This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Assuming you have a religious faith, what would it take to get you to renounce it? You would have to swear that your testimony or witness was absolutely false.

A gun would do it for me. Point it at my head, and I'll denounce Jesus Christ in less than a second. Mind you, I'm not suggesting that we put this to the test. I'm just trying to be honest while making a point.

Threatened with death or great personal harm, I'd instantly convert to idolatry, cannibalism, Satanism — I'd become a Republican if that's what it took to make things better for the moment.

This no doubt shocks many hardcore Christians. Clearly I don't have a durable faith. A willingness to denounce the Lord for the sake of my paltry life makes me sound craven and shallow.

I think it makes me sound smart. My first responsibility in life isn't to get myself killed over some pointless theological gripe. It's to stick around as long as possible to take care of my family.

Truthfully, I'd do the same if the lives of people I love were at risk. I might even do it for you if I was feeling particularly generous.

Oppressor • "Deny your Christ or we chop off [your name here]'s head right now."

Me • "OK, I deny Jesus. I also deny President Monson as a prophet. I forsake the apostles, my stake president, Pioneer Sixth Ward Bishop Ed Watson, my home teachers, and high priest group leader. I renounce the ward chorister and the Primary…"

Oppressor • "Enough! We get the point. Stop."

Me • "Fine. But now let [your name] go."

Regardless of how this works for you, it makes sense to me. I don't want to become a martyr and then face Jesus with a hole in my head and a lame excuse for being there.

The Lord • "You idiot! Did you even read the New Testament? I let Peter deny me three times and get away with it. Hell, I even promoted him."

Me • "Yeah, sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

Besides, I'd deny my faith only as long as it kept me from being killed. As soon as the threat was gone, I'd go right back to what I really believed.

I'd be a liar then, but at least I'd have a chance to repent of it. Or not. Frankly, I got bigger sins to fry than having a lie extorted from me.

But what, you might say, about other believers I caused to waver in their faith because of the public denouncement of my own? Well, I suppose they'd be the ones with the shallow faith then. They wobbled and didn't even have a gun to their heads.

All of this should dispel the notion that intentionally becoming a martyr is something to be admired, that you have to draw some nonsensical line in the sand to be worthy of salvation.

You want to sacrifice your life to something? Give it to the people around you. At least then it won't be wasted.

Robert Kirby can be reached at rkirby@sltrib.com or facebook.com/stillnotpatbagley.