'If I Were the Devil'

Today, I feel the devil all around us, like never before in my lifetime ... in any lifetime.

If I were the devil, if evil were my middle name, I'd love the deep state, the corrupt Washington, D.C., swamp and, most of all, its PR division, the liberal media.

I'd love big government, globalists, communists, socialists and Marxists -- anyone who would put the American people in misery and slavery.

I'd dedicate my life to anything and anyone who'd destroy the American dream, opportunity and mobility. Because, of course, the devil loves misery.

I'd want to enslave the American people to big government, ruin their exceptionalism, make them ordinary citizens of a global army of serfs.

I'd want to turn the positive, wonderful, exceptional lives of prosperous American business owners into lives of misery, malaise and poverty.

I'd want America to be no different than Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti or Mexico. Why should America escape my misery and pain?

I'd want to wipe that smirk right off the faces of Americans who love their country and God. I'd want them to suffer.

It would wipe away all of Trump's amazing, magical and miraculous economic achievements of the past three years ... in just a matter of a few shocking, depressing, tragic weeks.

It would crash the stock market; collapse the oil and energy markets; kill over 30 million jobs; close the entire U.S. economy; shutter millions of small businesses.

It would turn tens of millions of Americans into welfare addicts and wards of the state; eliminate Trump's 20,000-person stadium rallies; overwhelm the entire economic system; bring business owners to their knees; and make big government the only option to save a drowning nation no longer so "exceptional."

It would make Americans hide in their homes, accept government telling them whether their businesses are "essential," deciding whether they can earn a living or not, deciding whether they can gain access to a potentially life-saving anti-malaria drug protocol or not.

I'd root for a massive overreaction that leaves America shocked, depressed and weakened. And the government's reaction would be to spend so much money it would leave America crippled by unimaginable debt for decades to come.

I'd laugh and do a dance to celebrate all the rich and powerful business owners left with nothing, reduced to begging big government to bail them out.

I'd create something so vile and frightening it would close down churches and prevent Easter church services for the first time in the history of America.

As a bonus, I'd want everyone in America to be not only broke, scared and humbled but also miserable.

So, I'd eliminate all sports; close down movie theaters; shut down Las Vegas, air travel and cruise ships; cancel vacations and weddings. There would be no way out -- except misery, depression and loneliness.

Sex? All dating would be canceled. No one could come within six feet of each other.

Except for Neil Ferguson, the U.K. scientist who scammed the whole world with hysterical, exaggerated claims and then apparently violated social distancing to have an affair with a married woman.

We've all just met the devil. The coronavirus was his greatest creation yet. This was his "Mona Lisa." The devil is dancing in hell.

Make no mistake about it. We are under massive attack. This pandemic has the devil's fingerprints all over it. It's invisible -- just like the devil himself.

These are the moments that can break even exceptional people. But we are America. We are relentless. We are blessed by God. And, yes, we are exceptional.

We still have faith in America and capitalism. We know God is by our side. We still have faith in our G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time), President Donald J Trump.

If anyone can reverse this, Trump can, just as he reversed former President Barack Obama's miserable economy in a matter of months.

Mr. Devil, you will never, never, never, ever defeat America. You win round one. But we know God is in control of this 16-round championship fight. You cannot beat us. You cannot break us. You can never win. We are America, the greatest nation in world history, ever blessed by God.

'If I Were the Devil'

-- Paul Harvey

One broadcast, which he titled, “If I Were the Devil,” ran originally in 1964, but he updated it several times over the years, and the version detailed below aired in 1996. In Paul Harvey’s own words, here is what he said he would do, if he “were the devil.”

“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 art 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 then 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.”

Everything Harvey saw as nascent trends back in the 60’s has come to fruition. And realizing that many readers may not believe in the devil, per se, doesn’t change the fact that these portents have achieved fruition. Whether the causality is the adversary, other nefarious evil or injurious sources, or merely the result of wanton and hedonistic human nature, the culmination of these destructive trends in society has ripened dramatically in recent years.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Big AMEN!!!