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This time the 72-year-old leader targeted the concept of original sin in the Bible. During a speech at the opening of the 2018 Information and Communications Technology Summit in Davao City on Friday, Duterte recalled the Bible creation story of Adam and Eve and how they ate the forbidden fruit.
Adam ate it... then malice was born. Who is this stupid God? That son of a b*tch is stupid if that's the case," the outspoken leader said. "You created something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work."
Notorious for his controversial statements, the president continued, saying that babies shouldn't be responsible for original sin. "That was your mother and father's deed, you weren't born yet, but now you have original sin. What kind of religion is that? I can't accept it." Duterte, however, said he still believes in the existence of "a universal mind."
The latest rant is not the only one on the topic of religion. Earlier in June, Duterte went on a long tirade against Catholic priests for casting the government in a bad light, accusing them of hypocrisy. In 2015, while still mayor of Davao City, he even cursed Pope Francis over the traffic jams during his visit.
Apart from his attacks on religion, the Philippines leader has a rather large portfolio of insults aimed at world leaders and high-ranking officials. One of his greatest 'hits' remains calling former US President Barack Obama a "son of a b*tch/whore" and telling him to "go to hell." He also threatened to "burn down the United Nations" and called former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a "devil."
The Old Testament/Torah is full of symbolism and contrivance. I have recognized it for what it really is years ago...it's just a Jewish Hollywood movie, with all its fantasies, fallacies and stupidity, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat, if that's your thing.
We need more Rodrigo Dutertes!