“ For the name of Jesus and the defence of the Church, I am willing to die” – St. Thomas Becket
St. Thomas Becket was a real Christian, he was a devout Catholic, he was a true martyr. He died at the hands of Henry II because he refused to submit to the king when he (the King) commanded him to go against the Papacy, being an orthodox believer St. Thomas knew he could not do this, and thus was he killed while praying after mass by 3 knights. St. Thomas Becket was a true martyr.
There were many British martyrs but 2 stand out in particular – as many Anglican websites like St. Thomas to them. These 2 are Bishop Hugh Latimer and Bishop Hugh Ridley who were both burned at the stake for refusing to recant their heretical Protestant beliefs. Allegedly Latimer said “we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out”. They were right, and today in England the church which raped a country of Catholicism, stole the most property in one move in history, and all for the purpose of God’s blessing upon adultery (Henry VIII) still exists, it is called the church of England. These two men who died for their heresies were not martyrs but destroyers, there is no greater sin than breaking the body of Christ according to St. Augustine, and that is what all heresy does.
Today I had to sit through a professor waxing philosophical about the ‘greatness’ of the anabaptists and how their ‘martyrdom proves their devotion’ blah blah blah. The Anabaptists are heretics, infants have been baptized since Christ and at his command. This is the plain truth which even catholic Protestants (Lutherans, Presbyterians, etc) accept. BUT if you make them martyrs it seems they are a symbol of unity, it gives them legitimacy, and makes people feel nostalgic.