The Love Thieves

I don't agree with the religious interpretation of this song, I feel that the religious imagery is used as a device to help paint a picture of the dark side of love and lust.

I think the 'you' is like a personification of romantic love, like the Goddess Aphrodite perhaps. The 'common' people try to become disciples of love, but they often fail due to the physical imperfections of the world. In this way they (unwittingly) give themselves as sacrificial martys to the idea of love.

In the real world this may be seen as the dark sides of love - pornography etc. The martys aspired to the ideal of perfect love, but tragically got lost along the way ('they live for your beauty.. and pay for their vices'). They are love thiefs when they try to achieve love perhaps through a shortcut of physical gratification.

Unfortunately, we are told that this is necessary in the world - "love needs its martyrs", but that the original nobel aim of those that had fallen, will be remembered by all those who share the same desire, the heart of all lovers.