The Chofetz Chaim makes an astounding statement: "That a person is obliged to put himself in danger rather than flatter someone"!? The Gemora in Sotah says anyone who flatters his friend goes to purgatory for it, however Tosfos explains that's only when there is NO danger. Rav Moshe Feinstein asks why should flattery be any different from any other transgression in which case you never have to put yourself in danger, isn't it obvious? Why did Tosfos even bring it up and prove it from another Gemora? Rav Moshe explains based on a Yam Shel Shlomo that a person is required to give up his life rather than falsify the Torah (categorized as denying the Torah), therefore we would think that when praising a wicked person it implies their view of the Torah agrees with that lifestyle and that is false.

Chofetz Chaim, Introduction (Lavin)

וְעַל עִנְיָן כָּזֶה שַׁיָּךְ מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ"ג ב'): ''וְשַׂמְתָּ סַכִּין בְּלֹעֶךָ אִם בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ אָתָּה'', וְחַיָּב אָדָם לִמְסֹר עַצְמוֹ לַסַכָּנָה, וְאַל יַשִּׂיא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ עֲוֹן אַשְׁמָה כָּזֶה.

Sotah 41b

ואמר רבי אלעזר  כל אדם שיש בו חנופה נופל בגיהנם שנא' (ישעיהו ה, כ) הוי האומרים לרע טוב ולטוב רע וגו' מה כתיב אחריו לכן כאכל קש לשון אש וחשש להבה ירפה וגו'

Tosfos Ibid

כל המחניף לחבירו -  יש לפרש שלא במקום סכנה אבל במקום סכנה מותר כי ההיא דפרק ארבעה נדרים

Igros Moshe OC II - 51

Yam Shel Shlomo - Bava Kamma 38

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