Duterte seeks church outreach after outraging Filipino Catholics with 'stupid' God comments
(CNN)Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to mend fences with the Catholic Church in the wake of scathing comments he made about God, which shocked many in Asia's largest Catholic country.
In an apparent attempt to tamp down tensions after he called God "stupid" in a speech last week, Duterte announced Tuesday that he would engage in talks with the Catholic Church and other religious groups.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that Duterte realized he needed to mend bridges with the powerful religious institution. Roque will have a position on a committee created to communicate better with the church.
"The President thought to open the dialogue because there is only one society served by both the government and the church," he said, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.
The outspoken leader inflamed tensions last week while speaking at a summit in the southern city of Davao. In criticism of the Bible's creation story, Duterte said: "Adam ate (the apple), then malice was born. Who is this stupid God?" he asked, according to Philippine state media.
Despite widespread outcry in the devout majority Catholic nation, government officials defended the speech, saying it was Duterte's "personal belief."
The President later doubled down on his remarks, saying Monday: "Your God is stupid. Mine has a lot of common sense," CNN Philippines quoted him as saying.
On Monday, Roque suggested that Duterte's claims that a priest molested him as a high schooler could be motivation for his incendiary remarks, CNN Philippines reported.
Widespread condemnation
Leading church officials condemned the initial remarks. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas rebuked Duterte but called for prayers for him.
"He must have received so much rejection and hurts in the past that he blurts out so much hatred and angst now," the archbishop said, according to CNN Philippines.
"If he had been loved much, he would be giving so much of that love, too. He could be a victim of his scarred past and his wounded background. Pray for him with compassion."
Lawmakers also criticized his comments.
"Between him and my God to whom I pray every single day and with whom I've found solace and comfort in all my difficult times, I don't even have to think of my choice," said Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who has previously defended Duterte.
"May my God forgive him and make him atone for all his sins."
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Foreign diplomats weighing in on Rodrigo Duterte's controversial remarks did not sit well with the then-mayor.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Duterte apologized to the Pope after cursing him for the traffic he caused during a 2015 Papal visit to the Philippines.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
In September 2016, Duterte likened himself to the Nazi leader and announced that he wants to kill millions of drug addicts.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Speaking at a press conference to unveil his new cabinet on May 31 2016, Rodrigo Duterte said journalists killed on the job in the Philippines were often corrupt.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
During the third and last presidential debate, Duterte had said that he would plant a Philippine flag in disputed territories should China refuse to recognize a favorable ruling for the Philippines.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Duterte made international headlines in April 2016 with his inflammatory comments on the 1989 rape and murder of an Australian missionary that took place in Davao City.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
He also lashed out at the womens' group that filed a complaint against him before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
At a CNN Philippines Townhall event in February 2016, Duterte, admitted that he had three girlfriends and a common-law wife. His marriage to Elizabeth Zimmerman was annulled due to his womanizing, but he denied this meant he objectified women.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Although he later denied the accusations, the former Davao City mayor admitted his links to the alleged Davao death squad in a May 2015 broadcast of his local television talk show.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Speaking at a business forum in Manila in December 2016, Duterte admitted killing suspected criminals during his time as mayor of Davao City.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
The day after Trump won the US presidential election in November 2016, Duterte said he and Trump share some traits.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
After reports emerged of a potentially blocked arms sale, Duterte told CNN Philippines in November 2016 that he would turn to Russia for weapons.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
During a state visit to China in October 2016, Duterte announced his economic and military 'separation' from the US.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
In October 2016 Duterte expressed growing hostility with the US president.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
After US president Barack Obama said he would raise extrajudicial killings in a meeting with Duterte, the Philippines President responded angrily on September 5, first in English then in Tagalog. As a result, Obama canceled the meeting.
