In 2002 Battalion of Saints reformed, the current line-up includes San Diego Veterans Matt Anderson (Heroin) on bass, Scott Bartoloni (Heroin, Clikitat Ikatowi) on guitar, Steve Gearhardt "Gearbox" (Total Chaos) and Mario Rubalcaba (Clikitat Ikatowi, RFTC, Hot Snakes) sharing duties on drums, and enlisting old friend and partner in crime Londis Kues "TK" (Crucified Youth, TOF) on guitar. The original Battalion of Saints lineup put out the "Fighting Boys" 12" EP, and the "Second Coming" LP, plus numerous compilation tracks. Most of this material has been re-released on the "Death-R-Us" CD available on Taang! Records. The line-up with Terry Bones put out one EP and the "Cuts" CD also available on Taang! Records.
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Holy Vision
Battalion of Saints Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Billy Graham and P.T.L
Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell
Boy I thought religion's swell
Why don't they give us a break
All they do is take and take
With all the money they make
They get the bible and fill it with lies
When they read between the lines
With God's words they shove down our throats
Born again, well what a joke
(Chorus)
The Dead Sea Scrolls said to be the Bible
The early Christian would have died for
Now it's in paperback
And on TV it's the number one program
Holy vision, holy vision, holy vision
Oh god
Holy vision, holy vision, holy vision
Oh god
Can't you see
They lie to you
I hope you're not
So easily fooled
By what you see
And hear on the tube
If you do, you get what you deserve
The lyrics to Battalion of Saints' song Holy Vision express the singer's disillusionment and frustration with organized religion, specifically the televangelism of the 1980s. The song opens with the singer confessing that they were once lost and searching for guidance, turning to the religious programs broadcast on channel 12 featuring well-known Christian leaders like Billy Graham, P.T.L, Oral Roberts, and Jerry Falwell. The singer once thought religion was "swell," but now feels the opposite. The singer goes on to criticize televangelists for constantly taking money without giving back and promoting a religion that is fake. They accuse these religious leaders of filling the Bible with lies, shoving their interpretation of God's words down people's throats, and mocking the concept of becoming "born again." The chorus chants the title of the song, which represents the singer's belief that the religious leaders on TV are only presenting a false image of God and twisting the truth.
The song highlights the skepticism and distrust that many people have towards organized religion, especially when it comes to televangelism, and how money seems to be a primary motivator for many religious leaders. The criticism of televangelism and organized religion as a whole is not uncommon in punk music, a genre known for exploring political and social issues through its lyrics. Through Holy Vision, Battalion of Saints reveals the hypocrisy they witness in religious broadcasting.
Line by Line Meaning
I was lost found channel 12
I stumbled upon Channel 12, where religious programs of Billy Graham, P.T.L, Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell, etc. are aired and felt invigorated.
Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell
These are preachers who also appear on Channel 12 promoting their religious lifestyles.
Why don't they give us a break
Why don't these religious friends ever stop demanding money from us - they are always taking.
All they do is take and take
Their greed and insatiable appetite for money and wealth knows no bounds.
With a religion that's fake
They have a religion filled with lies.
With all the money they make
They use their religion as a facade to extract money from followers.
They get the bible and fill it with lies
They use the Bible to propagate lies and falsehoods.
When they read between the lines
These religious leaders read scripture and twist meanings to fit their interests while ignoring truth and honesty.
With God's words they shove down our throats
These preachers force their distorted views and perspectives of God's words down follower's throats.
Born again, well what a joke
The notion of being 'born again' is merely a joke to these corrupt religious leaders.
The Dead Sea Scrolls said to be the Bible
The Dead Sea Scrolls is believed to be an ancient scripture containing God's words.
The early Christian would have died for
The early Christians risked death to follow and uncloak the truth about God.
Now it's in paperback
Current society has diluted and turned the scripture that the early Christian died for into mere paperbacks.
And on TV it's the number one program
Religious programs and gospel shows are now the most popular programs shown on TV.
Holy vision, holy vision, holy vision
A calling to God.
Oh god Holy vision, holy vision, holy vision, Oh god
A yearning for clarity and enlightenment.
Can't you see, They lie to you
Don't you see that these religious leaders tell lies?
I hope you're not, So easily fooled
I pray that you are not naive and consequently deceived by religious leaders.
By what you see, And hear on the tube
By what you see through the TV, including religious shows.
If you do, you get what you deserve
If you do, then you have put yourself in a weak position and are liable to be deceived and wronged.
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.