I've often thought it amusing that two groups who have incredible similarities have so often been at odds. No, I'm not thinking about the Jews and Palestinians. I'm actually thinking of Christians and homosexuals. I'm sure I'm going to be shot by both sides for this one, but I'm no stranger to danger.
I thought about this a few years back when I was in a two week training course for work. Over the course of the two weeks, our small group got to know each other pretty well. One fellow, called Mike, seemed a bit reserved. Now, I hate judging people by stereotypes, but Mike had a slightly effeminate voice, and I made the assumption that he was gay. One day, someone was talking about someone gay at their gym and poking fun at them (not at their gayness, necessarily, but it could have been construed that way). I wasn't really involved in this conversation, and neither was Mike, but I could see him getting agitated. I asked him to go for lunch and I mentioned it. As his confession came spilling out, I told him I was a Christian. I mentioned how in both cases, we're members of invisible minorities, ones that don't often play along with the jokes of the alpha male fraternity. He was pretty appreciative to have someone to talk to.
I'm probably quite unusual for a Christian, though (I mean, I'm the sort of left wing nut who thinks that capital punishment is wrong). From my own experience, my treatment of women and general "politeness" have often had people wondering if I was gay. There is a sort of "macho" Christianity around, which suffers from the same homophobia as the rest of the "macho" society. And I suppose these people are the most visible examples of "Christianity" to the gay community. But in reality, both Christianity and homosexuality are embroiled in debates about nature vs. nurture. How much is a lifestyle "choice," and how much is a result of biology, or in the case of Christianity, of the "indwelling" of God's spirit? To what extent are we responsible or accountable for our treatment of others? Especially since the last half of the twentieth century, Christian belief has fallen out of favour with a rationalistic society, and "believers" are marginalized. And homosexuals, though now gaining some rights long denied them, are still largely a secret society. If we could see each other as comrades in fighting injustice, instead of as judges and judged, we might realize we're more alike than we seem.