nasep, a ngaihsut leh a kalsuandan uh hici ding mah hi, hoihzaw, pilhuaizaw, Pasian deihdan leh Lai Siangtho tawh kituakzaw, ciin zuizui ding i hi hiam? Suahlam gam pana tumlam gam nuamzaw (hi a i theih) i zuatna, i phualsatna-ah bang deihteelna leh kalsuanzia zang ding i hi hiam?

~ T. Sawm Lian, 12062018

(for ZCF Norway)

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[1] Jason Mandryk, Operation World, Seventh Edition. (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, 2010).

[2] TNN, “Mizoram Presbyterian Church Snaps US Ties Over Gay Stand,” The Times of India, June 12, 2012, accessed June 5, 2018, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Mizoram-Presbyterian-church-snaps-US-ties-over-gay-stand/articleshow/14042660.cms.

[3] Kicianzaw a sim nuamte adingin… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_clergy_in_Christianity.

[4] Apoorva Dutt, “How and Why Number of Young Indian Couples Getting Divorced Has Risen Sharply,” Hindustantimes, January 4, 2015, accessed June 27, 2017, http://www.hindustantimes.com/sex-and-relationships/how-and-why-number-of-young-indian-couples-getting-divorced-has-risen-sharply/story-mEuaEoviW40d6slLZbGu6J.html.

[5] “Divorce Statistics and Divorce Rate in the USA,” Divorce Statistics, n.d., accessed June 27, 2017, http://www.divorcestatistics.info/divorce-statistics-and-divorce-rate-in-the-usa.html.

[6] Mary Plunkett, “World’s 10 Most Divorced Nations,” The Richest, June 1, 2014, accessed June 27, 2017, http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/world/worlds-10-most-divorced-nations/.

[7] Mandryk, Operation World.