Are Christians Persecuted in the U.S.?

A recent commenter on this blog alleged that religious people face discrimination in the U.S.  I have frequently heard this outrageous lie from other religious fanatics.  I have learned it is a sure sign that I am dealing with a fanatic because the facts are so much to the contrary that it is difficult to know where to begin.  Usually the person is complaining about the fact that their religion isn't allowed to become or act like the "established", favored religion.  In essence, they are complaining about the fact that they are not allowed to force their religion on the rest of us. 

Rob Boston published a nice, short article today in Alternet, 5 Reasons the Religious Right Should Stop Whining About Being Persecuted, which lays out some basic points concerning the ridiculousness of these claims.  I strongly recommend reading it.