Christian's Inferno

I noticed alot of people are talking about how Gloria and Christian are "friends" or "lovers", but according to a somewhat recent interview with the band, the story is not a love story at all. In fact, Gloria is the protagonist of the story and is just trying to get through her life without being changed from a Punk Rock chick to whatever this century is trying to make people. She is holding on to her ideas and although she does believe in the corruption of the government and the conspiracies, instead of just bitching about it, she is doing something about it. Christian is the antagonist of the story. He is being changed quickly. He learns of the problems of our society, but just becomes angry at everyone an everything. The two characters are foils and are enemies. Gloria is the "Last of the American Girls" because of how she is willing to stand up for her ideals. Christian is the "Enemy" because he is the "Silence" of the generation, as mentioned in the song "Know Your Enemy". This song is a direct reference to Christian's silence. Even though he becomes angry, he just lets things boil up and doesn't take action.

The laugh Billie does in this song is hilarious.

This seems like an alternate reaction to "Letterbomb" from lyrics like "I got the rejection letter in the mail and/It was already ripped to shreds... ...Maybe maybe you're the chemical reaction/I am the atom bomb" Its like an instant reaction right after he got it. Maybe Christian is another alternate Jesus of Suburbia like St. Jimmy was? and i'm not sure if he meant the 'Christian's inferno" is meant as a reference to Dante's Inferno or not..

Does this song remind anyone else of The Network, or is it just me?

yea it sounds kinda like the network...but i was thinking more the artic monkeys

hmmm...the dangers of religion or faith? "I am the atom bomb" Basically how religion can be an anathema for those with a grudge (who seek to justify revenge in the name of God) and therefore take away our restraint and "return man to ape." This one's kinda ambiguous, but as far as the love story, Christian's disillusionment?

It's about someone "rejected" by the church due to "evil deeds"(that usually turn out to be imaginary evil due to the insane 'moral code' they preach) who decides to go renegade, because the "demons" attatched to the name he clings to are harassing him and trying to convince him he's "the chosen one", which, if he follows through with their intent, will end up killing him. The only "end" being his own demise.

Someone described this song as creepy. And I think that's a great way of describing it- and I love it, haha.

Anyways, seems like Christian's kinda song of..."the last straw". He's ready to revolt.

"I am the atom bomb I am the chosen one Toxin your reservoir And then return man to ape"

• He's the leader? He's the DESTROYER of the "Modern Age" (Atom bomb..) and the CHOSEN one. He's the toxin in their reservoir...and he's living in a modern hell. He's ready to shut these people up and do something about it. I mean...just listen to it- he's fucking angry.

Then it leads into Last Night On Earth- which kinda sounds like he's made his decision to do something about it... and he's writing a letter to Gloria explaining he's still there..blahblahloveloveblahblah, yeah.. haha, good song.

Haha the rejection letter almost makes me think he was rejected in an application for a Catholic school because of his rebellious nature hahaha. Actually when I first heard that opening line I though it was about getting rejected by everyone. Its religion, school, family, friends, everyone but Gloria.

Christian's inferno appears to be the modern world ("the modern hell"). The speaker of the verse is Christian expressing a bitter tone after receiving a "rejection letter in the mail." In the May 2009 Rolling Stone interview, Billie Joe said that he wanted to make sure that "Christian's Inferno" wasn't going on in his own house. Maybe he's hoping that his own son isn't being pushed over the edge like Christian, the messiah ("I am the chosen one") who seems to have received the straw that will obliterate the camel's back ("I am the atom bomb ... / Toxin your reservoir / And then return man to ape."