At the height of his career, Paul Harvey, the news analyst and talk-radio pioneer whose staccato voice made him one of the most recognizable voices in the US, had over 24 million listeners.
No one could have predicted that his well-known remarks from fifty-four years ago would become the reality of today, despite the fact that he was absolutely correct in everything he said.
When I read this today, I was struck by how pertinent it is.
On April 3, 1965, renowned ABC Radio analyst Paul Harvey aired the speech.
He states at the beginning of his “prophecy”: If I were the Devil… It goes on to talk about problems that we now have to deal with.
This should be heard by EVERYONE. Unfortunately, fifty-four years ago, Paul Harvey was right on the money.
“If I Were Satan” I would wish to cover the entire planet in darkness if I were the Prince of Darkness.
Even though I would own four-fifths of its people and a third of its real estate, I wouldn’t be content until I had taken advantage of the best opportunity.
Therefore, I should start working to conquer the United States, no matter what.
I would start with a whispering campaign.
As I whispered to Eve, “Do as you please,” I would whisper to you with the wisdom of a serpent.
“The Bible is a myth,” I would say to the kids. I would persuade them that, rather than the other way around, “man created God.” “What is good is square, and what is bad is good,” I would confide.
I would whisper to young married people that cocktail parties are healthy and that work is demeaning. I would advise them against being “extreme” in their moral behavior, religion, or patriotism.
And I would instruct the elderly to pray by saying, “Our father which are in Washington,” after me.
I would then organize myself.
In order to make anything else seem boring and uninteresting, I would teach writers how to make obscene literature appealing.
Dirtier films are what I would threaten TV with, and vice versa.
I would infiltrate unions and advocate for less labor and more laziness. I normally work with idle hands.
I would sell booze to distinguished ladies and gentlemen, sell drugs to everybody I could, and use pills to put the others to sleep.
If I were the Devil, I would support educational institutions in developing students’ minds while ignoring the need to control their emotions.
Preachers would declare, “She’s right,” and I would appoint an atheist to represent me in the highest courts.
I would persuade the judges to rule against God and in favor of pornography by flattery and promises of authority.
Therefore, I would expel God from the Houses of Congress, the courthouse, and the schools.
I would then deify science and replace religion with psychology in his own churches.
If I were Satan, I would create an egg as the Easter symbol.
And a bottle, the Christmas emblem.
If I were the Devil, I would steal from the wealthy and give to the desirous until I destroyed the motivation of the ambitious. Everyone would then have to return to work in my police state.
I would then split up families, assigning women to coal mines, children to uniforms, and objectors to slave-labor camps.
If I were Satan, I would simply carry on with my current course of action, and the world would undoubtedly end up in hell.
In the 1970s, my mother and I would listen to Paul Harvey. He is absolutely correct in all of his statements. What he said fifty-four years ago is exactly what is happening today!
Amazing insight, amazing man. Let me know if you agree.
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