So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
Patient,
Just as I am,
As always,
Watch the time go by,
Nothing left to pass by,
The minutes follow me,
Drunken little people,
Work away in me,
Why won't they leave me, leave me alone
When I don't even want me, want me
I have to, kill the words,
Before they, form my sentence,
The sentence that is me,
Judged by those that carry
The patient sits in cradled arms
That comfort me by strangling
Why won't they leave me, leave me alone
When I don't even want me,
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
They have to kill the meal,
Before they can consume,
Consume my inner peace,
Without the understanding,
Trapped inside the works,
The hands are moving me
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
Release me,
Let me go,
Why do they observe me?
There's nothing here to cure,
I can see the silhouettes,
That sit behind the mirror
I'm just like a clock upon the wall
Always moving, but never going anywhere
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
Just as I am,
As always,
Watch the time go by,
Nothing left to pass by,
The minutes follow me,
Drunken little people,
Work away in me,
Why won't they leave me, leave me alone
When I don't even want me, want me
I have to, kill the words,
Before they, form my sentence,
The sentence that is me,
Judged by those that carry
The patient sits in cradled arms
That comfort me by strangling
Why won't they leave me, leave me alone
When I don't even want me,
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
They have to kill the meal,
Before they can consume,
Consume my inner peace,
Without the understanding,
Trapped inside the works,
The hands are moving me
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
Release me,
Let me go,
Why do they observe me?
There's nothing here to cure,
I can see the silhouettes,
That sit behind the mirror
I'm just like a clock upon the wall
Always moving, but never going anywhere
The patient mental sits and stares
An idle mind that's empty, screaming
Staring back
Why won't they leave him, leave him alone
A passive speared ritual
Drive by our war ship...the hate driven envy
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That is all too true, and I am very glad that some one finnaly decided to write a comment. It makes sense that the song is indeed about religion b/c Chad dwells on the fact that GOD has it out for him. good comment.