If I Were the Devil

I'd keep on keep'in on...

On Unpacking Truth, another Substack by my friend Jessica Funk, I came across a piece the late Paul Harvey did years ago. When I read it, I was amazed at how prophetic it was for its time. I want to share it with you this week as a commentary on how our American culture has fallen prey to demonic influence since this piece was first aired.

Paul Harvey (1918–2009) was the Rush Limbaugh of his time. His radio broadcast, News and Comment, aired six days a week, along with his famous The Rest of the Story segments. From 1951 to 2008, his programs reached as many as 24 million people per week.

Here is what Harvey said…

If I Were the Devil...

If I were the prince of darkness, I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I would 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 convince them what is bad is good and what is good is "square".

And to 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 on how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything would appear dull and uninteresting. I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa.

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 intellects but to 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 from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress.

And in his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and defy science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.

If I were the devil, I'd make the symbol of Easter an egg and the symbol for 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.

If I were the devil, I’d get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich.

If I were the devil, I’d caution against extremes:

…in hard work

…in patriotism

…and in moral conduct.

If I were the devil, I would convince the young that your marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, and that what you see on 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 with what he's doing.

~ Paul Harvey, April 3, 1965