So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
A sacred cash cow with sickly tits
Dripping temptation for hypocrites
To death she's beaten
The prosperous endlessly stating the obvious
Caught in your words, sever the knot this time
Somebody show me their true face
Face me once as I leave all that I despise
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
Indict the blameless
Transparent designs
Pathetic and shameless
Crucified
A legend in his own mind, enthroned by lies
A cheap Machiavelli plots his demise
Caught in your words, sever the knot this time
Somebody show me their true face
Face me once as I leave all that I despise
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
Face me as I leave all this far behind
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
What once gave life
Now infested with plague
The lamb lies with maggots
Blinded, gagged, betrayed
What once gave life
Now infested with plague
The lamb lies with maggots
The corpse bloated with rage
Dripping temptation for hypocrites
To death she's beaten
The prosperous endlessly stating the obvious
Caught in your words, sever the knot this time
Somebody show me their true face
Face me once as I leave all that I despise
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
Indict the blameless
Transparent designs
Pathetic and shameless
Crucified
A legend in his own mind, enthroned by lies
A cheap Machiavelli plots his demise
Caught in your words, sever the knot this time
Somebody show me their true face
Face me once as I leave all that I despise
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
Face me as I leave all this far behind
Face me as I unleash this hate refined
What once gave life
Now infested with plague
The lamb lies with maggots
Blinded, gagged, betrayed
What once gave life
Now infested with plague
The lamb lies with maggots
The corpse bloated with rage
Lyrics submitted by devilboiye
In Your Words Lyrics as written by David Randall Blythe Chris Adler
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm not entirely sure, but I think this song is about how the churches are using religion to make money off their believers, and how their priests take advantage of it to ascend themselves to a higher status. Thus "A sacred cash cow with sickly tits, dripping temptation for hypocrites".
No one of these who preach religion believes in it themselves, they just take advantage of it for their own winnings. ("A legend in his own mind, enthroned by lies") The main character sees through all of these lies and challenges the preachers to show their true face, and he leaves behind what he once believed in, what once gave life, but that is now infested with plague. Too bad this is true in so many cases.