God does not discriminate against people, regardless of color

“God does not discriminate against people, regardless of color, religion, social class, or gender and sexual preferences.” – Rodrigo Duterte

In this statement, Rodrigo Duterte, though known for his iron will and fierce rhetoric, touches upon a truth as old as creation itself — a truth whispered by the saints, sung by the poets, and proclaimed by the prophets: that divinity knows no boundaries, and that before the gaze of the Eternal, all souls are equal. His words, simple and unadorned, strike at the roots of human arrogance — that ancient tendency to divide what Heaven has made whole. He reminds us that God does not discriminate, for the divine essence flows through all things: in the beggar and the king, the believer and the doubter, the man and the woman, the one who loves as society expects, and the one who loves beyond its rules.

The origin of this truth lies not in one religion but in the heart of them all. From the dawn of spiritual thought, the wise have taught that the divine spark dwells in every being. The Hindu Upanishads speak of Atman, the inner self, as identical with Brahman, the infinite. Jesus of Nazareth taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” for all are children of the same Father. The Prophet Muhammad declared that no Arab is greater than a non-Arab, nor a white greater than a black, save by righteousness. Across centuries and continents, the divine voice repeats the same message in many tongues: that no color, creed, or condition can lessen the worth of a human soul.

Yet, through the ages, humankind has struggled to live by this truth. Men have built walls where God made open fields. They have claimed Heaven’s favor for their tribe, their faith, their kind — forgetting that divine love cannot be owned, only shared. Empires have risen and fallen in the name of God, but God was never theirs. It is not Heaven that discriminates, but humanity, driven by fear and pride. Duterte’s words, though spoken in a modern age, carry the ancient call to humility: that to love as God loves is to see with eyes that look past difference — to recognize the sacred in every face.

Consider the story of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years in a prison cell and emerged without hatred. When asked how he could forgive his captors, he said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies.” Mandela understood what the prophets knew: that to rise above prejudice is to taste freedom. His forgiveness was not weakness but power — the power of the heart aligned with the divine. He, like many before him, became living proof that the divine image shines brightest when we refuse to mirror hatred.

Equality before God is not only a spiritual truth but a moral command. To believe that God loves all people equally is to take upon oneself the duty to love likewise. It is not enough to preach tolerance — one must practice compassion. It is not enough to accept others — one must defend them when they are scorned or silenced. For the divine light does not dim because we disagree with it; it burns in every being who breathes. The wise person, therefore, does not ask who deserves love, but rather how to love more deeply, more bravely, more universally.

Still, it is no easy path. To see divinity in the other — especially in those who offend, oppose, or differ from us — requires the discipline of humility. Yet it is this humility that makes a person truly great. Those who see the divine only in their reflection worship themselves, not God. Those who see the divine in everyone, even the stranger and the outcast, walk the same path as the saints. Duterte’s words remind us that holiness lies not in exclusion, but in embrace — in breaking the chains of bias that bind the heart from its own compassion.

The lesson is this: do not let the narrowness of men define the vastness of the divine. Where you see difference, seek understanding; where you see division, sow unity. Treat every person you meet — regardless of color, religion, class, or identity — as a reflection of the infinite. For to love in this way is to walk in harmony with God Himself. Let your kindness be your creed, your justice your worship, and your mercy your offering.

Thus, remember these words not as doctrine, but as destiny: “God does not discriminate against people.” Let them be your compass when the world tries to divide you from your fellow beings. For the measure of one’s faith is not how loudly they pray, but how deeply they love. To honor God, honor His image — the human soul — in every form it takes. And in doing so, you will not only serve Heaven; you will bring a measure of Heaven to Earth.