Sinister Rouge

I agree with Latchkey Kid. THis song is about the church,especially my dear own catholic church. First verse is about the inquisition who tortured and burnt people alive on the stake for heresy and how eventually the church's power waned,second verse is about the meetings held in the vatican about the clerical abuse scandal(Jesuits is indeed a christian group but also refers to any followers of Jesus)I thought I was ever so clever working out the rouge referred to the cardinals but people here worked it out well before I did.

Third verse is just about how the modern world rejects religion in general.

However I must disagree with Hraesvelg. By calling a religious person's views "ridiculous" you are being every bit as narrow minded as all those fundementalists who claim only the religion they belong to is a valid religion.It irritates the fuck out of me when some person comes along and flouts the fact that they believe in no God as if they are somehow more rational and more advanced than others.If you don't believe in God fine,to each his own but don't act as if your superior to others who think God exists.Fuck off and have a nice day

I'm pretty sure the first verse is about the inquisition and witch hunts, not the war, since this is more an anti-catholic song, and the pope was antiwar, so that wouldn't really fit the song.

"Innocence Burned, Alive on the Stake" obviously refers to the witch burning, in my opinion. "Tortured and Dumped in nameless graves" is more related to the inquisiton, I think.

It's about the Catholic Church, and how it's still a powerful force, this far down the line. First verse: Inquisition, then the power waned, but the ancient lies were still around. Second verse: The church today Third verse: The church is still trying to give people their legacy, or 'daily bread'. But the modern world doesn't want them anymore. 'Sinister Rouge' - Rouge is 'red', like the robes worn by some officials in the church (Cardinals, was it?).

I see this song about the Cathaholic Church, particularly in light of the molestation scandals of the past couple of decdes. I can't find a historic reference to "sinister rouge", but agree with Latchkey Kid that is is probably a refefence to the red robes of the cardinals.

"The modern world rejects your hand" is an allusion to the Michelangelo painting where God's hand touches Adam's. Most in the modern world, particulary educated people like Dr. Graffin, find traditional religions superfluous. This is consistent with Greg's Ph.D. dissertation and the book he's writing.

First of all, SRDirty, for someone to be an educated person like a doctor, and simultaneously a christian, he should at some point account for the partition in his brain between reasonable knowledge based on evidence, and the faith-based beliefs of religion [with no evidence in their favor].

Secondly: My interpretation of the song:

Christianity [more specifically, Catholicism].

The first verse refers to the Inquisition, witch hunts, and maybe the crusades. "Ancient lies" refers to Christianity itself, since it began as a lie, and is now believed by something like two billion people.

The second verse refers to all of those altar boys who got diddled. [a Jesuit is a follower of Jesus]

The third verse is sort of a closing in his message to/about Christians/Christianity. He refers to the violence enacted by Christians in history, in their attempt to convert the world to their ridiculous views, and closes by telling them that they have no place or necessity in our modern world.

There is a clear political message right in the lyrics:

Child molesters And JESUITS, Holding secret conferences.

For those who don't know, a lot of people believe the JESUITS have a huge role in the "New World Order" or "Shadow Govt" and "Secret societies", etc. Very political message in that line of the song!

Corrected lyrics: (by the way "pontiff" is another word for pope)

Innocence Burned, Alive on the Stake Tortured and Dumped in nameless graves Centuries waned, authority died Scattering seeds of ancient lies

Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score

Child molesters and Jesuits holding secret conference underneath the pontiff’s nose and only God will ever know

Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score

Give us this day our daily bread the legacy we'll not forget lick the wounds, cleanse the land the modern world rejects your hands

Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score Sinister Rouge Coming back for more to even the score

Another lyric correction:

Innocents burned, alive on the stake.

Anyways, I think it goes beyond condemning the Catholic church, and encompasses all of Christianity. At least, the third verse does. It's warning of how Christian extremism is making a comeback, particularly in the United States, despite the fact that the modern world rejects its hypocrisy and hate-mongering. The very last line of the song (which also seems to have been left out here) says it all: "The nightmare comes in sinister rouge."

Jesuits are "The Society Of Jesus", a Catholic organization. They're educators...Jesuit universities are everywhere, including Georgetown, Saint Louis University, Holy Cross, Marquette, all of the Loyola universities, etc. As already said, "pontiff" is another word for Pope.

Yeah, this song is a take on catholics.

But Clark I disagree with the sentiment that Greg knows everything about religion simply because he's a doctor. Plenty of doctors happen to be Christian too, you know. None of his degrees even cover religion.

One of the only good songs on this album, I believe the phrase "sinister rouge" refers to the colors of the papal and cardinal dress, as they often wear a red colored robe/frock.