1975 in Prophecy!
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1975 in Prophecy! is a digest-size booklet warning of an upcoming nuclear war and subsequent enslavement of mankind, leading to the return of Jesus Christ as a benign dictator. It was written by Herbert W. Armstrong and illustrated by Basil Wolverton of Mad magazine fame, published in 1956 by the Radio Church of God. No longer in print, it is now valued for its illustrations.
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[edit] Summary
The events described were to begin shortly after February 1972 and climax during 1975. Armstrong stated that his church was operating on two 19 year cycles. The second cycle began after January 7, 1953 when The World Tomorrow was first broadcast over Radio Luxembourg, meaning that the second cycle would end around the beginning of February, 1972.
[edit] Story outline
This was not intended as a work of fiction, but as a warning to the reader of what was scheduled to happen. The time-line was uncertain and, although the title of the booklet was specific, 1975 was not mentioned in the text in relation to Biblical prophecy. All specific dates within the booklet were in relation to events or outcomes not specified by the Bible. The biblical prophecies are ambiguous as to their timing.
...The prophecy does Not reveal exactly which ten nations will be included-but this resurrected Roman Empire will bind together some 250 to 300 millions of peoples! That is more manpower than Russia, or the United States has. The strong indication of these prophecies, then, is that some of the Balkan nations are going to tear away from behind the iron Curtain ...When this United States of Europe emerges...
It is interesting that some of these things did occur, only about 19 years later than the two 19 year cycles that Armstrong was using for his calculations.
The booklet was written in 1956 during the Cold War years. It stated that the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia and other English speaking ("Israelite") nations, contrary to popular cultural belief, would neither be attacked nor destroyed by the Soviet Union, but that a nuclear World War III would destroy these countries. The attack would come from a German dominated United States of Europe led by a Nazi-style dictator (identified as The Beast), and dominated by a religious leader who would probably be a Roman Catholic Pope identified as the Antichrist.
In the aftermath of the nuclear attack one third of the populations would be dead. Another third would then die as a result of simultaneous attacks from abnormal weather patterns which would create drought, destruction and epidemic diseases. The remaining third would then be taken into slave labor camp captivity by the United States of Europe.
Armstrong was also certain that the USSR would not attack the USA or UK but disintegrate instead:
... some of the Balkan nations are going to tear away from behind the iron Curtain.
[edit] Literary style
The literary style of this publication is in a form of advertising script mixing capital and lower case words at whim. Herbert W. Armstrong had previously written in this style as an advertising copywriter in Chicago. Enhancing the text were graphic illustrations by Basil Wolverton.
[edit] Fact, fantasy and fear
The impact that 1975 in Prophecy! had on the reading public can only be understood in the context of the Cold War years when nuclear attack was anticipated and threatened. In 1956 this booklet was not attempting to predict the future, it was stating future events as fact.
Balancing scientific advances, wrote Herbert W. Armstrong, would be the disintegration of society due to increasing mental health problems; crime statistics and divorce. Then he announced that he would reveal the end of the story first.
... we are really going to have world peace! We are going to have actual UTOPIA - far beyond the dreams of today's world-planners! It will not be a millennium of man's devising, however. It will not be a world of idleness and ease-but one of production, plenty, health and happiness.
What Armstrong promised was not a Christian evangelical rapture of spirit beings, but a rescue of human beings living in a physical world into which Jesus would return as world dictator, for the good of humanity.
Central to his discussion of prophecy was the emergence of the United States of Europe:
While our prime objective seems to be idleness, ease and luxury, the German mind and heart and interest appears set on just one thing-hard, energetic WORK that will yet put "Deutschland Uber Alles!" - "Germany Over All!"
Armstrong stated that:
... even this coming military-political leader does not yet know how many, or precisely which European nations will join in this United Nazi Fascist Europe. ... The German - dominated European combine will blast our cities and industrial centers with hydrogen bombs. ... And that surviving third will be up-rooted from their homes-transported like cattle as slaves to Europe, and probably some to South America ...
However, Armstrong was certain that if Britain joined the European Common Market then, either before or after it became the United States of Europe, Britain would withdraw and would eventually be attacked by ten nations in the ultimate federation of a:
... resurrected Roman Empire ... bind(ing) together some 250 to 300 millions of peoples!.
[edit] Distributed worldwide
1975 in Prophecy! was advertised free of charge on The World Tomorrow radio network and in the pages of free subscription magazine called The Plain Truth magazine. It was offered in conjunction with another publication called The United States and the British Commonwealth in Prophecy which revealed that the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and certain sections of Western Europe, were all a part of the so-called Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.
When this booklet first appeared it had the effect of both encouraging and/or frightening enough people to send money to the Radio Church of God that the church grew financially out of proportion to other churches with the same membership base.
[edit] Footnotes
Because Herbert W. Armstrong had an advertising background he was conscious of themes and slogans. He changed the name of his religious radio program from Radio Church of God to The World Tomorrow after the theme "The World of Tomorrow" for the 1939 World's Fair in New York. Religious music was removed from his program and replaced with a closing jingle made in Hollywood. His announcer was Art Gilmore who became famous for voice-over introductions on the Highway Patrol and other TV shows. Gilmore began Armstrong's announcement with variations of the words:
The World Tomorrow! Herbert W. Armstrong brings you the plain truth about today's world news with the prophecies of the world tomorrow.
Bobby Fischer began listening to The World Tomorrow broadcast in 1962 and by the time of the Match of the Century in late 1972, he was still not certain whether the timetable was still on track but a little off the mark. As a result he donated thousands of his winnings to Herbert W. Armstrong.
[edit] External links
God's Work NOW! True remnant holding fast to the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. A copy of 1975 in prophecy can be found on this site.
