MANILA, Philippines (CNS) – Bishops and some politicians reacted negatively after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte questioned the logic of the Bible creation story and called God “stupid.”

Ucanews.com reported that, speaking during a technology summit in the southern city of Davao, Duterte questioned how Adam and Eve brought about “original sin.”

“Adam ate (the apple), then malice was born. Who is this stupid God?” he said.

“You created something perfect and then you think of an event that would tempt and destroy the quality of your work,” added Duterte.

The president, who has been at odds with church leaders who criticized his administration’s policies, questioned the Christian concept of “original sin.”

“It’s something that your mother and father did, you were not part of it, then you have original sin. What kind of religion is that? I can’t accept it,” said Duterte.

The Philippine leader, who was baptized Catholic shortly after he was born, said he believes in a “universal mind” but said he could not picture God as a human being.

Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon described Duterte as “a psychological freak, a psychopath (with) an abnormal mind,” and said the president’s tirades revealed why he should not have been elected. The bishop said Duterte’s statements and actions in recent months have become “intolerable to normal, well-minded people.” Bishop Bastes said some people have been praying “that God will deliver us from this evil.”

“I share with the feelings and thoughts with these concerned fellow Filipinos,” said the bishop as he called on Filipinos to “fervently pray to the Lord that such blasphemous utterances and dictatorial tendencies of this mad man will cease.”