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- President Rodrigo Duterte attacked the Catholic Church by calling the Holy Trinity “silly”.
- Palace explained that this was just the way how the President test the validity of the Church rituals.
President Rodrigo Duterte has once again went against the Catholic Church for allegedly interfering with affairs of the State.
On Saturday, December 29, at a speech in Kidapawan City, Cotabato province, he expressed his skepticism toward the teaching of the Church, including the subject of the Holy Trinity.
“There is only one God … God the Father. Period. There is no other God.
“You pray to one God. You cannot divide God into three. That’s silly.”
Netizens reacted to the President’s claims, expressing their opposition regarding his statement.
https://twitter.com/BacarrisasIan/status/1080426195529826305
https://twitter.com/Alviaaaaaaar/status/1080445653895921666
The Philippines’ eccentric leader has shared his views on the cornerstone tenets of the Christian faith, calling the Holy Trinity doctrine “silly” and claiming that it was “unimpressive” for a true god to get himself crucified. https://t.co/3nYIm2PIXq
— Revelation Revealed (@RevelationR) December 31, 2018
"The President’s tirade did not end with the Catholic Church but to the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ… He dismissed the Holy Trinity as silly and Jesus as “unimpressive” as he chose to die on the cross rather than just zap to oblivion all his foes." Nu game- Trump or Duterte?
— FYIChris (@Itsfyichris) December 30, 2018
A Netizen said that his churchmates have been silent over government-related issues and is seriously considering if they will still continue to support the administration after Duterte’s recent comment.
Many of my church mates are supporters of the gov't and are mum on different issues concerning this administration and President Duterte. My church believes in the Holy Trinity too. Will they continue to support him after calling that belief "silly"? pic.twitter.com/YNPJpwrCAD
— Carly Rae Valera (@phiLEOsophy) December 30, 2018
But it seemed like not everyone disagreed with the President as a Netizen said that he shared the same opinion.
https://twitter.com/chardceron/status/1079274399575011328
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo addressed the matter, saying that the President was just testing the “validity” of the Church rituals when he uttered the words about the Holy Trinity.
He added that it was just Duterte’s way of “shaking long-held religious tenets and beliefs that instead of molding them into being righteous individuals make them cling to religion as an opium.”
In a statement on Wednesday, he said, “In so doing, the President puts to a test the validity of the religious rituals bordering to fanaticism as against the practice of genuine spirituality as taught by the different personifications of one God.”
