Remember Paul Harvey?

[snow1]

Years ago long before we had satillite radio and FM we had daily hog reports and Paul Harvey around noon whist on hunting trips out west in my my truck,good ole days.

Came across Harvey's essay from 1965 "If I were the devil",interesting read that hit's home today,worth the read.

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.]

[dutchboy]

If I was the Devil I would eliminate morals, self reliance, self responsibility.

[Steve-o]

Here is the original 1965 transcript.  It seems he updated it in 1996 to reflect more recent revelations of evil.  But the 1965 version was pretty spot-on too.

“If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would 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 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”. In the ears of the young marrieds, 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. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . .

If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And 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 would designate an athiest to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.” With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them.

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 would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing.

(Speech was broadcast by ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey on April 3, 1965)”

[snow1]

Amazing essay from so long ago,he was the best.

[Steve-o]

A lot of what Paul Harvey said in that 1965 essay was material that Archbishop Fulton Sheen broadcast in his weekly TV show, "Life is Worth Living," starting in the 50s.

You gotta watch this vid.  Short, highly edited version.



Full Version

[LPS]

Listened to him a lot and enjoyed it.  What did bother me quite a bit though was him selling those Amish made I think heaters.  He told people how much energy they would save so would have lower heating bills.  1,500 watt heaters for $400.  I know old people on fixed incomes that bought them because Paul Harvey vouched for them so they have to be good.  He misled a lot of people.  You can buy a $35 1,500 watt heater that would put out the exact same amount of heat.  It was on every show and it really bothered me. 

[snow1]

LOL LP,yeah but you don't get the fake fireplace in cherry wood,I bought one years ago as my better half was always cold in our house 53 degrees mid winter day time temp when she was home,added about $50/month using that china made pos heater,but the amish cherry wood enclosure was a plus.

[Steve-o]

1500 watt space heater for a room?   

That's like a hair dryer.   

[mike89]

If I was the Devil I would eliminate morals, self reliance, self responsibility.

it's started then....

[dutchboy]

If I was the Devil I would eliminate morals, self reliance, self responsibility.

it's started then....

Yes, yes it has.