Radio Legend Paul Harvey Warned Us In 1965 And It Has Sadly Come True….

You may be familiar with Paul Harvey‘s radio show, “If I were the devil.”

It has been played on Fox News and several television discussion shows, and it is widely available online.

Paul Harvey doesn’t require much introduction. He served as the voice of American radio for many years. He enthralled the American people for more than 50 years with his radio presentation of news, commentary, and storytelling. Millions of Americans listened to his velvet voice every morning and midday as he transformed the news into a story and entertainment.

His “Parade of Roses” commemorating 60- and 70-year wedding anniversaries, his “pages” of news segments (“Now, Page Two”), the humorous “for what it’s worth” finale, and his “Rest of the Story” feature made him famous. All of these segments were delivered in his instantly recognizable voice, complete with dramatic pauses and intonations.

Gaining the loyalty of 24 million listeners at one point, when he passed away in 2009 at the age of 90, he was still well-known among news radio hosts. History fascinated Paul Harvey. He was an expert at predicting the future and making connections between the past and present. In what could have been absolute futility, his commentary on the Kennedy assassination on the evening of November 22, 1963, brought solace to the American people in a way that no one else could have.

An entire cast of conservatives who are currently broadcasting got their start on Paul Harvey’s radio show. He was deeply concerned about the deterioration of American moralism and he loved America. He prepared an essay that postulates the actions the devil may do in order to poison human civilization, and he broadcast it in 1965 under the title “If I were the Devil: How to Destroy America.”

On April 3, 1965, “If I were the devil” debuted on television, Harvey first published it in 1964 as a newspaper column. The fact that Harvey’s words seem eerily predictive, especially given that they were written 48 years ago, is part of the reason for its recent surge in popularity.

“If I Were the Devil

If I were the Prince of Darkness I would want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.

I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree.

So I should set about however necessary, to take over the United States.

I would begin with a campaign of whispers.

With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whispers to you as I whispered to Eve, “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.”

In the ears of the young married I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be “extreme” in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

And the old I would teach to pray — to say after me — “Our father which are in Washington.”

Then I’d get organized.

I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull, uninteresting.

I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies, and vice-versa.

I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing, less work. Idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle 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 would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions; let those run wild.

I’d designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts and I’d get preachers to say, “She’s right.”

With flattery and promises of power I would get the courts to vote against God and in favor of pornography.

Thus I would evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the Houses of Congress.

Then in his own churches I’d substitute psychology for religion and deify science.

If I were Satan I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg

And the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

If I were the Devil I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. Then my police state would force everybody back to work.

Then I would separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines and objectors in slave-labor camps.

If I were Satan I’d just keep doing what I’m doing and the whole world go to hell as sure as the Devil.

[Source: Harvey, Paul. “If I Were the Devil I Would Pray, Our Father Who Art in Washington.” Gadsden Times. Oct 13, 1964 (p.4).]”

From there the broadcast addresses a series of social and political areas that, even in 1964, Harvey felt were at risk as core tenets of the American way of life.

The 1996 revision developed the content to encompass the current events of the moment while maintaining the original essay’s theme and structure. Even nevertheless, this version, which is still two decades old, is still quite relevant to the current situation in our country:

If I were the prince of darkness, I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness.

I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — thee.

So, I would set about however necessary to take over the United States.

I’d subvert the churches first, and 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.”

To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince the children that man created God instead of the other way around. I’d confide that what’s bad is good and what’s good is square.

And the old, I would teach to pray after me, “Our Father, which are in Washington …”

Then, I’d get organized, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.

I’d peddle 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 at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves and nations at war with themselves until each, in its turn, was consumed.

And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.

If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellect but neglect to discipline emotions. I’d tell teachers to let those students run wild. And before you knew it, you’d have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

With a decade, I’d have prisons overflowing and judges promoting pornography. Soon, I would evict God from the courthouse and the schoolhouse and them from the houses of Congress.

In his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I’d lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.

If I were the devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

What’ll you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich?

I’d convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun and that what you see on television is the way to be.

And thus, I could undress you in public and lure you into bed with diseases for which there are no cures.

In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.

[Source: Harvey, Paul. “If I Were the Devil.” Reading Eagle. July 1, 1996.]”

Harvey’s remarks have never been more accurate, regardless of 1965, 1996, or even another adaptation. He was a wonderful man with even more insight. But perhaps a different Harvey quotation better shows how he seemed to be able to foresee, back in the day, how America would develop.

Not only did each prediction come true, but sadly it happened more than once due to America’s severe moral decay. Paul Harvey was well aware of the strategies used by the devil to undermine and subvert America from within. America is headed toward degradation and self-destruction, regardless of whether you believe in the devil.

Whether or not you believe his remarks to be prophecy, they are certainly strong, and they serve as a warning to our country that we should finally start to listen. Maybe it’s time to right our ship and cast the Devil overboard permanently rather than accepting that we will always experience “times like these,” as Harvey once stated, “In times like these, it’s good to remember that there have always been times like these.”

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Sources: Taphaps, Apnews, Newsner