Just like with the real Crusades, it'd come down to the individual. Some would thrive following the Creed, others would go because they were told to (most of the rank and file), and yet others would pursue egoistic motivations such as gaining glory or political influence (many of the higher-ups).
Still, the Ecclesiarchy is involved in each Imperial Crusade, and its clergy spends a great deal of time tending to the "spiritual needs" of the soldiers, ensuring that faith plays a somewhat larger role in the war than it would in a normal campaign.
The rest depends solely on perspective: For Imperial citizens, the Emperor's armies would go forth to fulfill a divine mandate, battling mankind's many enemies to ensure the survival of the species, and to conquer that which rightfully belongs to Man. Righteous.
For whoever is the target of the Crusade, however, it just means that some alien aggressor shows up to commit genocide in the name of their fascist regime. Not so righteous.
Just like in real life.
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