Like most of the songs on this album, this is a metaphor for problems with the modern American church and her marriage to political systems.
It's a story of how the Church, as well as individual Christians, is supposed to separate itself from the State (to varying degrees, anyway) so as to follow the teachings of Jesus over and above the laws of the land.
That laws unjust were only good for breaking
A common teaching since the earliest days of the church is that a Christian should follow those laws of the land that do not contradict the teachings of Christ, and when they do, break the laws (and suffer the consequences.) This teaching was used by the civil rights movement in the US; they broke the laws nonviolently, and then took the punishment, to shame their oppressors into changing the laws.
This song notes, however, that a large swath of the modern Church has married itself to the state, metaphorically, and is willing to violate the teachings of Christ when told to by the State.
Exactly WHICH teachings you think we are violating will depend on which political platform you stand. Those toward the right wing might point to mainstream Christian churches' pro-choice stance (among other things.) Those on the left wing may point to fundamentalist churches' support of war or torture (among other things.) Both would, of course, be right. But if you want to get the real meaning, you need to look at your OWN side and see what evils it is willing to perpetuate at the order of the State (or at the order of the party or movement or...)
Like most of the songs on this album, this is a metaphor for problems with the modern American church and her marriage to political systems.
It's a story of how the Church, as well as individual Christians, is supposed to separate itself from the State (to varying degrees, anyway) so as to follow the teachings of Jesus over and above the laws of the land.
This song notes, however, that a large swath of the modern Church has married itself to the state, metaphorically, and is willing to violate the teachings of Christ when told to by the State.
Exactly WHICH teachings you think we are violating will depend on which political platform you stand. Those toward the right wing might point to mainstream Christian churches' pro-choice stance (among other things.) Those on the left wing may point to fundamentalist churches' support of war or torture (among other things.) Both would, of course, be right. But if you want to get the real meaning, you need to look at your OWN side and see what evils it is willing to perpetuate at the order of the State (or at the order of the party or movement or...)