Posted on 05/24/2022 1:15:41 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
Paul Harvey’s “If I Were the Devil” Transcript from 1965
by Paul Harvey
In 1965, Paul Harvey broadcasted “If I Were the Devil.” It is really amazing to realize over 47 years ago how accurately he “prophesied” the future spiritual condition of the United States. Many of his statements were considered ridiculously outlandish at that time in history. Yet, we find ourselves today…
PAUL HARVEY’S ‘IF I WERE THE DEVIL’ TRANSCRIPT
If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but 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’d 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 them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would 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 art in Washington…’
“And 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 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 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 intellects, but 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, then from 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 who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.
And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is 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 the devil I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.
Paul Harvey, good day.”
An absolute classic.
I miss Paul Harvey and Billy Graham.
Me too.
Yes it is. 🙂
Aaron Lewis - If I Were the Devil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA3b_JBEyx8
If I were the devil, I’d find a way somehow
To make man think he created God and not the other way around.
And what you see on TV, will seem like the gospel truth,
And I’d make right look so wrong I’d make wrong look so cool
Yeah, anything to keep you out of Heaven
If I were the devil
If I were the devil, everyone would just see color.
And I’d take all religions and I’d turn them against each other
I’d sit back and I’d love it, watch you fuel the hate
Light fires on the evenin’ news and let them fan my flames
Bring everybody down to my level
If I were the devil
I would keep on doin’ what I’m doin’
But what I’m doin’ sure is workin’ now
And if you don’t believe me, I could prove it
Hey, all you need to do is look around
Hey, I’d be thinkin’ things just can’t get better
If I were the devil
And I’d just keep on doin’ what I’m doin’
‘Cause what I’m doin’ sure is workin’ now
And if you don’t believe me, I can prove it
Hey, all you need to do is look around
Hey, I’d be thinkin’ things just can’t get better
If I were the devil
If I were the devil, when all is said and done
I’d be the coward that I am and I’d tuck my tail and run
I’d hide out in my darkness I’m destined to regret
If I were the devil, hell I’d be scared to death
And Fulton Sheen and Ronald Reagan. I miss when the adults were in charge.
My kids are astonished when I tell them that the Billy Graham Crusades used to be on during primetime on one of the networks.
It's good: https://youtu.be/n0FF13u13WE
I’m sure we all miss a lot of people, but they are two more for sure. 🙂
That’s a classic also. Thanks for posting. 🙂
:)
Fulton Sheen too. He used to beat out Milton Berle for the #1 TV show spot. When asked why he thought that was the case, he quipped, “Well, I have better writers— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John!”
I just copied & pasted it, and didn't bother to actually read it, for I had listened to the video. I provided the transcript, because some people here prefer to read instead of listen. 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
If not for the audio I would have thought for sure this was just some made up internet thing. IIRC there is some fake thing about George Washington saying stuff similar to this.
My uncle told the joke about “I bought my wife a bike, now she pedals it all over town.” I guess if he wrote it down he would have used ‘peddles’.
Thanks for the Paul Harvey piece. I really shouldn’t have posted the spelling correction, but I guess I’m easily amused. 🙂
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