Subtle Coincidences?

O.K , so I'm finished with the book and thinking about all of the terrible things that happened to early followers of Christ, thrown to the starved lions, wild dogs, bears, beheaded, stretched until they are pulled in two, and those are just a few physical things that happened to them. Oh did I mention set on FIRE and Crucified!
There was also the discrimination of not being able to trade your goods and services to provide for your family.
The Roman Empire told you what you would do, who you would follow and how you would do it!
And if it "felt good" ehh go ahead and do it!
So I'm thinking do the punishments fit the crime? If you lived in the barbaric first century they do, but if you live in the 21st century?
Between the 1st and 21st centuries punishments for crimes have lightened somewhat, there are still some parts of the world where Christians today are still murdered and to be a follower of Christ is a very dangerous thing to do.
So you say, but we live in America we don't have that stuff here!
Lets look...
1st century.."There is not 1 supreme God.
21st century..."We were not created by intelligent design, it was evolution".

1st century..You can have any God you want, but this Christ, a man, is not the savior of our world.
21st century...You can have any God you want..But do not teach us or our kids about your God or Christ, its not Scientific.

1st century..Ohh your a Christian, You people are not good for the Empire!
21st century...Ohh your a Christian, You people are trying to run the World!

1st century..You can't talk about God and Christ here or you will die!
21st century...You can't talk about Religion here it makes people uncomfortable, so take this a your verbal warning next time it will be a write up!

There are Probably more examples I could give but you get the point, I hope.
Although we live in different times in History, the punishment isn't the same but The "Empire" still doesn't want to hear about your God, OUR GOD!!Christianity is Stronger than ever, but I also see Proponents to Christianity getting stronger and more verbal also.
If Paul had the media coverage of today he would have been ecstatic,I believe he wanted to be prosecuted By the Roman Empire not only to have Christianity recognized by the Empire as a Valid Religion, but for the "MEDIA" he would get, which was the best way to spread the word in those times.
So what I hope is that by reading this you start HEARING what is going on around you,
We have an Awesome opportunity that those of the fist century did not,
and If we become like Paul and have the Excitement he had, just think of what we could do!!