pressure on gays to straighten out, and on jews to convert, do indeed have strong and disturbing resonances.  But from the perspective of having moved to Israel where christian (or any) proselytization of Jews is explicitly forbidden, I am reminded that they really are different issues (and that a sovereign Jewish state can partly solve one problem, whereas a sovereign gay entity, um, isn't really possible.)

Given the 'puff daddy' nature of Christianity and Islam (came later than Judaism, took our original texts, remixed them, had better marketing, and became way more popular) I think it is INEVITABLE that any Jew living in a Christian or Muslim country SHOULD expect pressure to convert.  Our continuing existence as Jews threatens their belief systems themselves.

 But I simply don't understand the corresponding fear of gays, even within Judaism. Homosexuality has been discussed a lot lately in Jerusalem where I live, where the prospect of the int'l gay pride has sparked near-violent controversy.  It has damaged my relationship with many friends and rabbis here-- otherwise open-minded and tolerant people who still take literally the explicit prohibition on 'unnatural sexual acts'.  (BTW, lesbianism does not provoke the same level of anger-- it's far more tolerated both in torah texts and in the community.)

Can anyone explain to me the depth of this intolerance/hatred? Why, why?  To my rabbi's credit (the rosh yeshiva in Bat Ayin, Rav Natan Greenberg) he responded to the controversy over the parade by saying "Of course they should be allowed to march!! This isn't Tehran, and given a choice, I'd rather live in San Francisco than Tehran! Whether one agrees with them or not (and he didn't say he agreed with the pride parade), setting a precedent that a given population or position shouldn't have the right to a public parade or protest is incredibly dangerous, and we as [religious]Jews should KNOW that we're always next." 

Indeed the Israeli gov't's persecution of anti-withdrawal protesters has often crossed the line of abuse of civil liberties. What is it about the issue of homosexuality that screws up so many people's understandings of basic principles of freedom?