But why believe if you deny it, at least publicly, the first moment the going gets hard?
Isn't that most of Christ's followers did when they heard Him preach as recorded in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John? Did He change His message in order to stay of their good side? No, He repeated what He had said, and then asked who else was going to leave.
Why not? Why should a religious belief result in pain and death? Saying smething outloud doesn't change what's in your heart, does it?