Heresy

This song is about confronting and questioning Christianity. The lyrics describe how Christianity is used to control people and how it contradicts itself: "His perfect kingdom of killing, suffering and pain demands devotion atrocities done in his name."

Nine Inch Nails mainman Trent Reznor explained that much of The Downward Spiral album dealt with how people were always trying to control you, and this song takes on a specific institution. He told Kerrang!: "Churches tell you to do this and that, or the punishment will be going to Hell. In every relationship you get into, someone wants to control it. I'm aware of that, I'm addressing it, I'm challenging it."