Profit

Song Meaning

The lyrics confront a perceived betrayal of Christian tenets by a "Christian right," contrasting the actions of this group with the teachings of Jesus. It opens by establishing Jesus as a "revolutionary" and his mother Mary as a "goddess," immediately elevating them beyond conventional religious figures. This sets the stage for the central argument: that the "dark that is now upon us" stems from a distortion of faith, where "white men drop bombs" in a name that originally preached peace. The core tension lies in the hypocrisy of those claiming to follow God while prioritizing "profit" and "greed" over compassion and the "will of their god." The writing sharpens its critique through stark contrasts. It juxtaposes Jesus breaking bread with the poor and walking "on bare feet" against the modern adherents who "walk the path of their greed." A particularly potent image is the "cross red white / and blew 140,000 Japanese people away in one day," highlighting a violent perversion of a symbol of sacrifice. The lyrics also point to systemic injustice, noting "death row is black" and the exploitation of "brown hands" for labor, directly linking this to the proclaimed "holy" status of the oppressors. A key rhetorical device is the repeated emphasis on the definition of "Christian" as "Christ-like." The narrator forcefully argues that the modern "Christian right" is neither "white nor like this," nor like Christ himself. This linguistic deconstruction aims to strip away the legitimacy of their actions, framing their war cries and self-proclaimed supremacy as "blasphemy." The lyrics express profound shame and disillusionment, with the narrator stating "there are days I'm ashamed / to wear the color of your skin" and even to have "prayed to the same god as you." Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their direct, unflinching challenge to a powerful ideology. By grounding its critique in the very figurehead of Christianity, the song creates a powerful sense of betrayal. The imagery of Christ being crucified again by "thorns and nails" and "white lies" is visceral, making the abstract concept of hypocrisy concrete and emotionally charged. The closing lines, imagining Jesus returning to "call you out on all war you been living," offer a darkly satirical vision of reckoning, emphasizing the vast chasm between professed faith and lived reality.