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
As he addressed troops at the country's Armed Forces Central Command Headquarters on August 5, Duterte recounted U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the country, saying in Tagalog that he was feuding with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
The Philippines president-elect effectively said he supported vigilantism against drug dealers and criminals in a nationally televised speech in June 2016.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Foreign diplomats weighing in on Rodrigo Duterte's controversial remarks did not sit well with the then-mayor.
Hide Caption
9 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Duterte apologized to the Pope after cursing him for the traffic he caused during a 2015 Papal visit to the Philippines.
Hide Caption
10 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
In September 2016, Duterte likened himself to the Nazi leader and announced that he wants to kill millions of drug addicts.
Hide Caption
11 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Speaking at a press conference to unveil his new cabinet on May 31 2016, Rodrigo Duterte said journalists killed on the job in the Philippines were often corrupt.
Hide Caption
12 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
During the third and last presidential debate, Duterte had said that he would plant a Philippine flag in disputed territories should China refuse to recognize a favorable ruling for the Philippines.
Hide Caption
13 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Duterte made international headlines in April 2016 with his inflammatory comments on the 1989 rape and murder of an Australian missionary that took place in Davao City.
Hide Caption
14 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
He also lashed out at the womens' group that filed a complaint against him before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Hide Caption
15 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
At a CNN Philippines Townhall event in February 2016, Duterte, admitted that he had three girlfriends and a common-law wife. His marriage to Elizabeth Zimmerman was annulled due to his womanizing, but he denied this meant he objectified women.
Hide Caption
16 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Although he later denied the accusations, the former Davao City mayor admitted his links to the alleged Davao death squad in a May 2015 broadcast of his local television talk show.
Hide Caption
17 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Speaking at a business forum in Manila in December 2016, Duterte admitted killing suspected criminals during his time as mayor of Davao City.
Hide Caption
1 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
The day after Trump won the US presidential election in November 2016, Duterte said he and Trump share some traits.
Hide Caption
2 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
After reports emerged of a potentially blocked arms sale, Duterte told CNN Philippines in November 2016 that he would turn to Russia for weapons.
Hide Caption
3 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
During a state visit to China in October 2016, Duterte announced his economic and military 'separation' from the US.
Hide Caption
4 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
In October 2016 Duterte expressed growing hostility with the US president.
Hide Caption
5 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
After US president Barack Obama said he would raise extrajudicial killings in a meeting with Duterte, the Philippines President responded angrily on September 5, first in English then in Tagalog. As a result, Obama canceled the meeting.
Hide Caption
6 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
As he addressed troops at the country's Armed Forces Central Command Headquarters on August 5, Duterte recounted U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the country, saying in Tagalog that he was feuding with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg.
Hide Caption
7 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
The Philippines president-elect effectively said he supported vigilantism against drug dealers and criminals in a nationally televised speech in June 2016.
Hide Caption
8 of 17
Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.
Foreign diplomats weighing in on Rodrigo Duterte's controversial remarks did not sit well with the then-mayor.
Hide Caption
9 of 17
Butting heads
Duterte has long had a tempestuous relationship with the church, which counts more than 80% of Filipinos as adherents.
He has butted heads with the institution over his controversial war on drugs, which has claimed the lives of suspected dealers and users.
War on drugs: Priest speaks out against Philippines 'blood lust'
In rants against the church over its stance, he has called it "full of sh**" while accusing bishops of corruption and womanizing.
He's also said priests should help him by speaking out about addiction instead of attacking him on the issue, and has brought up child abuse scandals that have plagued the church, asking, "What will you do about homosexuality in the seminary? What have you done to minors there?"
While meeting with members of the Filipino diaspora on official visits overseas, he has handed out copies of a book highly critical of the church called "Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church."
He most notably gave out copies of the book during a visit to South Korea when he was widely criticized for kissing a Filipina on stage during a meet-and-greet.
He also blamed Pope Francis for traffic problems in Manila during a visit by the Pontiff -- a criticism for which he later apologized.
News Courtesy: www.cnn.com
