Why has religion-intolerance become so wide spread?

ive noticed it on fluther as well as a lot of the media. People who are religious and who stick up for the core values of such are becoming targets. The people are forcing certain religions to change. For example 20 years ago homosexuality would not be in many churchs. Today pastors are asked to step down if they dont stop preaching it as a sin. My question to non-religious people: why is there this intolerance and dislike against religious people. For religious people why do you think people act like this? Prophecy of the last days?