Victory

It's wonderful how he says Victory but relates it to something negative. Seeing as it is usually seen as a positive, it makes one think of what this could mean. I believe it speaks about the consequences of our "victory". What had to lose for us to win. That is something that everyone needs to think about.

I think Greg is talking about how we like to consider ourselves modern and civilized, yet we still seem to be governed more on the animal part of our brain(50% of our brain is animal). What we should be doing is using the half of our brain that makes us so complex and distinguishes us from animals. Rather than making decisions based on our instincts we should be making them with our ability to reason, compromise, negotiate. Our animal instincts is " The evil[that] sits inside them torpid timing its escape." What he also trying to say is that we humans need to drop this "i want to be first, i want to win, I want to be victorious" attitude because it invokes destructive behaviour(our instincts).

"His helpless enemy was wounded, both hands raised with hope He killed him without second thought, with brute force and a rope"

He could've reasoned with the guy, but NO he want to completely obliterate his enemy because of his hatred(animal instinct) for his enemy.

"His helpless enemy was wounded, both hands raised with hope He killed him without second thought, with brute force and a rope"

Come to think about US soldiers shooting wounded Iraqis.

interesting concept. victory constitutes alot of horrible things, we'v discovered.

Nagasaki!

The velveteen and oaken fixture = crucifix

There was the parents of a child who have let an escort of people take their child and handed over to a priest. My guess is circumcision.

His helpless enemy was wounded, both hands raised with hope Religious people raises their hand even when they were going to die. My guess : the crusades

Among the parade crowd there stands a decorated man Remembering how he helped to save this sacred land

"Parade crowd" might be the same "escort" we've mentioned. "Decorated man" > "Decoration" > sign of power or social status> "he helped to save this sacred land" > crusades again and

this decorated man was promoted to his place by contribution to the crusades. He might have started the war, or directly involved in the fighting.

And this man killed an enemy who was religious but not christian.< this was in his memory.

So many times, so many lives Test the other side Waiting to see what the maker has in mind

"Test" To put under severe strain by taking away lives for many times. To prove that their maker was true.

"The unsuspecting commoners hum diligent each day" To be in a state of feverish activity of attention and care "Father's sins"

1. Adam and Eve

2. the commoners are the direct descendants of the crusades. Since the decorated man was alive in the parade the crusades happened not long before the series of events. So it's 1.

   The crimes are without motive but they ignore all restraint They have not right course to kill muslims but they have ignored that.

Compare the lyrics to the Jon Benet Ramsey murder case. Gave me chills!