Rejoice and be glad!

Is it anything new that religious people face tough consequences if they express their religious beliefs in public? No! Remember when Simon Peter denied being a follower of Jesus three times before the cock crowed? Ann Althouse raises the subject today of widely held religious beliefs that you cannot talk about openly in America:

There are many things that religious people believe that they also know they can't go around saying. You're not going to do very well in American society, for example, if you come right out and declare that people who don't follow your religion are going to hell. You'll be drifting toward Westboro Church territory if you talk like that. You sound like a crazy hate-monger. The fact that you truly believe it and that it's religious won't help your standing in the community.

Jesus said: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."