On Religious Persecution

Saw a comment on a message board today that I found quite funny:

"The bottom line is that what virtually all religious loud mouths like to categorize as "religious persecution" is, in fact, "jerk persecution". Simply stated, if you act like a jerk, people will treat you like a jerk."

There are places in this world where Christianity is quite unpopular and where Christians are oppressed. This is not one of those places. An individual Christian here may face pressures and personal difficulty, but systemized "persecution" is virtually non-existent here. I think we should be thankful for that and stop trying to equate our individual struggles with those of Christians in areas where they take their lives into their own hands just to possess a Bible. To act like we are in any way remotely as unfortunate as they are only cheapens their struggle.