If you think this is persecution, then just wait till it becomes worse than as it was in the days of Noah, and Sodom and Gomorrah, to which it seems to be very close to that.
The noahide laws are in place, the sunday laws are in place, thousands if not hundreds of thousands of guillotines are in place, the beast who sits upon many waters has thought to changed times and laws, same as the false prophets who follow after her. There is all sorts of abominations within the world church, including idolatry, false teachings, paganism and more.
Some are saying the son of perdition is here now, but not yet revealed.
You can tell the signs of the seasons, but why is it that you cannot tell the signs of the day we watch for?