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Hands On You

Ethan Miller & Kate Boverman
Language: English



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[2005]
Album: If All The Land Would Rise
Lyrics and Music by Ethan Miller

"Jesus was a pacifist freedom fighter and a social revolutionary, NOT a conservative fundamentalist war-monger!"
This song is dedicated to the late Maine activist and rabble-rouser Peter Holmes, from whom the chorus-line comes. Peter came to a rally after the U.S. attack on Afghanistan with a sign that read, "Hey Bush: Wait ‘till Jesus gets his hands on you!"

It is addressed to all of those who had bad Sunday school teachers and somehow came to believe that wars, empires, armies, governments, banks, corporations, and “free trade” agreements might all be looked upon approvingly by the same great prophet who said: "Listen: it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than it is for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle."
You said, "God bless America", looking sincere
"May the Lord be our shepherd this time"
And the troops were deployed in the flash of an eye
To commit yet another imperial crime.

Do these bombs fall down as a prayer?
Whose bodies do these bullets bless?
What cynical love do you claim for yourselves
That takes those who have nothing
And leaves them with less?

All you priests who bless battleship
Like you bless wine,
What god do you serve that makes killing divine?
"Bless us, oh lord, and these all our crimes,"
To justify all that you do…
Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you.

All you zealots who call yourselves "Christians,"
And pray to the Lord high above
Condemning all those who are different than you
Practicing hatred while speaking of love..

Confuse faith for obedience and God for a king
And bow to your master without questioning
Ask no forgiveness for the suffering you bring
Do you think this is God's work you do?
Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you.

In the name of the Father, the name of the Son,
In the name of lands conquered and battles yet won,
In the name of the bullets, the dollar, the gun,
You pray to sanctify what you have done!

With the sword and the Bible
And the sign of the cross,
Crusade of the righteous, the banker, the boss
In the name of your god, 30 million lives lost
What hell you have put us all through –
Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you.

Tell me who crucified Jesus?
And who crucifies this world with wars?
It's not Christians or Jews, it's people like you
Who've stolen it all and still you want more…

Perhaps you might need a reminder
About the fire that follows the flood
Do you really believe you can honor God's name
By breaking Her body and spilling Her blood?

Demand of the heavens your riches to keep
While millions will toil to sow what you reap
If the Lord were your shepherd,
You'd be wolves dressed like sheep
Your confession is long overdue –
Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you.


Jesus walked into the temple
Where the bankers had set up their trade
He said, "No one can serve both money and God,"
And he flipped all their tables in rage.

There are creeds of the conqueror
Disguised as the Truth
And blessed by the king up above
And there are creeds of the conquered
Who struggle and fight
For dignity, justice and love.

Tell me who is your neighbor
And where do they live?
What do you take from them, what do you give?
Try as you might now to keep it all hid,
Your words can't disguise what you do –
Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you.
…Wait 'till Jesus gets his hands on you…

Contributed by giorgio - 2009/11/16 - 08:37




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