Speaking on Monday, Pope Benedict said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behavior was as important as protecting the environment. This kind of comment questions the role of church in our society. Pope Benedict is a very controversial person who certainly doesn’t understand homosexuality. The wise attitude when someone doesn’t understand something is to not jump to conclusions.

Homosexuality is still a mystery. Science hasn’t been able to answer many questions, such as how someone can be attracted to someone of the same gender, how an homosexual can claim to be “cured” of homosexuality, or how someone who is “happily married” can leave his wife for a man or vice-versa. But it’s all about people. Homosexuals are not aliens, but descendants of Adam and Eve as well.

I have a hard time to understand why the Pope — who is supposed to be the one who preaches love, compassion and tolerance — would see homosexuality as a perverse lifestyle choice. The Pope doesn’t have all the answers about homosexuality. Nor does science. There may be many reasons people are gay, from being born gay to choosing a same-sex partner for any number of reasons.

Even though we are different, every group belongs to humanity and deserves respect and tolerance for that reason alone. As the Bedouin of Egypt say, “A wise man never knows all; only fools know everything.”