All of your interpretations are great, religious or not. I for one have thought of both, but for now, I'll explain more on my interpretation of the non-religious side of it, since several of you have done a great job with that thus far.
To me, this song could be about a personal relationship with a lover, or an ex-lover.. He's singing about how it's so easy for them to to tear him apart, or dismantle him, but all the while he needs them there in order to build him up, or repair him again. They hurt him, but make him whole again.
He's thought in the past that he should escape her ("I've tried to escape you, but the orchestra plays on") and the problems she causes, but he can't because the memories are all still present in his mind, and he can't "stop the music". He's tried to escape before and failed, because she's come back and told him that things are going to change, things are going to get better. And all the while, he's been blind enough to stay and let it keep happening. He loves her, and needs her and it's hard to leave, yet hard to stay when she can so easily hurt him. He's tried to make it work, being completely honest with her ("my undivided honesty") but he's realizing slowly that even his honest word means nothing, because she inevitably won't believe him, assuming he'll never be truthful, making him the "Patron Saint of Lost Causes".
So, as the beginning verse of the song seems to state, he's finally escaping and leaving her behind, yet thinking back and his mind's being flooded with the memories of her and their relationship, from start to finish -good to bad.
All of your interpretations are great, religious or not. I for one have thought of both, but for now, I'll explain more on my interpretation of the non-religious side of it, since several of you have done a great job with that thus far.
To me, this song could be about a personal relationship with a lover, or an ex-lover.. He's singing about how it's so easy for them to to tear him apart, or dismantle him, but all the while he needs them there in order to build him up, or repair him again. They hurt him, but make him whole again.
He's thought in the past that he should escape her ("I've tried to escape you, but the orchestra plays on") and the problems she causes, but he can't because the memories are all still present in his mind, and he can't "stop the music". He's tried to escape before and failed, because she's come back and told him that things are going to change, things are going to get better. And all the while, he's been blind enough to stay and let it keep happening. He loves her, and needs her and it's hard to leave, yet hard to stay when she can so easily hurt him. He's tried to make it work, being completely honest with her ("my undivided honesty") but he's realizing slowly that even his honest word means nothing, because she inevitably won't believe him, assuming he'll never be truthful, making him the "Patron Saint of Lost Causes".
So, as the beginning verse of the song seems to state, he's finally escaping and leaving her behind, yet thinking back and his mind's being flooded with the memories of her and their relationship, from start to finish -good to bad.