The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
How can this be?
Why is he the chosen one?
Saint gone astray
With a scepter and a gun
Learn to believe
In the mighty and the strong
Come bleed the beast
Follow me it won't be long
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Straight is the path
Leading to your salvation
Slaying the weak
Ethnic elimination
Any day we'll all be
Swept away
You'll be saved
As long as you obey
Lies
Tools of the devil inside
Written in holy disguise
Meant to deceive and divide
Us all
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Blurring the lines
Between virtue and sin
They can't tell
Where god ends
And mankind begins
They know no other
Life but this
From the cradle
They are claimed
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Hundreds of believers
Lured into a doomsday cult
All would perish
In the name of god
Self-proclaimed messiah
Led his servants
To their death
Eighty murdered
In the name of God
Forty sons and daughters
Un-consenting plural wives
Perversions
In the name of God
Underground religion
Turning toward
The mainstream light
Blind devotion
In the name of God
Justifying violence
Citing from the holy book
Teaching hatred
In the name of God
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Religious beliefs
Fanatic obsession
Does following faith
Lead us to violence?
Unyielding crusade
Divine revelation
Does following faith
Lead us to violence?
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
Of his terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
Why is he the chosen one?
Saint gone astray
With a scepter and a gun
Learn to believe
In the mighty and the strong
Come bleed the beast
Follow me it won't be long
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Straight is the path
Leading to your salvation
Slaying the weak
Ethnic elimination
Any day we'll all be
Swept away
You'll be saved
As long as you obey
Lies
Tools of the devil inside
Written in holy disguise
Meant to deceive and divide
Us all
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Blurring the lines
Between virtue and sin
They can't tell
Where god ends
And mankind begins
They know no other
Life but this
From the cradle
They are claimed
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Hundreds of believers
Lured into a doomsday cult
All would perish
In the name of god
Self-proclaimed messiah
Led his servants
To their death
Eighty murdered
In the name of God
Forty sons and daughters
Un-consenting plural wives
Perversions
In the name of God
Underground religion
Turning toward
The mainstream light
Blind devotion
In the name of God
Justifying violence
Citing from the holy book
Teaching hatred
In the name of God
Listen when the prophet
Speaks to you
Killing in the name of God
Passion
Twisting faith into violence
In the name of God
Religious beliefs
Fanatic obsession
Does following faith
Lead us to violence?
Unyielding crusade
Divine revelation
Does following faith
Lead us to violence?
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
Of his terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
Lyrics submitted by Idan, edited by Octavarium64
In the Name of God Lyrics as written by John Petrucci John Myung
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I agree with webdog230, it's obviously a song about radical cults, people claiming they're the Messiah but just using people and leading them astray. I don't think it's about the Book of Revelations, and I'm pretty sure it's not debating the existence of God!
I'm not sure which cults he's talking about specifically, I did read it somewhere but I can't find it! The one thing I do know is it's not about the Jonestown Massacre as some people are hypothesising, it's a good shout but over 900 people killed themselves in that, not just 80.
Not all of them killed themselves! Most of them were forced to drink poison.