Religious beliefs are not tangible, so I don't see any reason to die for them....you can always have them, and still stay alive. I think God will know what is in your heart, no matter what you may say.
Correct. But our calling is to strive for excellence, not mediocrity. Someone who folds under duress isn't less acceptable to God, but someone who displays uncommon valor in the name of Christ is worthy of even greater glory in heaven. You can pass the course with a D-, but shouldn't we be striving for A's?
I don't think there can be understanding on why martyrdom (in the Christian sense) is desirable if you don't believe we're here for a higher purpose than collecting a Social Security check when we retire. No one is asking you to believe what we believe, but don't come here and demean our faith and expect everyone to "play nice".