Tuesday, April 3, 2012

If I were the devil. . .

Words of famous radio host Paul Harvey.  Read and guess what year he said this! I think you'll be surprised.

“If I were the devil, I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree—Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first—I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square”. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to pray after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’

And then I’d get organized.  I’d educate authors on how to lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches that war that themselves, and nations that war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed.  And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flame.  If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, and neglect to discipline emotions—just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography—soon I could evict God from the courthouse, and then the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress.  And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. What do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would question against extremes and hard work, and Patriotism, and moral conduct.  I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be.  And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.  In other words, if I were to devil I’d keep on doing on what he’s doing.  Paul Harvey, good day.”

So what do you think? 2000 maybe? the 90's?
No, the year was 1965. Amazing prophecy! 

7 comments:

  1. Tues Apr 3rd,
    "Morning, MaryLu."
    The first thought that came to mind while reading this: We are living in "those days", and, the devil is already performing these atrocities !!! As this description so fittingly shared (unfortunately) ... it's all true !!!
    1965 ... yes, that is an 'amazing prophecy'. Wow ... I was only 15 when he wrote that ... and had I read this 'back then' ... I probably wouldn't have believed it !!! And, just 'maybe' ... no one else would have believed it back in 1965 either ... to be a fore-telling of our 'future - today' !!! Wow, what insight !!!
    Thanks for sharing this MaryLu ... extremely interesting, but most unsettling too (that he could have been "so accurate" ... from 47 years earlier) !!!
    Take care, and, God Bless,
    In Him, Brenda Hurley

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  2. Isn't it amazing how far
    "Christian" America has fallen? Oh to have the days of 1965 again. The days when it was ok for a teacher to lead her class in prayer before taking them to lunch. Now the only time it's ok to speak God's name in our school system is to take it in vain. Parents are threatened with jail time if they correct their children by spanking them. I wonder what our Founding Fathers would think of our country now? I thank God for people like Paul Harvey, who was not afraid to speak out against sin. Thank you Marylu for this thought provoking post, hopefully it will make us pray harder for our country and it's impending downfall.

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  3. Wow. Scary stuff isn't it? My first thought was the same as Brenda's - we're living in that system right now! 1965. Hmmmm. I thank God then, MaryLu, that you and other believing writers have taken their writing gifts to the world; to reach it instead of destroy it. To offer a good, interesting, exciting story, with the truth of God's love and purity. Well done. I'll pray for you as you continue your writing for His glory. I'll pray for those to whom God has given the gift of words and stories, that they too will be a light in the darkness. I can only hope and pray that for myeself as well ... that any writing I do is and will continue to be to the glory of God. A light to the world. You can't have too much light... believing writers, turn it on! :) (Sorry for the long note!)

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  4. Goosebumps..........that's all I can say. I am definitely sharing this, MaryLu, thanks for posting it.

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  5. Scary, indeed, isn't it? In 1965 none of those things were true.. or they were just beginning to be true.. the hippie movement was started to get popular along with all of it's free love and drugs. But TV was still pretty clean and God was still in the schools and courthouse. Amazing.

    Caroline, we are all put here for such a time as this.. God will use the talents He has given you to shine that light! And yes, we need more lights!!

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  6. Oh my goodness! Terrifying, but so completely true...the devil is definitely doing his work in the world! It's sad to really, truly think about what our world is coming too. If it's changed that much in only about fifty years, I'd hate to even imagine what it will be like in another fifty! We can only continue to be a testimony to God, pray for others, spread the good news, and hope with all our hearts that our world will not continue to give in to the devil.

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  7. That's the key, Emily.. we need to spread the good news and restore God in our society or we are lost...
    Or maybe Jesus will come.. :-)

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