Song Meaning
The lyrics present a sharp, almost cynical take on the "Ecumenical Movement," framing it as a forced, superficial unity that might even embrace contradictory or undesirable elements. The narrator questions the sincerity of bringing "Catholic, Protestant and Jew" together, sarcastically adding "I guess they want the Devil, too." This immediately establishes a tone of skepticism towards grand, inclusive gestures.
The central tension arises from the perceived hypocrisy of the movement. While proponents tout the "Golden Rule" and "Sermon on the Mount," the lyrics suggest that genuine personal faith or spiritual experience, like being "born again," is disregarded. The narrator's assertion, "I know my sins are all forgiven," stands in stark contrast to the movement's broad, perhaps shallow, embrace.
The most striking element is the disruptive, almost manic repetition of "I am God," "you are God," and "we are all God." These phrases, initially presented as potential inclusions within the movement's philosophy, are then interjected with parenthetical, dismissive commentary like "[Preposterous!]" and "[Nonsensical!]". This highlights the narrator's profound disagreement with the idea of universal divinity as a basis for this specific, organized "movement-movement-movement."
This lyrical approach works by creating a jarring juxtaposition between the lofty ideals of ecumenism and the narrator's deeply personal, perhaps even heretical, pronouncements. The rapid-fire, fragmented interjections at the end, especially the final "[Our God doesn't operate that way!]", underscore a fundamental disconnect, suggesting that true faith, in the narrator's view, is not found in organizational unity but in a distinct, individual relationship with the divine that resists such facile categorization.