The Catholic Priest in Mali Who's the Son of an Imam

La Croix ^ | 2/7/20 | Lucie Sarr

[marshmallow]

Father Amadou Kizito Togo, a specialist in Church History, recounts his journey of faith

He's a priest and the son of an imam. He was enticed by Christianity, thanks to a booklet a Protestant minister gave him.

Meet 53-year-old Father Amadou Kizito Togo. He's a living symbol of interreligious dialogue.

And that's a good thing. Because the Cathedral of Mopti in the center of Mali, where he's parish priest, is a region where Islamic jihadists continuously stir up religious and inter-community tensions.

The tensions have been recurring in the Dogon country -- as the central plateau region of Mali is known -- since 2010. The conflict is between the Dogon, who are traditional farmers and hunters, and the Fulani, who are semi-nomadic herders of the Sahel.

It reached its climax in 2019 with two very bloody attacks.

On March 23, unknown men gunmen on motorcycles and dressed in traditional Dogon hunting attire attacked a predominantly Muslim village, killing 160 people.

On the night of June 9, unidentified armed individuals then attacked a predominantly Catholic village in the same region. They killed 35 people, 24 of whom were children.

Religion exploited

"Religion has been exploited a lot in recent years," says Father Togo, who is from a Dogon family. "During my childhood, the Dogons and the Fulani lived in good relations, they were complementary," he adds.

"In my father's fields, there lived a Fulani. My father brought water to his animals and they gave him fertilizer for his crops," the priest continues.

But he acknowledges that the situation is tense at the moment.

"Last Saturday [January 25], one of my catechists called to tell me that the jihadists burned down the bars next to the church and threatened to come back and burn down the religious house. I told him to leave.......

[Cronos]

What a truly brave man.

[mosesdapoet]

I truly feel that It is interesting the way socialists approach theological concepts for when it comes to Islam they are not the only ones who refuse to approach the issue. That even includes leading Christian clergy including Pope Francis.

Followers of Mohamed not only claim, but truly believe that God has authorized them to kill those who refuse to submit to their version of Gods will.

That is a basic tenet of that religion. A claim which goes unchallenged which makes it a theocratic creed advocating a form of government that is to replace the existing one.

While it is understandable for atheists which most socialists are, not to approach that claim on a theological basis. But believing by bombing and killing those who believe in it will end its practice,which will not. Islam as construed with its portrayal of a merciless evil deity approving using deception and deceit is an abomination. Which must be discredited and condemned. When done, can and will lead to conversion.