Crusades and Baptism by Blood

[RhetorTheo]

My understanding is that anyone who dies for the Christian faith receives a "baptism by blood" and goes straight to heaven.

How does one determine what is "for the Christian faith," and when does violence become acceptable (or morally required)? Does there need to be a crusade called for by the Pope, or (like Islam) can individuals decide for themselves what they feel needs to be done for the faith?

 

[MikeK]

Great question.

If abortion is murder or is equal to murder, then wouldn't one be justified in making it impossible, by whatever means he/she sees appropriate, to prevent doctors from comitting dozens or hundreds of murders? Certainly if you're in a convinience store and a man announces his intend to kill the three people behind the counter and you prevent him from doing so using whatever force is needed to do so, up to and including killing the man, you're in the right. Does the same apply to preventing a man who has announced his intention to spend his lifetime killing the unborn?

I don't think it does, but then again I don't think that abortion is as evil as murder, I've seen many on this board say that it is though, so I'm curious how they feel about this.

 

[geocajun]

My understanding is that anyone who dies for the Christian faith receives a "baptism by blood" and goes straight to heaven.

How does one determine what is "for the Christian faith," and when does violence become acceptable (or morally required)? Does there need to be a crusade called for by the Pope, or (like Islam) can individuals decide for themselves what they feel needs to be done for the faith?

My understanding is that anyone can choose to die rather than compromise their faith and it would be a baptism of blood. Therefore it is not predicated on pontifical mandate or anything like that.