I think life is sacred and the instinct to preserve it is God given. If man is created in the image of God, is right to throw one's life away to appease a deranged soul, just to make a point to God about what is in one's heart? God knows the man's heart already.
I haven't weighed in on this either. Tough call I think. I like to think that I would not deny my relationship with Christ. I hope that's true.
But moreover, I think we're seeing how easy it will be for many to make justifications to taking the mark some day. Your statement that I've quoted goes right to that point.
The pressure will be substantial, and there will be a ton of justifications. "God wants you to be able to care for your children. God wants you to live to proclaim his good news..... God wants you to be able to care for your elderly parents.... God knows what is really in your heart.... and even God will forgive you for it if you ask him, it's not like it's the unpardonable sin".
I think I have to weigh in that he's not a true christian. Maybe he thinks about it. Maybe he's rebelling in that society. Maybe there are lots of things that would cause this Jordanian man to align himself with christians. But maybe he just doesn't really know Jesus Christ.