Museum Of Iscariot

This one is terrifying yet easy to understand. Its about a guy that rapes and beats Jesus and then one day he accidentally kills him and after realizing he has nothing left in his life anymore he kills himself. Its got deeper meaning that when we look at what the things mean symbolically.

That's a good idea there. To me it also looks like a person who was there when Jesus died and he thinks that he is dead and was not the savior and was a liar but when he says his final prayer the rose bud is a symbol that he arose. But that's my opinion.

In the linear notes for this song it says that "Jesus" in this song represents a person's faith, so it's not literally talking about Jesus. I believe it is about a person who begins to doubt his faith. The line "he never really lived" makes me think that this person may have claimed to believe in God, but always had doubts. The line "I bandage his wounds, I kiss the face of Jesus Christ but he is dead" sounds to me like the person has constantly tried to cover up his lack of faith, but finally convinces himself that he no longer believes in God. The end seems to be that God is showing himself to this person and ultimately he begins to truly believe for the first time. That's just my interpretation though.

I agree with the post above, and talked to Rowan during his American tour that backed this up (pretty good source, eh?) Jesus being faith, which is barely there because of the person's lack of venturing outside the comfort zone s/he find themselves in. Their faith 'dies', or forsakes them utterly, after constantly abusing it and sinning against it. But it still points The Way, which in this songs instance would be outside.

The person finally ventures outside the rotten fix they find themselves in, and to true faith in Him.

I belive its linkin our life with what happened between jesus and judas Iscariot , definatly judas wasnt believing in jesus so he betrayed him ,

few years back when I listened to this song much more, I felt a lot of meaning to all of the parts.. Here are some insights:

Companions since birth in this stagnant dingy haunt: companions, means he was always a hero of the singer, who was suffering this 'stagnant dingy haunt', perhaps some sort of horror or psychosis

He never really lived: The singer thinks Jesus was a good person, but from all his good doing, he missed all the fun things in life..

Last night I beat him, as he would not leave: The singer hates jesus for being more beautiful than himself, so he beats and rapes him in envy.

He curls up like a fetus and paints his face with sadness: this response of jesus makes him even more interestin, beautiful and good willing character.. finally making even the singer shed a tear of remorse

I bandage his wounds, I kiss the face of jesus christ, but he is dead: The singer takes remorse, but he's too late, jesus has died, and his faith has no more meaning..

Called yourself messiah, expected me to follow: His beauty should have been obvious sing to follow, instead the singer became envious of it, trying to take the beauty away instead of taking it as an ideal for himself

I will bury him not, as an insult to your face: the singer chooses not to forget the death of jesus, instead he thinks to keep it as a sing of victory, for he was able to take away the beauty..

One detail disturbs me, his cold, stark finger points where I have not been..: Worn out of the battle against the beauty of jesus, the singer takes one more look at the body, and sees a sing, to get any true rest from his life, he too must die, at a place he has never visited, in his otherwise familiar backyard.

No more to offer, but this flesh to the soil, and a single tear marks my final prayer. Rosebud sits in the palm of your hand, as I end, this flower, It blossoms.: This shows the singers true faith, that he never abandoned, it's not into beauty and good doing, its into everything continuing as it is.. he dies in his body, but his spirit decomposes, and becomes a beautiful flower, that dramatically opens into its full blossom in the hand of the listener.