Persecution never left. There are Christians every single day getting killed. There are Muslims every day getting killed. There are gays getting killed. There are tons of people being murdered, regardless of what they believe.
The people that do not think that there is persecution are either ignorant or don't want to face the facts.
I think that in one way or another persecution never ended, just become more hidden due to the social evolution and the laws created. Where there is power and money there is persecution.
The only people who will be persecuted are true saved Christians. It's already begun, and it will be the worst anyone has ever seen during the time of Jacob's trouble for those who get saved during that time. That will last 7 years and EVERYONE will go through the worst time the world has ever seen. Jews will be persecuted as well.
In some ways people actually ARE being persecuted for their beliefs. In the age of social media, if you utter the wrong opinion or thought, or make the wrong remark, the backlash can be fervent enough that your reputation and career can be destroyed. This is the age of Political Correctness, of Outrage Culture. If you don't drink the Feminist Kool-Aid, for instance, you could be toast. If you say something that could be construed as racist by some over-sensitive prick, that could be your job. Point being, religion doesn't even have to enter the equation.
I don't think persecution has ever stopped, but people have to do it the legal way and politically correct way, so religion maybe the reason, but they find other reasons to persecute. Not only that but there is discrimination, because of these created religions like scientology, that always feel that the world is against them. Do these religions persecute the non-believers?
What I notice in today's age of PC, it's been pushed underground. We are all nice to each others faces, but behind backs and on the internet we get savage.
I don't think mainstream Christians will be persecuted in the USA because it seems like the USA will move further to the right, especially with all this terrorism going on. However, leftist and other non-conformist Christians could be massively targeted. In fact, I would say the whole "end time" fantasy of persecution is a joke for most Christians.
I think those that don't conform to one radical ideology are already being persecuted. I mean what do we need to do to stop being persecuted...swear allegiance to ALLAh..
It's all happening already in a little place known as Syria, which you might have heard of, and also Iraq as well. Seriously though, the guys out there are executing those who will not convert to their own vision of Islam and also executing Christians on he spot.